Hearing Astra

Part 1 - The idea of Astra

Introducing Astra

Chapter 1 -
Astra in Concert

0.1 Neil Kelly, excerpt from Flush (2005) – with violinist Miwako Abe

0.2 Martin Friedel, What is best in the new (2001)

1.1  Stefan Wolpe Holderlin Song no. 1 (1924)

1.2  Mauricio Kagel, The Mutation (1971)

1.3  Leonhard Lechner, St. John Passion, Part 1 (1593)

1.4  Keith Humble, excerpt from The Seasons (1971) – performed in the domed reading room State Library @ 5:10

1.5  Graham Hair, opening from In ecclesiis (1981) – performed in Old Customs House @ 3:25

1.6  Pauline Oliveros, Sound Patterns (1961)

1.7  Beethoven, Melodrama: Egmont in Prison, opus 84 (1810) text by Goethe

1.8  Anonymous Spanish Pilgrim song, Mariam Matrem (14th c.)

Part 2 - Tracking Forty Years
of ‘Contemporary’ Astra

Chapter 2 -
Carving a New Musical Pathway, 1978-1989

Chapter 3 -
From Performance to Documentation, 1990-2004

Chapter 4 -
Engaging Musical Worlds beyond Australia, 2005-2020

2.1 Warren Burt, excerpt from Drowning (1978), violoncello and tape

2.2 Elliott Carter, Musicians Wrestle Everywhere (1945)

2.3 Donald Martino, Pious Piece no. 1 (1971) @ 7:20

2.4 Helen Gifford, Phantasma (1963) @ 3:55

2.5 Giovanni Gabrieli, Buccinate in neomenia tuba (Blow the Trumpet in the New Moon) (Ca. 1600) performed in the Domed reading room, SLV

2.6 Jeff Pressing, Constellation (1987)

2.7 Lou Harrison, A Solemn Processional (1963)

2.8 Keith Humble, excerpt from Soundscapes (1987) 2.6 – 2.8 performed in the Meat Market (24 July 2987) @ 5:25

3.1 Martin Friedel, ‘Radium’ from Conversations Before the Silence (1990)

3.2 Martin Friedel, ‘Dialogue of the Pythagoreans’ from The Third Planet (1995) @ 2:50

3.3 Arnold Schoenberg, Chamber Symphony no. 2, opus 38b (1906-1940), arranged for 2 pianos 1942) perf. Kim Bastin and Joan Pollock

3.4 Allan Walker/Chris Mann, tootrue+birdtram machine (2020) @ 10:33

3.5 Johanna Beyer, ‘The composers’ Forum Laboratory’ from Three Pieces for Choir (1937)

3.6. Andrew Byrne, ANTS Darting (2021) @7:24

3.7 Helen Gifford, excerpt from Choral Scenes: the Western Front, World War I (1999)

3.8 J.S. Bach, Der Gerechte kommt um (ca 1725) @ 6:38

3.9 Ferruccio Busoni, Fantasia contrappuntistica (1922) – perf. Kim Bastin and Joan Pollock

3.10 Stefan Wolpe, La menatzeach al ha-mecholot – To the Dancemaster (1938)

4.1 Elizabeth Lutyens, Requiescat ‘in memoriam Igor Stravinsky’ (1971)

4.2 Catherine Schieve, excerpt from Rock and Light Tracing (2006)

4.3 Paul Hindemith, Apparebit repentina Dies, part 1 (1947)

4.4 Excerpt from Dissident Consonances or: The Iron Curtain, the Flux Labyrinth and Lithuanian House, with Slave Pianos

4.5 Lawrence Whiffin, excerpt from Piano Sonata no. 3 (2011)

4.6 ‘Moths’, excerpt from The Lepidopters: A Space Opera, (2014), with Slave Pianos

4.7 Martin Friedel, excerpt from Dance of the Bee (2015)

4.8 Alma Mahler-Werfel, The Silent City (1910), arranged by Clytus Gottwald (2009) @ 8:02

4.9 Alexander Kastalsky, excerpt from Agnus Dei, Wartime Requiem for Fallen Brothers (1916), arranged by Graham Hair (2014) @ 10:14

4.10 Goerge Balint, Angel-Cloud (2018) – with Erkki Veltheim, violin

4.11 Morton Fledman, Chorus and Instruments (1963)

4.12 Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Madrigal No. 6, “Rationalists! Wearing Square Hats” from Three Madrigals (1955)

4.13 Ernst Toch: Gesprochene Musik (Spoken Music) (1930), simulated gramophone accelerations

4.14 Pauline Oliveros, One Word: Sonic Meditation XII (1971)

Part 3 - Astra’s Network and Community

Chapter 5 -
Astra’s Australian Collaborators

Chapter 6 -
International Connections

Chapter 7 -
Astra from the Inside: the Choir and Company

5.1 Martin Friedel, Naturgemäß (2020), ponding sounds

5.2 Helen Gifford, Presentiment (2005), As Dew in Aprille (1955), Spell Against Sorrow (2003), Obsession (2005), Celebrations of the Apsaras (2013), The Solder in the Park (2001)

5.3 Lawrence Whiffin, ‘Cataphony’ from Cat Pieces (1988)

5.4 Keith Humble, ‘Bagatelle no. 1’ from Eight Bagatelles (1992) -  performed by Keith Humble (1993), first performance

5.5 Keith Humble, Nocturne 1, ‘When the stars are scarce’ (1988), arranged by John McCaughey for Chamber Ensemble

5.6 Keith Humble, Cabaret Songs (1985-1989) performed by Merlyn Quaife

5.7 Graham Hair, closing passage from Lament for Santa Sophia (2000)

5.8 Neil Kelly, excerpt from 60 cycles—The Breath of Empty Space (2011)

5.9 Lawrence Whiffin/William Henderson, excerpt from murchitt: a daydream (1997)

5.10 Michael Kieran Harvey, Toccata DNA (1993)

6.1 Stefan Wolpe, Hebrew Chorus no. 1 (1954), Solo Piece for Trumpet (1966), Ballad of the Widows of Osek (1943), arranged by John McCaughey

6.2 Johannes Brahms, Nänie—Song of Lament, opus 82 (1881), arranged by John McCaughey

6.3 Robert Schumann, Requiem, opus 148 (1852) arranged by John McCaughey, Requiem aeternam, Te decet hymnus; Elizabeth Lutyens, Footfalls, opus 128 (1978) – audio by the Astra Choir and video of the choir working with Riccardo Vaglini and students in Venice, 2014

6.4 Nicolas Gombert, Ave regina caelorum (ca. 1540)

6.5 Radu Paladi, Choral Poem 12 (1992), from 1992 sonnet by Mihai Eminescu

6.6 Dan Buciu, Puiu Mami—Cradle Song