#4276: Crash Ensemble's 20th Anniversary

The Irish new music band, Crash Ensemble, was founded in 1997 by composer Donnacha Dennehy, conductor and pianist Andrew Synott and clarinetist Michael Seaver. Much like the Bang on a Can All-Stars, these are world-class musicians who play newly-composed works. They’re also a hybrid ensemble, in that they might wield orchestral instruments, as well as amplified instruments.

Crash Ensemble has recorded for Nonesuch Records, NMC, Bedroom Community Records (a new music composers collective), Bang on a Can’s in-house label Cantaloupe Music, and they’ve also played at the Bang on a Can marathons, in addition to mounting contemporary music festivals of their own in Dublin.

To mark Crash Ensemble’s 20th anniversary, the group commissioned new works from 20 Irish and international composers, which were premiered as part ‘CrashLands’ throughout summer 2017 across Ireland. Now, these pieces have been recorded and commercially released on a double LP via Crash Records, their in-house label. For this New Sounds, listen to music from this anniversary collection of works, including work by Donnacha Dennehy of Crash Ensemble, a piece by Irish composer Amanda Feerey, and music written by Bang on a Can’s Michael Gordon and Julia Wolfe.

Celebrate Crash Ensemble’s anniversary with “Cake,” by Michael Gordon for the amplified ensemble. Then, Julia Wolfe takes an acoustic approach with a pastoral work, “A Wild Furze” after the wild plant that grows in parts of Ireland and the U.K. Hear the motoric “Canons and Overtones” by Donnacha Dennehy of Crash Ensemble. Australian-born Dutch-based composer Kate Moore offers her “Music Box” for Crash Ensemble. There’s also a piece, “Vultures,” by the Princeton-based Irish composer Amanda Feerey, who works with acoustic, electronic and improvised music. Plus, hear music by Belfast-based composer Ed Bennett, who leads another hybrid acoustic/amplified new music group, Decibel Ensemble. Plus, hear an arresting work by David Lang. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4276: Crash Ensemble 20th anniversary (First aired 9/17/2019)

ARTIST: Bang On A Can
WORK: David Lang: Cheating, Lying, Stealing [10:30]
RECORDING: Classics
SOURCE: Cantaloupe 21010
INFO: bangonacan.org

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Donnacha Dennehy: Canons and Overtones [11:10]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Kate Moore: Music Box [7:03]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Julia Wolfe: A Wild Furze [3:29]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Michael Gordon: Cake [3:13]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Amanda Feerey: Vultures [5:11]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Ed Bennett: Accel... [5:21]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com

ARTIST: Crash Ensemble
WORK: Nico Muhly: IN AS LONG AS IT TAKES [1:29]
RECORDING: CrashLands
SOURCE: Crash Records
INFO: celticnote.com