Philip Thomas
Philip Thomas (b.1972, North Devon) is Professor in Performance, having joined the University of Huddersfield in 2005. He specialises in performing and writing about new and experimental music, including both notated and improvised music. He places much emphasis on each concert being a unique event, designing imaginative programmes that provoke and suggest connections.
He is particularly drawn to the experimental music of John Cage, Morton Feldman and Christian Wolff, and composers who broadly work within a post-Cageian aesthetic. In recent years he has been particularly associated with the music of Christian Wolff, performing and recording the solo piano music, and co-editing a book about his music. He has commissioned new works from a number of British composers whose ideas, language and aesthetic have been informed in some ways by the aforementioned American composers, such as Stephen Chase, Laurence Crane, Richard Emsley, Michael Finnissy, Christopher Fox, Bryn Harrison, John Lely, Tim Parkinson, Michael Parsons, James Saunders, Howard Skempton and Markus Trunk. Additionally, Philip’s work has focussed upon a number of Canadian composers, including Martin Arnold, Cassandra Miller and Linda Smith, and he has been associated with a number of composers from the Wandelweiser collective, most notably Jürg Frey. Solo recordings include releases on ‘another timbre’, ‘HatHut’, ‘Huddersfield Contemporary Records’, ‘Bruce’s Fingers’, ‘Edition Wandelweiser’ and ‘sub rosa’, featuring music by Laurence Crane, Michael Finnissy, Christopher Fox, Jürg Frey, Richard Glover, Bryn Harrison, Tim Parkinson, Michael Pisaro, James Saunders and Christian Wolff.
Alongside the music cited above, Philip pursues a passion for freely improvised music, after significant encounters with the music of AMM and Sheffield-based musicians Martin Archer, Mick Beck and John Jasnoch. He has worked with improvisers in a variety of contexts and recently devised a programme of composed music by musicians more normally known as improvisers as well as others who have been influenced by improvisation in some form. This led to a CD release, ‘Comprovisation’, which featured newly commissioned works by Mick Beck, Chris Burn and Simon H Fell.
Philip is a regular pianist with leading experimental music group Apartment House, with whom he has performed in festivals across the UK and Europe. In 2012 they were awarded the prestigous Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music and Song. "Their performances are always revelatory, and the concert of John Cage's music at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in September 2011 was an epiphany, confirming the status of Apartment House as one of the most innovative and exciting chamber ensembles in Europe."
He has also performed with Quatour Bozzini, Toronto-based ‘Continuum’, and in duos with Mark Knoop and Ian Pace (piano duet and two pianos) and James Saunders (electronics).
Philip is currently working on a major 3-year AHRC-funded project, ‘John Cage and the Concert for Piano and Orchestra’. This will lead to a major book publication, conference, recordings and interactive website. He has written about performance issues and about the music of John Cage, Laurence Crane, Christopher Fox, Jürg Frey and Christian Wolff.
In 1998 Philip was awarded a PhD from Sheffield University in the performance practice of contemporary piano music. Between 2000 and 2005, he was Head of the Sheffield Music School whilst pursuing an active performing and teaching career. He was appointed Lecturer in Performance at the University of Huddersfield in 2005, Senior Lecturer in 2007, Reader in Music in 2011 and Professor of Performance in 2015.
You can find out more about Philip’s work and forthcoming events at www.philip-thomas.co.uk
Phone: 01484471336
Address: Music Department, University of Huddersfield
Queensgate
Huddersfield
HD1 3DH
He is particularly drawn to the experimental music of John Cage, Morton Feldman and Christian Wolff, and composers who broadly work within a post-Cageian aesthetic. In recent years he has been particularly associated with the music of Christian Wolff, performing and recording the solo piano music, and co-editing a book about his music. He has commissioned new works from a number of British composers whose ideas, language and aesthetic have been informed in some ways by the aforementioned American composers, such as Stephen Chase, Laurence Crane, Richard Emsley, Michael Finnissy, Christopher Fox, Bryn Harrison, John Lely, Tim Parkinson, Michael Parsons, James Saunders, Howard Skempton and Markus Trunk. Additionally, Philip’s work has focussed upon a number of Canadian composers, including Martin Arnold, Cassandra Miller and Linda Smith, and he has been associated with a number of composers from the Wandelweiser collective, most notably Jürg Frey. Solo recordings include releases on ‘another timbre’, ‘HatHut’, ‘Huddersfield Contemporary Records’, ‘Bruce’s Fingers’, ‘Edition Wandelweiser’ and ‘sub rosa’, featuring music by Laurence Crane, Michael Finnissy, Christopher Fox, Jürg Frey, Richard Glover, Bryn Harrison, Tim Parkinson, Michael Pisaro, James Saunders and Christian Wolff.
Alongside the music cited above, Philip pursues a passion for freely improvised music, after significant encounters with the music of AMM and Sheffield-based musicians Martin Archer, Mick Beck and John Jasnoch. He has worked with improvisers in a variety of contexts and recently devised a programme of composed music by musicians more normally known as improvisers as well as others who have been influenced by improvisation in some form. This led to a CD release, ‘Comprovisation’, which featured newly commissioned works by Mick Beck, Chris Burn and Simon H Fell.
Philip is a regular pianist with leading experimental music group Apartment House, with whom he has performed in festivals across the UK and Europe. In 2012 they were awarded the prestigous Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music and Song. "Their performances are always revelatory, and the concert of John Cage's music at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in September 2011 was an epiphany, confirming the status of Apartment House as one of the most innovative and exciting chamber ensembles in Europe."
He has also performed with Quatour Bozzini, Toronto-based ‘Continuum’, and in duos with Mark Knoop and Ian Pace (piano duet and two pianos) and James Saunders (electronics).
Philip is currently working on a major 3-year AHRC-funded project, ‘John Cage and the Concert for Piano and Orchestra’. This will lead to a major book publication, conference, recordings and interactive website. He has written about performance issues and about the music of John Cage, Laurence Crane, Christopher Fox, Jürg Frey and Christian Wolff.
In 1998 Philip was awarded a PhD from Sheffield University in the performance practice of contemporary piano music. Between 2000 and 2005, he was Head of the Sheffield Music School whilst pursuing an active performing and teaching career. He was appointed Lecturer in Performance at the University of Huddersfield in 2005, Senior Lecturer in 2007, Reader in Music in 2011 and Professor of Performance in 2015.
You can find out more about Philip’s work and forthcoming events at www.philip-thomas.co.uk
Phone: 01484471336
Address: Music Department, University of Huddersfield
Queensgate
Huddersfield
HD1 3DH
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As well as examining a number of works which explicitly reference the music of the classic experimentalists, such as John Cage, Christian Wolff and Cornelius Cardew, aspects of Finnissy’s compositional technique and language which most clearly reveal the influence of experimental music, such as the use of assemblage, text scores, and indeterminacy are discussed. Finnissy’s distinct application of these techniques are discussed not only for their innovations but for also the way in which they reveal fresh perspectives upon the experimental tradition itself, enlarging and questioning the normative terms of reference employed by the discourse.
Informing discussion of the relationship between Finnissy’s own work and the experimental tradition are Finnissy’s activities as a performer – as pianist, conductor and director. His commitment to the piano and ensemble music of, amongst others, Laurence Crane, Howard Skempton and John White, challenges assumptions of stylistic unity and coherence, as well as questioning conventions of form, harmony and technique. Performance practices more usually relating to experimentalism are considered in the context of Finnissy’s own music, as well as his own performances of other music. My own experiences and interpretative approaches performing the music of these composers and others, including that of Finnissy himself, closely shapes my discussion of performance issues here. Finally, the network of composers, performers and modes of practice pertaining to the experimental tradition is considered as more extended, diverse and multi-faceted than conventionally considered in the light of Finnissy’s deep engagement with the music and its culture.
Short papers/profiles by Philip Thomas
Articles by Philip Thomas
CD liner notes by Philip Thomas
En Plus (Satie) Variation; Another (Satie) Variation; Yet Another (Satie) Variation
Variations (Extracts) on the Carmans Whistle Variations of Byrd
Eight Days a Week Variation
Tilbury 1; Tilbury 2; Tilbury 3
Preludes 1-11
Studies
Incidental Music
Programme notes by Philip Thomas
As well as examining a number of works which explicitly reference the music of the classic experimentalists, such as John Cage, Christian Wolff and Cornelius Cardew, aspects of Finnissy’s compositional technique and language which most clearly reveal the influence of experimental music, such as the use of assemblage, text scores, and indeterminacy are discussed. Finnissy’s distinct application of these techniques are discussed not only for their innovations but for also the way in which they reveal fresh perspectives upon the experimental tradition itself, enlarging and questioning the normative terms of reference employed by the discourse.
Informing discussion of the relationship between Finnissy’s own work and the experimental tradition are Finnissy’s activities as a performer – as pianist, conductor and director. His commitment to the piano and ensemble music of, amongst others, Laurence Crane, Howard Skempton and John White, challenges assumptions of stylistic unity and coherence, as well as questioning conventions of form, harmony and technique. Performance practices more usually relating to experimentalism are considered in the context of Finnissy’s own music, as well as his own performances of other music. My own experiences and interpretative approaches performing the music of these composers and others, including that of Finnissy himself, closely shapes my discussion of performance issues here. Finally, the network of composers, performers and modes of practice pertaining to the experimental tradition is considered as more extended, diverse and multi-faceted than conventionally considered in the light of Finnissy’s deep engagement with the music and its culture.
En Plus (Satie) Variation; Another (Satie) Variation; Yet Another (Satie) Variation
Variations (Extracts) on the Carmans Whistle Variations of Byrd
Eight Days a Week Variation
Tilbury 1; Tilbury 2; Tilbury 3
Preludes 1-11
Studies
Incidental Music
The exploration of social organisation through the use of indeterminate notation has been a recurring concern of the music of experimental composer Christian Wolff since the 1950s. In 1973 he embarked upon a series of pieces titled Exercises for (mostly) unspecified instrumentation and numbers of players. Since then he has returned to the title to extend the number of works to, at present, 33; they are amongst his most frequently-performed works. The notation Wolff employs in these pieces is skeletal, with little by way of instructions and indications for performance. Consequently, players negotiate a way of working with the score and with each other, making decisions prior to, and during, the moment of performance. Orchestration, tempo, dynamics, sequence, coordination and much else are all ‘up for grabs’, and can differ radically from performance to performance. All the Exercises afford negotiation on a number of levels: individually and collectively negotiating with the notation, through the music, and with the ensemble members. As such, there is considerable potential for navigating approaches to ensemble interaction, and for exploration and investigation of performance possibilities. Exactly how these possibilities are exercised in practice is the focus of this paper.
The paper draws on documentation of a recent recording session featuring the ensemble Apartment House, in which a selection of the Exercises was rehearsed and recorded. Analysis from the sessions draws on both personal involvement and reflection (Philip Thomas is pianist with the ensemble), and ethnographic observation (Emily Payne observed the sessions). Both Thomas and Payne make use of video documentation from the sessions to isolate and analyse individual and collective behaviours; and to explore how decisions are prioritised, arrived at, and implemented. Finally, an interview with Wolff about the Exercises, conducted specially for this project, acts as a further contextual frame. The paper offers a view of ensemble interaction and group dynamics that is grounded in both the momentary interactions between musicians, and the cultural knowledge and conduct (Doffman, 2011) that are animated by Wolff’s notation.