Malcolm Dedman
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Bio
Malcolm Dedman was born in London in 1948. He was taught piano at an early age, but soon preferred to improvise. Although he later had formal violin and singing lessons, it was composition, arising out of improvising at the piano, that he was most interested in pursuing.
He had formal lessons in composition with Patric Standford at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1974-75, but did not receive a formal qualification in music until 2005, when he passed his Masters Degree in Composing Concert Music at Thames Valley University with distinction.
Malcolm’s earlier writing reflected the developments in serialism, but within a modal context. Such works include the first Piano Sonata – Restoration of 1973 and the String Quartet of 1977-79. Although he is still attracted to the possibility of different types of modes, his style has more links with minimalism (although it is rarely strictly minimal) and other so-called post-modern idioms. The modal writing also aims to integrate music from different cultures. He firmly believes in writing music that has a message and can be approached by concert audiences and that such music need not sacrifice quality.
Major first performances that have been received well by both audiences and critics include: Christmas Cantata – ‘The Word was Made Flesh’ in 1975; Three Dance Episodes for oboe, guitar and piano at the Wigmore Hall in 1977; String Quartet at the Purcell Room in 1980; Piano Sonata No. 2 – ‘In Search’ at the Purcell Room in 1986 and Two Reflections for piano in 1988, also at the Purcell Room.
Malcolm has also gained several composition awards, including: Brent Music and Dance Festival in 1969 for a movement from a piano sonata; Stroud International Composer’s Competition in 1974 for the song cycle To Lesbia for tenor and guitar; Recontres Internationales de Chant Choral in 1985 for an anthem Come Unto Me… and Thames Valley University composition prize in 2005 for Scherzo for piano quartet.
About
The tracks above are from a recently released CD entitled Piano Showcase. The CD contains all the composer's piano music from 1979, including music for four hands (a piano duet and a piece for two pianos).
The Toccata in the manner of JS Bach in the 21st Century has a complex history, starting life as a study for piano in 1986. The latest version was written in 1999 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of JS Bach in 2000, and I felt the piece might be how the great Master of Music could have written if he had lived in this century.
Four Kinds of Love reflects on four different types of love. The final movement makes references to each of the preceding three so as to express the concept that God’s love is the source of all true love. The music is offered as a reflection of the realities of these categories of love, inadequate though this might be, with the aim that the listener can meditate on them to aid his understanding.
Two Reflections is a 2 movement meditative piece that was written in 1987. The first Reflection starts with 'mystic chords' which express our inner spirituality. This alternates with an eatern-style melody which expresses the need for greater tolerance between people of different cultures. The second movement reflects on the outer beauty of ourselves and the world in which we live. The two alternating sections may therefore be interpreted as: a meditation on the wonders and beauty of our natural world, and a prayer that mankind might preserve it.
Corrievrechan is for two pianos and was written as an assignment for my MMus in 2004. The music describes the notorious whirlpool – Corrievrechan – that exists between two of the Inner Hebridean islands off the shores of Scotland. The surrounding land is also wild and uninhabitable and, in describing the scene, the music projects an atmosphere of menacing turbulence.
Three Human Attributes is for piano duet and was written in 2007/08.
Each of the three movements focus, in turn, on the human attributes of body, mind and spirit.
The first movement, Physical Condition, is marked Presto and is the shortest. It is a kind of dance that focuses on the 'brutal qualities' at the material level of existence.
The second movement, Mind and Human Intellect, is basically a slow movement, marked Adagio. It alternates strong chords with melodic phrases over a gentle rocking accompaniment. The development of these ideas lead to a 'choral' based on the main melody, bringing this movement to a calm close.
The third movement, Rational Soul, is the longest, reflecting the importance of mankind's spiritual nature (human spirit, or rational soul). It is marked Lento, but contains fast moving arpeggios and figuration. It is based on a sequence of nine harmonies, each harmony lasting a bar longer than the previous harmony. Short fragments of the melody from the previous movement are also heard. All phrases are rising, not to a higher physical plain, but to a higher plain of awareness, as reflected by the closing bars.
The following track is not part of the Piano Showcase CD:
Space Mountain was written in 1998 after I visited Euro Disney theme park, having experienced one ride on the roller-coaster of the same name. I had to hear John Adams Short Ride on a Fast Machine to finally give me the idea of portraying this ride in music. The music explores the mixture of excitement and fear that accompanies the ride, whilst the initial explosion up the ramp, the plunge into darkness before being whisked around, narrowly missing various space objects, are all vividly expressed. This one minute piece is recorded on a keyboard sequencer.
Visit the Store above for details of tracks from the Tranquillity Zone CD containing music for relaxation and meditation. You may also view all my scores on the Sibelius Website, http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/index.php?sm=home.search&searchterm=Malcolm+Dedman&method=compbrowse.
Click on the website link above for details of the composer, his available scores and CDs and to make a purchase. You are also welcome to visit www.tutti.co.uk and search for Dedman or Misty Mountain Music for the composer's 2 CDs and a selection of scores.
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