Centering
1973

Duration

20'

Publisher

Edition Peters

Instrumentation Notes

solo violin and ensemble

Program Notes

[The revised Peters Edition score of 2007 replaces all previous editions.]

The title of the work is also that of a book by Mary Caroline Richards, an old friend whose poetry and philosophy and example have been of great value to myself and many other artists and friends.

The book concerns itself with mental and physical “centering” in the sense of balancing and the gathering and focusing of one’s resources as necessary to “perform well” in any life situation.

In the music I have used the center frequencies of the violin and piano and of the total ensemble as structural points of balance and imbalance around which the form moves in and out of centers of repose. Within the composed continuity there are three “open-form” areas; two are cadenzas for the solo violin and one is a kind of cadenza for the conductor, working with the three instrumental trios (woodwinds, brass, strings).

The work is dedicated to Mary Caroline Richards and to the memory of Bruno Maderna who was a very close friend of mine and whose death I heard of as I was in the process of completing the work. The very last five notes (for solo violin) are quotes from Bruno’s first oboe concerto.
—Earle Brown

More Information

Commissioned by the London Sinfonietta for Paul Zukofsky.
Solo Vln. – 1.0.1.1 – 1.1.1.0. – Pn .- Vln. ,Va.,Vc.

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Audio Samples

Centering

Selected Performances

January 19, 2016 • Good Shepherd Center, Seattle, WA

Inverted Space Ensemble
 

January 19, 2013 • Boston

Callithumpian Consort
Steve Drury, conductor
Ethan Wood, solo violin

January 29, 2010 • Frankfurt, Alte Oper

Ensemble: Ensemble ModernConductor: Hans ZenderSoloist: Jagdish Mistry

January 29, 2010 • Frankfurt

Ensemble Modern 

October 24, 2008 • Sydney

Ensemble: Modern Music EnsembleConductor: Daryl Pratt

October 14, 2007 • Bonn

Ensemble: LandesJugendEnsemble für Neue Musik NRWConductor: David SmeyersSoloist: HannaH Walter, Violin

October 13, 2007 • Koeln

Ensemble: LandesJugendEnsemble für Neue Musik NRWConductor: David SmeyersSoloist: HannaH Walter, Violin

October 12, 2007 • Goch

Ensemble: LandesJugendEnsemble für Neue Musik NRWConductor: David SmeyersSoloist: HannaH Walter, Violin

May 11, 2004 • Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

Ensemble: Ensemble IntercontemporainConductor: Francois Xavier RothSoloist: Jeanne-Marie Conquer

January 18, 2004 • Barbican, London, Great Britain

Ensemble: London SinfoniettaConductor: David Porcelijn

November 20, 2002 • MoMaQNS -Long Island City, New York

Ensemble: S.E.M EnsembleConductor: Petr Kotik

January 12, 2000 • Berlin

Ensemble: Ensemble ResonanzConductor: Petr KotikSoloist: Steffen Tast

November 2, 1998 • UC San Diego

Rand Steiger conducted the SONOR ensemble at UC San Diego with Janos Negyesy as soloist

March 31, 1996 • Frankfurt

 Ensemble Modern, conducted by Hans Zender

March 31, 1996 • Frankfurt

Ensemble: Ensemble ModernConductor: Hans ZenderSoloist: Jagdish Mistry

May 25, 1995 •

Conductor: Peter Kotik
Soloist: Jaqueline Carrasco

April 22, 1995 • Rock Hall, Temple University

Ensemble: Network for New Music and the City CircusConductor: Jan Krzywicki

October 30, 1994 • Vienna, Austria

Conductor: Friedrich Cerha

November 2, 1990 • Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ensemble: Aquarius Ensemble

October 28, 1990 • Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ensemble: Aquarius Ensemble

June 11, 1990 • Vienna, Austria

Ensemble: Klangforum Wien

May 19, 1990 • Lexington, Virginia, USA

Eliot Chapo, vn solo
Margaret Brouwer, vn
Ellen Rose, va
Eugenia Rust, vc
Sue West, fl
Doug Kehlenbrink, bn
Chris Magee, tp
Robert Williams, hn
Don Dresser, tb
Barry Kohlman, cl
Kathy Supove, pn
Earle Brown, conductor 

December 1, 1989 • Oberlin College Conservatory of Music

Ensemble: Oberlin Contemporary Music EnsembleConductor: Earle BrownSoloist: Matthew Loden

October 17, 1989 • Boston

November 4, 1988 • La Jolla, University

August 7, 1988 • Aspen, Colorado

June 11, 1988 • Buffalo, State University

June 14, 1987 • Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ensemble: Radio Hilversum Chamber Orchestra (Holland Festival)

May 11, 1987 • Hartford, Connecticut USA

Ensemble: University of Hartford Orchestra

May 11, 1987 • Auditorium RAI, Rome

Ensemble: Ensemble Gruppo Musica d'OggiConductor: Earle Brown

October 31, 1985 • West Hartford

April 18, 1984 •

January 28, 1981 •

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

July 15, 1980 • Radio France, Paris, France

Ensemble: Radio France Orchestra

March 26, 1979 • Paris, France

Ensemble: Ensemble Intercontemporain

March 18, 1977 • Rotterdam, Netherlands

Ensemble: Radio Amsterdam

November 6, 1975 • Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

October 31, 1975 • Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

March 27, 1975 • Saarbrucken, Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

March 25, 1975 • Germany

Ensemble: HR Frankfurt

March 9, 1975 • Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

February 26, 1975 •

Ensemble: Deutschlandfunk

February 13, 1975 • Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

January 17, 1975 • Koln, Germany

Ensemble: WDR Koln

December 3, 1974 • Paris, France

Ensemble: Musique Plus

December 2, 1974 • Paris, France

Ensemble: Musique Plus

November 26, 1974 •

Ensemble: Suedwestfunk

August 22, 1974 • Stuttgart, Germany

Ensemble: Saarlaendischer Rundfunk

December 7, 1973 • London, England UK

Ensemble: London SinfoniettaConductor: Hans ZenderSoloist: Paul Zukofsky

December 4, 1973 • Manchester, England UK

World Premiere
Ensemble: London Sinfonietta
Conductor: Hans Zender
Soloist: Paul Zukofsky

Sample Page

Centering sample page

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Recordings

Centering: The Music of Earle Brown (released 1998)

Newport Classic

Performed by San Francisco Contemporary Music Players

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Earle Brown Music Foundation