EPISODE 3: ADAPT OR DIE
At the end of the 1970's 'New Music' faced a real crisis in Britain when the already tiny audiences began to seep away. Little did anyone realise then that classical music was about to undergo a massive resurgence in popularity. The 80's were to be a decade of radical change - and composers would strive to connect with audiences as never before.
As an angry young man, Mark Anthony Turnage responded to Thatcherite policies with a shocking opera 'Greek'. Whilst Michael Nyman discovered a way to maximise the potential of minimalism, finding a huge audience with his distinctive film scores, James McMillan would bring together religion and politics in his music, establishing himself as Scotland's greatest composer.
Today the sheer diversity of British music has become its greatest strength and a new generation of composers are embracing new technology, finding their own ways to engage with audiences to make music relevant to a 21st century multicultural nation.
"I think a lot of what we write is really rather good, it sounds really great sometimes and it says things that nobody else quite does say."
Oliver Knussen
Rare Archive:
- GREEK Mark-Anthony Turnage
- WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Oliver Knussen
Specially shot interviews:
- NITIN SAWHNEY - Composer
- MARK-ANTHONY TURNAGE - Composer
- COSTA PILAVACHI - EMI Classics
- JOHN STANLEY - Artist Manager
- HARRISON BIRTWISTLE - Composer
- OLIVER KNUSSEN - Composer
- GILLIAN MOORE - The South Bank
- MICHAEL NYMAN - Composer
- JAMES MACMILLAN - Composer
- MICHAEL FINNISSY - Composer
- FREDERICK STOCKEN - Composer
- CECILIA WEE - Rational Rec
- ZOË MARTLEW - Cellist and Composer
Other works featured:
- BUSQUEDA James MacMillan
- THREE MOTETS AND TWO INTERLUDES Michael Finnissy
- EXIT NO EXIT Michael Nyman
- VENI, VENI EMMANUEL James MacMillian
- PANIC Harrison Birtwistle
- GAWAIN Harrison Birtwistle
Narrator VERITY SHARP
Series Adviser BARRIE GAVIN
Film Editors ROD MCLEAN & STEVE PARKINSON
Executive Producer SUE JUDD
Filmed & Produced by ANDY ROBBINS