sir harrison birtwistle
page two

I would like to ask you about the piece that opens our concert—La Plage—and how you came about writing it. Are you an admirer of Robbe-Grillet, whose text you set in the piece?

Yes, I'm an admirer of Robbe-Grillet. My introduction to him came from the film Last Year in Marienbad, which is based on the short story La Plage. I don’t know if you know that in France—I used to live in France—in France, the bells that give the hour and half hour ring three times: so even at twelve o’clock you get three sets of twelve bells, or thirty-six rings. Well, the story is about some children walking along the seashore, and as they walk there are birds ahead of them wading along the sea edge; and the birds’ footprints are washed away as they move up the beach, in front of these children. Their footprints, as they move past, are actually washed away. And it’s simply a question of the pulse of the water… and I imagine it’s a very hot day. And the children say, "Was it the first bell or the second bell?”

There is a lot of mystery attached to the piece, but at the same time it is very formal. I was a very good friend of Morton Feldman, and I sort of wrote that in a sort of influence of him. But it is the opposite of Feldman, because where Feldman’s music is vertical, La Plage is horizontal and is concerned with varied lines.  

Do you like movies?

My favorite thing in the world, yes.  

And what are some of your favorite movies?  

I don’t know… everything. I don’t know… Yes, lots of them.  

I’m trying to think of something good I’ve seen lately…  

Can’t think of anything! [Laughs.] There is a very good movie called Ulzana's Raid, with Burt Lancaster.  

But you’ve never written a film score.

I wrote a film score for Sidney Lumet once.

I can’t remember. I know it had, what’s he called. Double oh seven… the Scotsman. Sean Connery.

No, I think it was called The Offence, that’s what it was.