Brian Ferneyhough - Unity Capsule for solo flute (1976) (with score)

Of Brian Ferneyhough's several hypervirtuosic solo works written during the 1970s, Unity Capsule for flute solo (1973-76) may be the most extreme example, and therefore in one sense the most pure of intent. In many ways a continuation of the Time and Motions Study series, Unity Capsule examines as one of its main premises the potential (musical and psychological) energy of a soloist faced with a score that can't possibly be played by a soloist in its entirety. The player must filter several layers of articulation, gestural types, and rhythmic patterns, he or she must attempt a musically viable reconciliation among straightforward "pitched" music, alternate sounds such as key clicks, breath sounds, vocalizations, multiphonics, or harmonics, each of which may be found under different basic tempos than that of another level. The resultant performer anxiety, or adventurousness, becomes part of the expression of the piece, and the inevitably incomplete rendering of the piece in a given performance lends the work an aspect of the "open form."
This parallels other open form-performer-decision or otherwise indeterminate-pieces such as those by Earle Brown, Boulez, or Stockhausen. If the details of Unity Capsule are likely to change from one performance to the next, Ferneyhough's highly integrated basic structure will nevertheless remain unchanged. As performers become more familiar with the piece (and others of this kind), their changing aspirations for increasingly accurate performance become another facet of the performance. As important as these somewhat abstract considerations may be, it's necessary to note that the musical material of the piece ideally attains a lyricism that connects the work to the best virtuosic solo literature of the past. (Robert Kirzinger)
Performed by Kolbeinn Bjarnason.

[@emilianoturazzi]

what a performer ... (his tone...)

[@dariocaporuscio8701]

One of the few pieces that I really never want to ever study. But I would love to play Cassandra's Dream, it seems to have the same challenges but with an incantatory aura to it that I find more compelling and would justify the extreme effort😂

[@emilianoturazzi]

I think this piece is really something... among his best ones... if I was a flute player and a good enough one I'd surely like to play it (even if it is really demanding)

[@dariocaporuscio8701]

@@emilianoturazzi Tastes I guess, I prefer much more Cassandra's Dream. What do you like the most about this piece compared to the other works for flute by Ferneyhough?

[@lachenmann]

I've always thought that Bjarnason's rendition of this piece is astonishing.

[@emilianoturazzi]

it is. I agree

[@ZewenShifu]

based ferneyhough

[@machida5114]

sodelicious............................

[@majejejenta]

based

[@SyrineSenoussaoui]

8:52

[@_Girly_pop_]

pls wtf is this T_T i'm just here for my assignment. (hello les gens du cned)

[@ContemporaryClassical]

What's your assignment, that has lured you into these dangerous high modernist waters? 😀 Ferneyhough is one of the masters of so-called "neo-complexity", where its near unplayability is the partly the point, to produce a music which is constantly on the edge of being playable or even perceptible. As @darlocaporusclo8701 says below, there are easier ways in - for instance Cassandra's Dream Song ruclips.net/video/3wkfrOC9Mu4/видео.html or La Chute d'Icare ruclips.net/video/sCbh4VoY1Y0/видео.html, but it's all relative, isn't it? Someone on Contemporary Classical admitted he took a new girlfriend to a complete performance of Carceri d'Invenzione, and didn't get another date!

[@lucascover832]

Hahahaha! Un des miens , dans quoi on s'est embarqué mdrrrr

[@wolfgangvanchopin4093]

C est quoi le cned?

[@Via-Media2024]

Move over Beethoven

[@masonkesslar8168]

Seriously, why would anyone take time to learn this as opposed to learning Bach, when his music is an endless treasure trove of infinitely more innovative music that's more fulfilling to study, perform, and learn from? Is it because they're souless masochists who pride themselves on playimg unnecessarily difficult music that's repulsive for normal people (99% of people) to listen to?

[@ContemporaryClassical]

Why does it upset you that people want to play music you don't like? Bach and Ferneyhough are not mutually exclusive. Does very simple music annoy you as well?

[@heart_locket2]

0/10, i just wanna move a 🅱️ean vruh :|