Here we curate works of Universal Edition's new composers

New UE composers and works

Les Mains Nues by David Chaillou played by Moises Fernandez Via

La ciudad es la obra fundacional de la Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos. Compuesta por Cergio Prudencio, sobre el poema homónimo de Blanca Wiethüchter fue estrenada en el Paraninfo de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés el 9 de mayo de 1980.

La ciudad fue escrita originalmente para una orquesta formada en secciones, con un número permanente de ejecutantes para cada grupo instrumental. Posteriormente se hizo necesario interpretar esta misma partitura con una orquesta más compacta, para lo cual se dispuso que los músicos alternen diferentes instrumentos, según su disponibilidad, en forma rotativa. De esta manera se dan momentos de convergencia donde todos tocan un mismo instrumento, y otros
momentos donde los músicos se dividen en dos, tres o más grupos, según la necesidad. La implementación de esta forma de interpretación es muy práctica, aunque será importante remarcar
el cuidado del balance en cada circunstancia de la obra. La sección de percusión se mantiene con cinco intérpretes fijos.
Respecto de la partitura original de 1980 la práctica de interpretación de esta obra ha llevado a algunas modificaciones, como por ejemplo la utilización de una sola tropa de mohoceños, en vez de dos; la disposición de los músicos en escenario como consecuencia de la rotación instrumental; el metrónomo para la parte de percusión 5º de la estructura E en adelante. Todos estos cambios apuntan al mejor objetivo sonoro de la obra, lo mismo que a su funcionalidad.
Asimismo, cabe mencionar que la partitura no representa aspectos interpretativos que se han ido estableciendo también en la práctica de años, y que forman parte de una suerte de tradición oral inherente a la obra. Esta partitura es fiel a ella y a la escritura original.

Dirección: Cergio Prudencio
Grabación: Cantus Producciones

LA CIUDAD Blanca Wiethüchter

Estás hecha
de luz y de montaña,
de jirones de piedra
y ríos que te trenzan
al descender.

Estás hecha
de nombres caídos
de barrios desalentados
de feos monumentos
que buscan tus raíces
más allá de toda certidumbre

Eres oscura
y constante en tu destierro.
instantánea
en la violencia
cuando descubres tus calles
para desvanecer un falso sueño.

Ciudad de laberintos,
te escucho:
sola en los abismos,
distinta
en los silenciosos hombres
que vienen solidarios
a recobrar sus muertos

Y camino la tristeza
de tu dispersa soledad
y apenas me explico
el mutismo
en la intimidad de la montaña
que se complace
en guardarte velada.

Pero es cierto,
tu memoria es un grito.
Una razón degollada y sorda.
Un árbol en lo oscuro
que espera el secreto
de un metal escondido.

(de Travesía, Ediciones Altiplano, La Paz 1979)

Hay que caminar sonando

La ciudad (1980) Cergio Prudencio

Mezzo-soprano: Grace Maria Wain
Conductor: Jonathan Berman
Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Written as part of the RSNO's 'Composer's Hub' Vox Clamantis takes inspiration from a text by John Gower, written around the same time as the 1381 peasant's revolt. 

The significance of the peasant's revolt is it is arguably the first time people of Britain rose up with a class identity. 

Building upon this, the piece brings into question the importance of patriotism and popular struggle within Britain. Drawing upon texts by Niclas Y Glais (Rwyn Gweld O Bedd), Langston Hughes (Democracy), and the Moorsoldaten the piece shows us an optimistic vision of the future, the importance of fighting for it, and the final joy: 'One day we shall cry rejoicing homeland dear you are Mine at last'

Score available here: https://www.universaledition.com/ben-lunn-7871/works/vox-clamantis-31601

Vox Clamantis (2021)

Georg Streuber-Chraniuk, baritone
Markus Syperek, piano

The 'Kaddish' prayer is one of the central and best-known texts within Judaism. It is considered as a Jewish Prayer for the Dead and for Mourners and is recited at Jewish funerals as well as at the anniversaries of a death or at memorial events. Death and Mourning do not as such appear in the text; the Aramaic and Hebrew words speak more of a glorification of God and God's forthcoming Kingdom - words which should traditionally provide comfort for the mourners and strengthen them for their continuing lives.

The Kaddish has however also  a further function and is recited more frequently in traditional Jewish services; here it serves always as a division between different sections of the service text, as the conclusion of a reflection or meditation, and also as a form of transition and division between different themes. Special about the Kaddish is that it may only be used in a liturgical context when there is a 'Minyan' present, a quorum of at least ten Jewish adult males. 

Max Doehleman has now set this multi-layered traditional mourning song with the methodology of a Lied. The basic mood is melancholy, as is appropriate to the main theme - the setting should however not illustrate total hopelessness; the listener should instead experience a communication direct to the soul despite all the sense of loss and sorrow. A Kaddish that (as the prayer text itself indicates) reflects also the continuity of life and the cycle of arrival and departure. As well as the moment of grief the music can also beas an expression of transition or change.

Max Doehlemann: Kaddisch

Radmila Bocev, violina / violin
Božo Banović, klavir / piano

Recorded in 2007

Sheet music available at https://www.universaledition.com/en/Works/Robots/P0213639

Roboti / Robots

Choor I, for Morin Khuur Solo (2022.12）

In my boundless turmoil (در التهابم از حد بیرون) 
For Ekmeles vocal ensemble - 6 voices
on a poem by Nima Yushij

Sound Plasma festival for alternative intonations 2023 Tallinn

Recorded by Klassikaraadio / Estonian Public Broadcasting
Sound engineer Teet Kehlmann
Recording location and time: Sept 28, 2023 House of the Blackheads, Tallinn

In my boundless turmoil

four 19-div flugelhorn multi-tracks
Home Studio Recording

The video of the premier is here:
https://youtu.be/F3B-jTq6goo?si=oQQ59GXAhpd_6zM6


The hornpipe as a baroque dance is a somewhat lesser-known dance, but still had a very particular and popular place particularly in British music of the era, with figures like Handel, Daniel Purcell, and his more famous father composing such dances; and with the role of hornpipes in military music of the era too there is a unique place for this underloved dance. As a fan of obscure curiosities and word play - a flugelhornpipe for the wondrous flugelhorn felt like an ideal solution when asked by Stephen Altoft to compose a work in 19-TET. The dance draws on some typical characteristics, namely the prevalence of 3/4 time and use of horn call figures makes for a fun dance and interaction between the live player and the tape parts.

Ben Lunn
'A Radical Optimist’ – Aleksandra Line, Mūzikos Saule
Winner of two Scottish Music Awards 2020 for his work with Hebrides Ensemble and Drake Music Scotland. Ben Lunn's current projects include a large-scale work for soloists, chorus, and orchestra which was supported by the PRS Foundation's Composers' Fund. In September ’23, Ben was selected for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Composer Scheme, which sees him paired with Music in the Round; his selection to the scheme saw him become the first composer from North-East England to be selected for it. In 2021, Ben helped found the Disabled Artist Network, an organisation which is bridging the gap between the professional world and disabled artists.

Flugelhornpipe by Ben Lunn (Backing Track Only)

Obra para cuarteto de cuerdas, estrenada en el Festival Distat Terra, Choele Choel.

Maurice Quartet (Italia)

Violin 1: Georgia Privitera 
Cello: Aline Privitera 
Violin 2: Laura Bertolino 
Viola: Francesco Vernero

Küzemallu (asunto de nieblas azules)- Maurice Quartet

Concierto para Guitarra y Orquesta. 3 mov. Carlos Fariñas

Concierto para Guitarra y Orquesta. 2 mov. Carlos Fariñas

Concierto para Guitarra y Orquesta. 1 mov. Carlos Fariñas

For Flute, Clarinet in Bb, piano, violin, cello

Unknown album (7/4/2016 2:41:3

Reverie(2014) Op.7  Mohammadreza Azin

atl. Choras "Brevis", 2015.12.06, šv. Kazimiero bažnyčia, Vilnius
http://www.mic.lt/en/database/classical/published-scores/1452/

Viderunt Omnes

Composed by Juan Arroyo and played by Omar Nicho.
Live at Quipu 2019, Paris

1. Evil Man

Here are some excerpts of recordings of some of my compositions. I've concentrated on music which is not (yet?) available on CD or shared by others on YouTube, and which I haven't placed as downloadable material on my website (richardbarrettmusic.com).

Politeia (from CONSTRUCTION, 2011) for 13 instruments

'A composer with Northern Roots and an Internationalist perspective' 

‘A Radical Optimist’ – Aleksandra Line, Mūzikos Saule

‘BEN LUNN puts his beloved birthplace Sunderland on the musical map’ – Linton Stephens, BBC Radio 3

‘His work extends the palette of sounds that can be brought into contemporary classical music, redefining both modern composition and concert-hall inclusion.’ – Alan Morrison, Rhinegold.co.uk 

Powerful, poignant and deeply moving, Lunn’s composition certainly represents the spirit of Disability History Month 2018 and our current struggle for justice. – Gemma Nash, Disability Arts Online

‘Ben’s music is intricate and complex with unusual harmonies, making it challenging and exciting – well worth making the effort as the effect created was magnificent’ – John A. MacInnes


Ben Lunn has forged himself a unique position within the new music landscape. As a composer, Lunn’s music reflects the material world around him, connecting to his North-Eastern heritage or how disability impacts the world around him or his working-class upbringing. Alongside this, he has become renowned for his championship of others, which have seen him creating unique collaborations with musicians from across the globe and developing unique concert experiences and opportunities for others. He has won accolades from the Scottish Music Awards in both 2023 and 2020 for his work with Hebrides Ensemble and Drake Music Scotland, and in 2024 was shortlisted for the RPS Awards for his concerto History Needs… composed for Nicholas McCarthy. In 2022, Ben Lunn became the first North-East composer to be selected for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Composer Scheme which sees him paired with Music in the Round. 

Lunn’s music has been described as ‘Evocative’, ‘Restrained Otherwordliness’, ‘Chilling’, ‘sophisticated and most importantly obsessive’ or ‘produces…glorious roaring sounds’ and ‘desolate monotone’. He has also been referred to as a ‘Composer of life music’, as well as ‘like Beethoven but drunk’ or a ‘real barn-stomper’.

Ben Lunn studied at the Royal Welsh College of  Music and Drama under the guidance of Peter Reynolds, and also the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre with Marius Baranauskas. He has also received mentorship from composers Param Vir and Stuart MacRae. Since graduating from his Master’s Lunn relocated to Airdrie, where he currently resides; working as conductor, musicologist, teacher and composer. In September 2021, Ben Lunn started his PhD at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he is exploring the impact of political ideology on composition – discussing Hanns Eisler, Alan Bush, Isang Yun, Luigi Nono, Jian-er Zhu, and reflecting upon his own work.

Lunn’s work has been featured in many leading international festivals including Sound Festival, Crossroads International Festival, Vale of Glamorgan, London New Wind Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Druskomanija, DaDaFest, Arēna Festivals, Leeds Leider+, Zilele Muzicale Aniversare, HASS FEST, Durham Brass Festival, Toronto Contemporary Music Lab, Second Movement’s Rough for Opera, and Occupy the Pianos. He has had the privilege of working with leading international ensembles and soloists including Royal National Scottish Orchestra, Orkestris Sinfonia Concertante, Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, N.A.M.E.S, Sofia Soloists, Ensemble 360, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Quadra Quartet, Hebrides Ensemble, Digital Orchestra, SONO Ensemble, Lomond Brass, Lotte-Betts Dean, Eegeru, Grace Maria Wain, NOYO, Orkest De Ereprijs, Ensemble Proton Bern, Red Note Ensemble, Ensemble Synaesthesis, Music Theatre Wales, Lore Lixenberg, Ligeti Quartet, ÖeNM, Ensemble X and Y, Nikolai Matsov, Rolf Hind, Stephanie Lamprea, Francoise-Green Duo, Garth Knox, Lore Lixenberg, Ember Septet, 5K Brass, Zubin Kanga, Martynas Levickis, JVLMA, and Jauna Muzika. 

As musicologist, Lunn’s specialities focus on Baltic Music, Horaţiu Rădulescu, Political Ideology and composition, and Composing and Disability. He has had the honour of lecturing at some of the world’s leading academic institutions including Fordham University, Mozarteum, RWCMD, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Jazepa Vitola Latvijas Muzikas Akademija, Komitas Conservatory, Durham University and Amsterdam Conservatoire. His articles have been published across Germany, UK, US, Russia, Lithuania, and collected by the Arvo Pärt Centre. He has also written for the Music Information Centre of Lithuania and Latvia. He was featured in the recent Policy Press book Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia in which he contributed a chapter. He has also produced documents offering unique insights into how to make the concert experience more accessible Concerts from my point of view, as well as advising concert promoters and organisations to make their work more accessible for disabled artists, What we need to thrive. He has also worked closely with Making Music UK on a new document to assist amateur ensembles. 

In 2021, Ben helped found the Disabled Artist Network, an organisation which is bridging the gap between the professional world and disabled artists. Ben is chair of the Musician's Union's Scottish and North of Ireland Regional Committee and is chair of the North Lanarkshire Trades Council. He also contributes to the Morning Star and Culture Matters.

Vox Clamantis (2021)

BEN LUNN

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