UYMP University of York Music Press

Levels of Consciousness: Composer Anthony Gilbert on David Lumsdaine's Mandalas

11 July 2016

"...Lumsdaine's vision is, metaphorically, from before dawn to a rich sunrise, with clouds passing over, and wind coming in gusts..."

Anthony Gilbert has written a Spotlight article on David Lumdaine's Mandala series for the British Music Collection.

Lumsdaine wrote 5 works in the Mandala series, ranging from string quartet to large orchestra, between 1967 and 1988. Gilbert's survey explores the pieces' treatment of themes such as knowledge, meditation, dreams, and unity.

The full article can be read here:

Levels of Consciousness: Composer Anthony Gilbert on David Lumsdaine's Mandalas

To find out more about each work, please visit:

Mandala 1 | Mandala 2 | Mandala 3 | Mandala 4  | Mandala 5

Lumsdaine, who celebrates his 85th birthday this year, was a featured composer at the Late Music Concert Series in York last weekend. A surround-sound  performance of his major electronic work Big Meeting was devised by audio engineer and University of York MA student Lynette Quek.

A York Press review described the performance as a 'fascinating electronic collage of the Durham Miners’ Gala ... a fitting tribute to the composer’s 85th birthday year, brimming with nostalgia and animation.'

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