Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks

Infobox Album
Name = Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks
Type = studio
Longtype =
Artist = Michael Nyman


Cover size = 200
Caption =
Released = June 1, 1998
Recorded = February 23 and 24, 1998
Genre = Contemporary classical music, Minimalist music
Length = 67:17
Language =
Label = Carlton Classics
Director =
Producer = Matthew Dilley
Reviews =
Compiler =
Chronology = Michael Nyman
Last album = The Suit and the Photograph
1998
This album = Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks
1998
Next album = Practical Magic
1998
Misc =

"Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks" is a 1998 album by the English Sinfonia conducted by Bramwell Tovey. The work, by Michael Nyman, is paired with "The Protecting Veil" by John Tavener featuring Josephine Knight on the cello. The photography and liner notes indicate that Nyman was directly involved in the album (his 31st), the premiere recording of the work, while Tavener, whose piece, eleven years old at the time of the recording, has been recorded more than once, is represented by a headshot and stock commentary from Richard Steinetz.

trong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks

"Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks", written in 1997, was commissoned from Nyman by the English Sinfonia. The work he gave them is a five-movement orchestral work based on the "String Quartet No. 4", which in turn was based on the solo violin work, "Yamamoto Perpetuo".

The title is derived from the name of the town of Stevenage, where the Sinfonia moved in 1997. The Anglo-Saxon name of the town, "Sithenaece" means "Strong on Oaks." Nyman then took a cue from Tony Blair's campaign slogan (in fact coined by Gordon Brown), "Tough on Crime, Tough on the Causes of Crime."

He dedicated the work to Simon Jeffes, founder of the Penguin Café Orchestra, and a friend and colleague. Jeffes died on December 11, 1997. Nyman was orchestrating the final page when he learned of his death, and in honor of him, styled 4-note pizzicato chords in the style of Jeffes's ukelele work.

The Protecting Veil

"The Protecting Veil" is a work composed by John Tavener in 1987 and premiered in 1989, based on his conversion from the Anglican Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is scored for strings with a solo cello, but unlike in a concerto, the cello part is an "endless arch" in the syle of music from Byzantium rather than being virtuostic.

Track listing

#First movement 3'50"
#Second movement 3'30"
#Third movement 3'02"
#Fourth movement 3'05"
#Fifth movement 2'47"
#The Protecting Veil 9'35"
#The Nativity of the Mother of God 6'26"
#The Annunciation 3'33"
#The Incarnation 4'32"
#The Lament of the Mother of God at the Cross 11'41"
#The Resurrection 3'05"
#The Dormition 8'18"
#The Protecting Veil 3'39"

Personnel

*Josephine Knight, cello
*English Sinfonia
*Bramwell Tovey, conductor

*Producer: Matthew Dilley
*Engineer: Dick Lewzey

*20 bit digital recording and post production by Sound Recording Technology, Cambridge

*Photography: Neil Applegate
*John Tavener photograph: Catherine Manners
*Josephine Knight photograph: Clive Barda
*Liner Notes: English Sinfonia, Michael Nyman, Richard Steinitz