Frank Corcoran | Irish Composer

Posted on February 19, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

Corcoran
20 January 2012 – 1:21pm
Submitted by root_admin
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Composer(s):
Corcoran
Works:
Mad Sweeney; Music for the Book of Kells; Wind Quintet; Sweeney’s Vision
Performer:
Frank Corcoran (speaker); Das Neue Werk NDR Ensemble, Percussion Modern/Dieter Cichewiecz, Stuttgart Wind Quintet/Willy Freivogel
Label:
Black Box
Catalogue Number:
BBM 1026
Performance:
starstarstarstarstar
Sound:
starstarstarstarnostar
There’s an enticing new-music culture in Ireland, and though much of its product is rarely heard in English concert venues (or Welsh or Scottish, one suspects), these releases from Black Box will play their part in fostering a closer awareness of the subject. While Frank Corcoran and John Buckley represent the middle generation, being born in 1944 and 1951 respectively, Gráinne Mulvey and Deirdre Gribbin are of younger stock, of 1966 and 67 vintage, so the range is evenly balanced both in age and gender. Through the medium of chamber music each composer focuses on an aspect of poetic understanding that avoids, with Corcoran’s exception, the issue of a distinctly national idiom. Corcoran writes music for the Book of Kells, and for Heaney’s translation of the Middle Irish text Mad Sweeney. His ‘macro counterpoint’ and bright and stormy sounds evoking the truth of the Irish dream landscape sound less well in performance than in his description.

PUBLISH OR PERISH

Posted on February 19, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

Frank Corcoran

‘The loss of culture in Ireland is why I am interested in mythopoetic remembrance and imagination.’

Born 1944 in Borrisokane, Tipperary, Frank Corcoran studied philosophy, music, ancient languages and theology at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, University College Dublin and the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome. Further studies in composition were undertaken with Boris Blacher in Berlin. In 1980, he took up a composer fellowship the Berliner Künstlerprogramm. In the 1980s, he taught in Berlin, Stuttgart and Hamburg, where he was Professor of Composition and Theory at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater. He was a Fulbright Visiting Professor and a Fulbright Scholar in the U.S. in 1989 and 1990, and has been a guest lecturer at, among others, CalArts, Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin (Madison), University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Princeton University and New York University. Corcoran’s output includes orchestral, choral, chamber and electroacoutic music. His Joycepeak – Musik won the Studio Akustische Kunst 1995, Sweeney’s Vision won the Bourges Festival Premier Prix in 1999, and Quasi Una Missa won the 2002 Swedish E.M.S. Prize. Two Unholy Haikus took first prize at the Cork International Choral Festival in 2012 and his Eight Haikus was awarded first prize at the International Foundation for Choral Music in 2013. Corcoran’s music has been performed by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Crash Ensemble (Dublin), the Cantus Chamber Orchestra (Zagreb), Wireworks Ensemble (Hamburg), the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Antipodes (Switzerland), among many other ensembles and orchestras. He is a founding member of Aosdána and lives in Hamburg and Italy.

Photograph Tony Carragher. Frank Corcoran at his home in Pratoleva, Viterbo, Italy, 15 July 2013.

MEMORY CELLS LOVE TO SING

Posted on February 19, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

HOW AND WHERE TO START.

Me and Gawd an´ me, women, music and noise, my parents, pigs´ orchestra, three Hegiras, hunger for recognition of the cloth, of the good life, the truth, light gleams in the South, water-babies, dreams, kneeling female slaves, masochism mechanism, toothaches, heartaches, death or Death, loneliness on Skellig, being wanted or being loved, madness and early misery, the castrating, wet Celtic football, that´s enough as a start, maybe.

Whence then: Cartesian carping ? Black mood or black bile? Need for parallel lines, yet assymetry in my musical forms, the
Small Nobel For Deep Drilling, that second long “0” in ” theolOgian”, or drowning just at that south landing at Skellig.
Whither my gait, lope, sobbing hobble ?

Why me now here typing ?
My life as a mess, a palimpsest, a swiftly running film-footage, grace, accidental design, as an orchestral composition with strictly metred bits and macrocontrapuntal bits, the raw and the over-cooked, pottage and porridge, wry humour and being appalled.

I bawled crying , six´n a half, as I knocked at kindly Sister Frances´s piano-teacher´s door and, she inviting, of course, told me never to say ” It´s just me!”
Yes I can still see or feel that tactile little tonic for the left hand ( It was “The Rosebud Walz” ) while the melody for the right, no doubt high compositional class, is now gone for ever.

FRANK CORCORAN QUASI UNA MISSA

Posted on February 19, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

On behalf of Frank Corcoran, please find the mp3s for Quasi Una Missa here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/akbwxnofo3ri6a2/AABXPpTYdyG2nS_jbkXdIv9ja?dl=0 .

NOW JUMP BACK TO THE YEAR 2012

Posted on February 18, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

Friday 2 November 2012, 8pm, National Concert Hall

RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra 2012-2013 Season: Main Season

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE AND LOSS
Arvo Pärt Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten [6’]

Frank Corcoran Violin Concerto (world premiere) [17’]

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 [60’]

Alan Smale violin

Christopher Warren-Green conductor

RTÉ NSO LEADER ALAN SMALE GIVES THE FIRST PERFORMANCE of Frank Corcoran’s ‘taut, lean, lyrical, leppin’’ and song-like Violin Concerto that combines, the composer says, ‘fiddling fun, violinistic seriousness and art’s sorrow, and fast, furious, last orchestral thoughts’. Estonian Arvo Pärt’s bewitching, prayer-like elegy for Britten is a haunting recognition of a lost kindred spirit, and Rachmaninov’s swooningly beautiful Second Symphony could have no better champion than the dynamic conductor Christopher Warren-Green.

Soundings, 7pm

In Conversation

Conductor Colman Pearce with Irish composer Frank Corcoran

ANCIENT IRISH POETRY – KUNO MEYER TRANSLATOR

Posted on February 16, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

‘O Cormac, grandson of Conn,’ said Carbery, ‘what is the worst for the body of man?’

‘Not hard to tell,’ said Cormac. ‘Sitting too long, lying too long, long standing, lifting heavy things, exerting oneself beyond one’s strength, running too much, leaping too much, frequent falls, sleeping with one’s leg over the bed-rail, gazing at glowing embers, wax, biestings, new ale, bull-flesh, curdles, dry food, bog-water, rising too early, cold, sun, hunger, drinking too much, eating too much, sleeping too much, sinning too much, grief, running up a height, shouting against the wind, drying oneself by a fire, summer-dew, winter-dew, beating ashes, swimming on a full stomach, sleeping on one’s back, foolish romping.’

‘O Cormac, grandson of Conn,’ said Carbery, ‘what is the worst pleading and arguing?’

‘Not hard to tell,’ said Cormac.
‘Contending against knowledge, contending without proofs, taking refuge in bad language, a stiff delivery, a muttering speech, hair-splitting, uncertain proofs, despising books, turning against custom, shifting one’s pleading, inciting the mob, blowing one’s own trumpet, shouting at the top of one’s voice.’

[Pg 109]

‘O Cormac, grandson of Conn,’ said Carbery, ‘who are the worst for whom you have a comparison?’

‘Not hard to tell,’ said Cormac.
‘A man with the impudence of a satirist, with the pugnacity of a slave-woman, with the carelessness of a dog, with the conscience of a hound, with a robber’s hand, with a bull’s strength, with the dignity of a judge, with keen ingenious wisdom, with the speech of a stately man, with the memory of an historian, with the behaviour of an abbot, with the swearing of a horse-thief,

and he wise, lying, grey-haired, violent, swearing, garrulous, when he says “the matter is settled, I swear, you shall swear.”‘

‘O Cormac, grandson of Conn,’ said Carbery, ‘I desire to know how I shall behave among the wise and the foolish, among friends and strangers, among the old and the young, among the innocent and the wicked.’

‘Not hard to tell,’ said Cormac.
‘Be not too wise, nor too foolish, be not too conceited, nor too diffident, be not too haughty, nor too humble, be not too talkative, nor too silent, be not too hard, nor too feeble.

CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND SINGS FRANK CORCORAN

Posted on February 16, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

Here are the details for the performance of your piece: Caoine

Friday February 24th, 1pm Open Dress Rehearsal, The Mahony Hall, The Helix, DCU, Dublin 9

Saturday February 25th 8pm, Carlingford Heritage Centre, Co Louth

Sunday February 26th 3.30pm, St Ann’s Church, Dawson St., Dublin 2.

ELEGIES

Benjamin Britten: Five Flower Songs

Herbert Howells: Take him, earth, for cherishing

(our performance dedicated to the memory of Vaclav Havel)

Gerald Finzi: Three Short Elegies

Brian Boydell: Two Madrigals

Enda Bates: Pauper’s Lament / A Stealing Sadness

Frank Corcoran: Caoine

SIX YEARS AGO IN MUNICH

Posted on February 16, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

MARY DULLEA
Solo Piano
Monday 17th January 2011, 19 30 hr.

Programme of music by Irish and Bavarian composers.

Versicherungskammer Bayern, Maximilianstrase 53, 80538 Munich.

Frank Corcoran Nine Pratoleva Pearls

Posted on February 12, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

SAMOBOR MUSIC FESTIVAL
6th INTERNATIONAL COMPOSERS COMPETITION “New Note” CROATIA 2017.

Total value of prizes: 4000 €
Deadline for entries: June 4th 2017.
COMPETITION REGULATIONS

1. The competition is open to composers of all ages and nationalities
2. More than one score per composer is permitted
3. All submitted works must have been composed after December 31st 2010 and not awarded a prize in any other competition
4. It is possible to submit works previously performed, but not already published or professionally recorded for commercial use.

GENRE

1. Composition for ZAGREB SOLOISTS (www.zagrebacki-solisti.com/en)
2. Use of tape or live electronics is not permitted
3. Orchestration: 6 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 1 contrabass
4. Duration: Up to 15 minutes

PRIZES

The First Prize – 2500€ (bruto-includingtaxes) and the concert performance by ZAGREB SOLOISTS on Samobor Music Festival – October7th 2017.
The Second Prize – 1000 € (bruto-including taxes)
The Third Prize – 500 € (bruto-including taxes)
JURY

SRETEN KRSTI?
Zagreb Soloists concert master, violinist (Germany/Serbia – Zagreb Soloists), partner of International Composers Competition „New Note”
NIKŠA GLIGO
musicologist
(Croatia)
FRANK CORCORAN
composer (Ireland)
SRE?KO BRADI? composer and Artistic Director
(Croatia)

HISTORY OR FAKE HISTORY ? O MORES !

Posted on February 10, 2017 By Frank Corcoran

Aha, “an ancient stone with the Ogham inscription Corcrain !!! FOG” – a basis for a new tone row perhaps? In Danish aa = ‘oh’ sound, so maybe: Your Corcrain row followed by three unpitched beats, followed by F-A-A-G? My gift to you, happy Christmas.

More and more Corcorans , a slew, swarm, shoal, school, team, band, swoon,

According to archelogical records an ancient stone with the Ogham inscription Corcrain !!! FOG was present on White island in 1879 but has since disappeared by 1949. Ogham script dates from pre christian Ireland. This may suggest that the Corcorans, were active in this area from the 4th – 6th Century. The O’Corcorans sank into obscurity at the period of the Anglo-Norman Invasion, and several branches of the sept removed into the counties of Cork, Kilkenny, and Waterford. In Kilkenny they obtained a settlement from the FitzWalters (or Butlers), who were in possession of their ancient patrimony. And a senior branch of these settlers was represented by the late Most Rev. Michael Corcoran, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, in the commencement of the 19th century; and by the Corcorans of Enniscorthy, in co. Wexford.
The Co. Cork branch of the family settled in Carbery, and are now (1887) represented by Jeremiah (Dan) O’Corcoran, of Bengowe, Parish of Murragh, who has a son, the Rev. Daniel O’Corcoran, a Catholic clergyman in the city of Cork
The first mention found to date of the Corcoran family in Irish historical records is reference to the O’Corcrain Sept, a division of the Clan, living in county Fermanagh near the shores of Lough Erne. In 1014-1022 AD, Mael Sechnaill II reigned as High-King of Ireland after Brian Boruma’s death. For twenty years after the death in 1022 of Mael Secnaill II, many claimants sought the throne and during this period the Chief Government of Ireland was vested in the persons of two men: Cuán O Lóchán, the King’s chief poet, and Corcran of Lismore, an Erenagh. Corcran the Cleric was Abbot of Inis Cealtra. It is recorded that Chief Corcran was killed in battle in 1090 in County Fermanagh. His son, Felimidh, who married Maeve O’Brien daughter of the King of Thomond in 1130, succeeded him. In the Annals of the Four Masters, there is mention of thirty Chiefs of the Corcoran family from 1250 to 1480. In 1140, Maelinmum O’Corcrain was Bishop of Armagh and in 1373, John O’Corcrain was Bishop of Clogher. Three of the learned and respected Erenachs, lay ecclesiastics, of County Fermanagh are recorded as Daire O’Corcrain, Padraig O’Corcrain and Conn O’Corcrain.
The O’Corcrain territory was invaded by the Normans in 1170 AD. It was not until 1590 that the Normans gained control over Fermanagh.
The ruins of a castle, once occupied by the Corcorans, are located west of Lough Erne near Crom Castle, family seat of the Earl of Erne. The Corcoran castle was erected in 1611 AD and destroyed in 1764 AD.
During the Plantations of Ulster in 1610 A. D. and the invasion of Ireland by Cromwell in 1649 AD, the Corcorans were finally scattered. Many settled on lands in Counties Mayo and Sligo and throughout the Counties of the South, principally Offaly, Tipperary and Galway where the MacCorcorans had settled previously.
By (1847-1864), according to Griffiths Valuation, there were 1336 Corcoran households in Ireland with Cork (179), Mayo (128), Kilkenny (128), Tipperary (124), Offaly (102), Roscommon (82), Laois (79) and Galway (60).
By 1911, accourng to the Irish Census, there were 4736 individuals with the Corcoran surname in Ireland, with Cork (736), Mayo (602), Dublin (547), Offaly (343), Loais (343), Tipperary (318), Roscommon (290), Galway (279), Kerry (248) and Kilkenny (231).
It is recorded that the Sept of MacCorcrain, son of Corcran, was prominent in Counties Offaly and Tipperary until the end of the 16th century when this branch of the family was scattered and settled in Counties throughout the South and West of Ireland. The topographical poem written by O Heerin in 1470 and commented by John O’Donoven in 1862 places the Corcorans in the territory of Ely O Carroll in Offaly and Tipperary in proximity to Kilenaule in the Plains of Birr.
The head of this family of Corcorans was Chief of Clann Ruainne in Ely O’Carroll country. It is of interest to note that the shield of the Family Coat of Arms of the Corcorans is described in heraldic language as: “On a silver shield (argent) is a sword between two lions rampant”, that of the O’Carrolls of Ely as: “Sable two lions rampant combatant or armed and langued gules supporting a sword point upwards proper pommel and hilt of the first”, and that of the O’Meaghar family of O’Carrolls of Ely as: “Azure two lions rampant combatant or supporting a sword argent”. The shields of the family Coats of Arms of Corcoran, O’Carroll and O’Meaghar are of such similarity as to indicate a single clan since all clansmen would readily recognize the shields.
The Corcorans were famous in Irish history as ecclesiastics, writers, chroniclers, bards and warriors and this historic fame is recorded in the motto on the Family Coat of Arms, “In Fide et in Bello Fortis” (Strong in Faith and in War). The Crest is a sea bird in flight. It is to be noted that the Corcoran territory was around Lough Erne and the noun Erne is defined in English as “Sea Eagle”. Brian O Corcrain, Vicar of Cleenish and Bard to the Maguires wrote the Celtic Arthurian Romance, Eachtra Mhacaoimh-an-Iolair “The Story of the Eagle Boy”.
People

Ann Corcoran (born 1951), Australian politician
Brian Corcoran (born 1973), former Irish sportsman
Captain Corcoran, character from Gilbert & Sullivan’s (1878) English opera, “H.M.S. Pinafore”
Danny Corcoran (1916 – 1938), Newfoundland Ranger (Game Warden)
James Desmond “Des” Corcoran (1929–2004), Australian politician
Farrel Corcoran, author and academic
Fred Corcoran, (1905 – 1977), World Golf Hall of Famer
Frank Corcoran (born 1944), Irish composer
Jim Corcoran (born 1949), Canadian musician
John Corcoran (logician) American philosopher and logician, University of Buffalo (SUNY)
Kevin Corcoran (born 1949), American director, producer and former child actor
Lawrence J. Corcoran (1859 – 1891), American pitcher in Major League Baseball
Michael Corcoran (1827 – 1863), American general and close confidant of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War
Thomas E. Corcoran (1838 – 1904), United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
Thomas Gardiner Corcoran, a member of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s brain trust
Timothy Hugh Corcoran (born 1978), American baseball player
Tommy Corcoran (1869 – 1960), American baseball player
William Corcoran Eustis (1862 – 1921), wealthy inhabitant of Washington, D.C. and grandson of William Wilson Corcoran.Notable for being the chairman of the inauguration committee for the first inauguration of Woodrow Wilson in 1913.
William Wilson Corcoran (1798–1888), American banker, philanthropist and art collector
Paul Corcoran – famous printer of Corcoran t-shirts
Etaoin Corcoran – famous Corcoran and lover of Corcoran t-shirts

Corcoran may also refer to:
Places

Corcoran, California, United States
Corcoran, Minnesota, United States
Corcoran, Minneapolis, Minnesota, a neighborhood in Minneapolis, United States
Corcoran Woods, 210 acres (0.85 km2) donated by Edward S. Corcoran to the State of Maryland, United States

Education

The Corcoran College of Art and Design, art school located in Washington, DC, United States
Corcoran Departments of History and Philosophy, University of Virginia, United States
Corcoran Hall, The George Washington University, historic site in Washington, DC, United States
The Corcoran Memorial Lectures, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Corcoran High School, Syracuse, NY, United States

Other

The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, United States
Fort Corcoran in northern Virginia, American Civil War structure
California State Prison, Corcoran, located in California, United States
Corcoran Memorial Prize, award for outstanding work by graduate students in statistics at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom