The 80th birthday of Britain's foremost composer, Sir
Michael Tippett , has been marked with celebrations around the world. Perhaps the most revealing tribute took place this summer at the Malvern Festival. This year the Festival, usually noted for its patronage of Elgar, devoted the majority of its programme to the works of Tippett. BBC cameras spent the week at Malvern with Sir Michael and filmed him at work on the interpretation of his own music and Elgar's Introduction and Allegro. Tippett at 80 reveals a vigorous and delightful absorption in every aspect of music making, and this film is a unique record of his reflections on Elgar as well as his thoughts on interpretation, style and technique in the performance of his own music.
Artists appearing include: Lindsay String Quartet
English String Orchestra
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra William Boughton Gyorgy Pauk
Ralph Kirshbaum Rivka Golani
Sound recordist STAN NIGHTINGALE Photography BRIAN HALL Film editor ARDAN FISHER
Executive producer DENIS MARKS Producer KEITH CHEETHAM