John Shirley-Quirk (baritone) Paul Hamburger (piano) The Melos Ensemble Richard Adeney (flute)
Anthony Jennings (clarinet) Gervase de Peyer (clarinet)
Stephen Trier '(bass clarinet) Emanuel Hurwitz (violin) Cecil Aronowitz (viola) Terence Weil (cello)
Adrian Beers (double bass) Lamar Crowson (piano) Eric Allen (percussion) John Williams (guitar) with Hugo d'Alton (mandolin) Ivor Beynon (accordion) Conducted by Jacques-Louis Monod PART 1
In ' Concert for 8 ' my intention has been to write a piece of chamber-music in the nature of a Divertimento, almost in the spirit of the commedia dell arte. The eight instruments are introduced somewhat in the manner of dramatis personae, but the play itself consists ot purely musical events and must not be taken as evoking or illustrating any extra-musical parallels whatsoever. From the conventions of the commedia two have been adopted: that of impromptu origination and, sometimes, that of disguise or masking-by which I mean unusual ways of playing the instruments.
The piece falls into eight sections which are played without a break, The ensemble comprises flute, clarinet, accordion, mandolin, guitar, double bass, piano, and percussion-the percussionist being required to play a variety of instruments.