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HAPPY MUSIC for Orchestra (and improviser)
Album draft 2021
An album of joyful music performed by symphony & chamber orchestras, large ensmbles and improvisers; Beibei Wang & Alex Paxton.
composed by Alex Paxton
“highly innovative...of exceptional creative imagination and musical energy, packed with life force unlike anything else.” Ivor Novello British Composer Awards. Winner 2021, BBC music Magazine
composed by Alex Paxton
“highly innovative...of exceptional creative imagination and musical energy, packed with life force unlike anything else.” Ivor Novello British Composer Awards. Winner 2021, BBC music Magazine
"Unique, inventive, brave and arresting”
Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM) Jazz Prize.
Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM) Jazz Prize.
“This is what an orchestra can be like in the 21st century:
an ensemble that speaks with one voice yet
also gives voice to each of its members”The Times (Alex’s Orchestral music in BBC Proms 2021)
an ensemble that speaks with one voice yet
also gives voice to each of its members”The Times (Alex’s Orchestral music in BBC Proms 2021)
1. Love-Kittens (for Orchestra) 3.37”
2. Od Ody Pink’d (for Orchestra and Alex Paxton) 9.47”
3. Strawberry (for Mixed Ensemble & Patrick Terry (Ctnr)) 11.25”
4. Water Music (for Orchestra and Beibei Wang) 7.24”
5. Sweet Wishes (for Orchestra and Alex Paxton) 3.45”
6. Bye (Mixed Ensemble and Alex Paxton) 10.10”
TOTAL: 46.08
1. Love Kittens 3.37”
Purple-Tree Tapestry Orchestra 2.2.2.2 2.2.2.1 2PercPnoHarp Strings: 3.2.2.2.2Composed by Alex Paxton
Some love kittens. Love-kittens love back.
Kittens are very popular on the internet, so is shopping, pornography and The News.
There is also as well lots of life-alteringly amazing music there too also.
(First played by London Philharmonic Orchestra at St John’s Smiths Square, as part of Now We are Duh-Dur conducted by Magnus Lindberg)
2. Od Ody Pink’d 9.47”
feat. Alex Paxton with Purple-Tree Tapestry Orchestra 2.2.2.2 4.2.3.1 2perc Strings: 12.10.8.6.4.2Composed by Alex Paxton
A kind-of-like-a concerto for jazz musician and Symphony Orchestra.
Inspired by the paintings of Turkish-French-Isreali artist Ody Saban.
(First Played by Alex paxton and Royal National Scottish Orchestra conducted by Junping Qian)
3. Strawberry 11.25”
Counter- Tenor Patrick Terry and Dreammusics Ensemble. 2sax, 2trb, 2synth, Voice, Violin, Cello.Composed by Alex Paxton
A gay-love song inspired by the tapestries of Grayson Perry,
like RHUBARB & CUSTARD (sing to a tune so beautiful it makes wild men grow tulips):
“Let’s paint the town red, let’s paint the town blue, let’s paint the town orange too, ‘cos I say so, let’s sing a song now! Ah, singing low, lullaby, lets make the town here! Smell the air and here is the rain! Feel all at once ah. Yes! do the rounds now. Get the loud sounds. Yes! Let me please do it to you, ah blue! Or orange. O you! Ah my favourite! Rainbow brown. I was promised rainbow brown. Mmm.This is all so long ago. This is all so long ago. This is all so very very very long ago. This is all so very very very very very long ago. Let me name you. Let me paint you. With my own home grown, rainbow brown. A rainbow! ‘Cos I say so. All over your face and pallid bod. dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob dob. Making, tasting, yeah. I Like it. Mmmm.”
4. Water Music 7.24”
feat. Beibei Wang “water percussion” with Purple-tree Tapestry Orchestra. 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.0 3PercPnoHrp Strings: 1.1.1.1.1Composed by Alex Paxton
Water is very special, from above, below (like a bible) and of the body.
Like Puck from Midsummer Night’s Dream, but much wetter.
Water sounds inspried from everyday urban water sounds, Baka People water drumming and ASMR composer artists (eg: Neo Hülker)
(First Played at the Aldeburgh festival, Snape Maltings conducted by Jessica Cottis.)
5. Sweet Wishes 3.45”
feat. Alex Paxton with Purple-Tree Tapestry Orchestra. 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.1 1Perc Strings: 5.4.3.3.1Composed by Alex Paxton
Inspired by the dense biro-like drawings of Madge Gill.
(First Played by Alex Paxton and Royal National Scottish Orchestra conducted by Junping Qian)
6. BYE 10.10”
Alex Paxton with Dreammusics Ensemble. Flt, 2cl, 2sax, 2trb, 1keysComposed by Alex Paxton
BYE is like when you say good bye. Sometimes for just a bit, sometimes forever.
"Unique, inventive, brave and arresting”
Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM) Jazz Prize
Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM) Jazz Prize
(Awarded winner of the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition 2020 by the Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM))
REVIEWS
Previousely released recordings of Alex’s Music have been reviewed / featured by
New York Times (USA), The Times (UK), New Music Show (BBC Radio 3) (UK), BBCMusic Magazine (UK) The Wire Magazine (UK), Jazzwise Magazine (UK), TEMPO (UK), POSITIONEN (Germany),
Point of departure (USA), MusikTexte (Germany), SoundmakingPodcast (Int.), The Trombonist Magazine (UK), LondonJazz News (UK), Scottish Jazz Space (UK), BBC Radio 3, Planet Hugill,
Prxludes (UK), The Sampler (UK), Cooky Ma Loo (Au), Resonance FM (UK), European Modern Jazz (Europe), A closer listen, Amazon
Point of departure (USA), MusikTexte (Germany), SoundmakingPodcast (Int.), The Trombonist Magazine (UK), LondonJazz News (UK), Scottish Jazz Space (UK), BBC Radio 3, Planet Hugill,
Prxludes (UK), The Sampler (UK), Cooky Ma Loo (Au), Resonance FM (UK), European Modern Jazz (Europe), A closer listen, Amazon
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