Gardener of Time: Barry Conyngham at 75

This double-CD contains seven orchestral works, all by composer Barry Conyngham perhaps Australia’s most international composer, with premieres and performances of his works in Japan, America, Europe, Russia and throughout Australia. The Ormond Ensemble is conducted by Richard Davis.

The Ormond Ensemble ensemble
The Melbourne Conservatorium String Ensemble ensemble
Ken Murray guitar
Robert Nairn double bass
Linda Barcan mezzo soprano
Richard Davis conductor

Barry Conyngham composer

Over his long career as a composer, Barry Conyngham has published over 100 works. In his compositions, Barry has often enjoyed using titles that convey multiple meanings and suggest musical processes. Many of the titles embody the suffix ‘-ing’, suggesting something unfinished, or in the process of unfolding.

This is a bouquet from the garden of his musical imagination, and indeed most of these works are infused with a vivid and specific sense of landscape. These diverse landscapes, brought to life in sound, are also animated by a multitude of human energies, as the soloists and the ensemble move together with the vectored synergies that Barry imagined. This sound garden allows us to savour the world of colours, gestures, and resonances in Barry’s music.

Press quotes

“A collection of orchestral works by Barry Conyngham ... His Japanese-infused aesthetic has stayed consistent over the decades and exerts a tantalising pull with its abstractly beautiful if sometimes uneasy sounds. The title work creates a gentle kaleidoscope of texture ... Live performances by The Ormond Ensemble and Melbourne Conservatorium String Ensemble under conductor Richard Davis are riveting.” ★★★★½

— Graham Strahle, The Australian

“Barry Conyngham’s fascinating, original and engaging new CD provides an hour and a half of fascinating, original and engaging music from one of Australia’s most revered composers whose music though modern in idioms is nonetheless very approachable to the average listener. The title piece is taken from an essay by Takemitsu based on a poem by Australian teenager Susan Morrison including the lines ”Hours are the leaves of life – And I am their gardener- Each hour falls down slow.” Kangaroo Island, a concerto for Double Bass invoking different aspects of one of his favourite locations – the five movements really show off the dexterity of the instrument played so well by Robert Nairn as well as highlighting the attractions of the island.”

— Tony Burke, classikON

“A wonderful collection of recent works from one of Australia’s most important composers. ... what strikes me about Barry’s music is its devotion to what he once described to me as being ‘humane’ – concerned with the outcast, be it a visionary or a convict, and with the environment, built or natural. As his music has unfolded much has remained constant, and it’s been fascinating to hear how that manifests in this collection of mainly recent pieces.”

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— Gordon Kerry, Music Trust Loud Mouth e-zine

Artist

Barry Conyngham

Born in Sydney Australia, Barry Conyngham has received numerous awards, prizes and grants for composition, including Churchill (1970), Harkness (1972-74), Australia Council (1974-5), and Senior Fulbright (1982) Fellowships. He has an ARIA, two Sounds Australian Critics Awards and two Maggs Awards.

Audio previews

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Track Listing

To The Edge Barry Conyngham
Mallorca Serenade Barry Conyngham

Kangaroo Island: Concerto for double bass and orchestra Barry Conyngham

Coastline – Seals – Visitors
Flatland – Kangaroos – Roadkill
Caves – Bats – Wonders
Treeline – Koalas – Survival
Skyline – Bees – Captives

Disc 2

Petrichor Barry Conyngham

Dry Spell
Deluge
Petrichor
Darwin: Comparing the Eye to a Telescope Barry Conyngham
Gardener of Time Barry Conyngham
Bushfire Dreaming Barry Conyngham

Performers

The Ormond Ensemble · all except disc 2 track 6
The Melbourne Conservatorium String Ensemble · disc 2 track 6
Ken Murray · guitar · disc 1 track 2
Robert Nairn · disc 1 tracks 3–7
Linda Barcan · disc 2 track 4
Richard Davis

Where to listen

Gardener of Time: Barry Conyngham at 75 is available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.

Gardener of Time: Barry Conyngham at 75 is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.