Short bio Cornelius Cardew
Full biography Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was a British composer, theorist, and performer who was born in 1936. He was an important figure in the European avant-garde music scene during the 1960s and 70s. Cardew studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was a student of Lennox Berkeley and Richard Rodney Bennett.
In 1960, Cardew became a member of the New York School of musicians, which included composers such as John Cage and Morton Feldman. He was highly influenced by their experimental approach to music-making. In the early 1960s, Cardew began composing graphic scores, a type of music notation that used visual elements rather than traditional musical notation to convey instructions.
Cardew also played an important role in the development of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental music ensemble that he founded in 1969. The ensemble was open to anyone who wanted to participate, regardless of their level of musical proficiency. The Scratch Orchestra played a key role in the development of the British free improvisation scene.
Throughout his career, Cardew sought to bridge the gap between experimental music and politics. He was a committed Marxist and saw music as a tool for radical social change. In the late 1970s, Cardew abandoned his earlier experimental style and began composing more traditional pieces that were more accessible to a wider audience. He died in a hit-and-run accident in London in 1981.
Overall, Cornelius Cardew's impact on the world of experimental music was significant. His graphic scores and pioneering work with the Scratch Orchestra helped to expand the boundaries of traditional Western music. Cardew's music continues to be studied and performed around the world today.
Compositions featuring Cornelius Cardew
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | There Is Only One Lie, There Is Only One Truth, for mixed choir & piano | 4:58 min | Choral | 1980 |
| 2 | Material | 7:52 min | Chamber Music | 1964 |
| 3 | Memories of You, for prepared piano | 13:30 min | Keyboard | 1964 |
| 4 | Solo with accompaniment | 7:45 min | Chamber Music | 1964 |
| 5 | Treatise, for any number of musicians with any instruments | 99:05 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1963 |
| 6 | Octet '61for Jasper Johns | 7:04 min | Chamber Music | 1961 |
| 7 | Piece for guitar (for Stella) | 6:41 min | Chamber Music | 1961 |
| 8 | Autumn '60 | 6:20 min | Chamber Music | 1960 |
| 9 | Rhythmic Pieces (3) for trumpet & piano | 6:17 min | Chamber Music | 1955 |
| 10 | Second String Trio | 4:29 min | Chamber Music | 1955 |
| 11 | Piano Album | 6:20 min | Keyboard | - |
| 12 | Thälmann Variations, for piano | 22:53 min | Keyboard | - |
| 13 | We Sing for the Future!, for piano | 22:59 min | Keyboard | - |
Albums featuring Cornelius Cardew
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Cornelius Cardew – Jaka Berger – Treatise(CD, Album) | 2022 | Edition FriForma |
| 2 |  |
The Great Learning(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2021 | Tone Glow Records |
| 3 |  |
Chris Cundy, Cornelius Cardew, Ton De Leeuw, Thanos Chrysakis, John Cage – MOUNTAINS(CD, Album) | 2020 | Aural Terrains |
| 4 |  |
Cornelius Cardew, Gerauschhersteller – Treatise(5×CD, Limited Edition) | 2018 | Not On Label |
| 5 |  |
Cornelius Cardew, John Tilbury, Michael Francis Duch, Rhodri Davies – Cornelius Cardew Works 1960–70(2×CD, Album) | 2016 | +3dB Records |
| 6 |  |
Noël Akchoté, Cornelius Cardew – The Great Treatise Serves(13×File, MP3, Album) | 2016 | Noël Akchoté Downloads |
| 7 |  |
Cornelius Cardew - N. Horvath – Treatise (Harsh-Noise Version)(CD, Album, Mono) | 2013 | Sublime Recapitulation Music |
| 8 |  |
Tania Chen - Cardew, Parsons – Piano Music(CDr, ) | 2011 | Knitted Records |
| 9 |  |
Cornelius Cardew, Tilbury / Duch / Davies – Works 1960–70(CD, Album) | 2010 | +3dB Records |
| 10 |  |
The Great Learning(4×CD, Album) | 2010 | Bôłt |
| 11 |  |
Cornelius Cardew / QUaX Ensemble / Petr Kotik – Treatise(2×CD, Album) | 2009 | Mode |
| 12 |  |
Cornelius Cardew - Oren Ambarchi, Keith Rowe – Treatise(LP, Limited Edition) | 2009 | Planam |
| 13 |  |
Consciously(CD, Album) | 2006 | Musicnow |
| 14 |  |
Material(CD, Album, Limited Edition) | 2004 | hat[now]ART |
| 15 |  |
Cornelius Cardew / David Bedford – The Great Learning / Two Poems(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2002 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 16 |  |
We Only Want The Earth(CD, Album) | 2001 | Musicnow |
| 17 |  |
Cornelius Cardew - Frederic Rzewski – We Sing For The Future! | 2001 | New Albion |
| 18 |  |
Cornelius Cardew - Apartment House – Chamber Music 1955 - 64(CD, ) | 2001 | Matchless Recordings |
| 19 |  |
Treatise(2×CD, Album) | 1999 | hat[now]ART |
| 20 |  |
Cornelius Cardew - John Tilbury – Piano Music 1959-70(CD, Album) | 1996 | Matchless Recordings |
| 21 |  |
Piano Music(CD, Album) | 1991 | B & L Records |
| 22 |  |
Thälmann Variations(LP, Album) | 1986 | Matchless Recordings |
| 23 |  |
Gerhard Stäbler / Cornelius Cardew / Nicolaus A. Huber / Helmut Lachenmann – ...Auf Gefährlicher Waage...(LP, Album) | 1986 | pläne |
| 24 |  |
Cornelius Cardew Memorial Concert(2×LP, Album) | 1985 | Impetus Records |
| 25 |  |
Four Principles On Ireland And Other Pieces (1974) | 1975 | Cramps Records |
| 26 |  |
Leo Brouwer, Gaspar Sanz, Luis de Narváez, Fernando Sor, Cornelius Cardew, Hans Werner Henze – Werke Für Gitarre Solo | 1971 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 27 |  |
Cornelius Cardew & The Scratch Orchestra – The Great Learning | 1971 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 28 |  |
Cornelius Cardew, Howard Skempton – Howard Skempton's Cardew Retrospective(File, MP3) | - | UbuWeb |
Videos featuring Cornelius Cardew
Unintended Piano Music by Cornelius Cardew (from Piano Music 1959-70)
(with New Improved Volume Setting) Unintended Piano Music by Cornelius Cardew (Piano Music 1959-70) performed by John Tilbury. Here Meshed with a Modern Match re-edit of Kenneth Angers 1949 experimental short film Puce Moment ,starring Yvonne Maquis.
C.Cardew Father Murphy, Francesca Aste pianoforte
8 luglio 2016
Festival Scirocco
Levico, Parco delle Terme
ore 21.15
Francesca Aste, pianoforte
Programma:
William Byrd The Woods so Wild (1590)
Howard Skempton Weel, well, Cornelius
Image (1989)
Cornelius Cardew
Autumn 60
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Autumn 60 · Tilbury & Duch & Davies
Cornelius Cardew - Works (1960-70)
℗ 2010 Musikkoperatørene
Released on: 2010-10-11
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Four Principles. Cornelius Cardew
piano. cornelius cardew
Cornelius Cardew-Smash the Social Contract
I dont own any rights
This from second memorial concert.
Treatise (Pages 21 & 22)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Treatise (Pages 21 & 22) · Cornelius Cardew
Material
℗ 2004 Hat Hut Records, Ltd.
Released on: 2014-07-24
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Memories of You
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Memories of You · Cornelius Cardew · Cornelius Cardew
Material
℗ 2004 Hat Hut Records, Ltd.
Released on: 2014-07-24
Auto-generated by YouTube.
charge
a piano song played by Cornelius Cardew, published on record in 1974 on Four Principles On Ireland And Other Pieces (Cramps Records)
TREATISE Cornelius Cardew. KYMATIC ensemble
4th System
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
4th System · Tilbury & Duch & Davies
Cornelius Cardew - Works (1960-70)
℗ 2010 Musikkoperatørene
Released on: 2010-10-11
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Material
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Material · Tilbury & Duch & Davies
Cornelius Cardew - Works (1960-70)
℗ 2010 Musikkoperatørene
Released on: 2010-10-11
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cornelius Cardew - British Imperialism
Cornelius Cardew | We Only Want The Earth: The Peoples' Liberation Music Tapes: 1973-78 | Musicnow | 2001
British Imperialism
Get out of Ireland
Down with your murdering
Plunder and rule
The British working class and the Irish people
Have a common ene
Cornelius Cardew - Sailing The Seas Depends On The Helmsman
Sailing The Seas Depends On The Helmsman (Piano version)
Cornelius Cardew
All rights belong to Cornelius Cardew
Cardew / Ambarchi / Rowe – Treatise
Cardew / Ambarchi / Rowe | Treatise | Planam | 2009
https://orenambarchi.com/
https://orenambarchi.bandcamp.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Rowe
http://www.musicnow.co.uk/cardew/
https://www.discogs.com/release/1835017-Cornelius-Cardew-Oren-Amba
Material
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Material · Cornelius Cardew
Material
℗ 2004 Hat Hut Records, Ltd.
Released on: 2014-07-24
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Solo with Accompaniment
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Solo with Accompaniment · Tilbury & Duch & Davies
Cornelius Cardew - Works (1960-70)
℗ 2010 Musikkoperatørene
Released on: 2010-10-11
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Octet '61 for Jasper Johns
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Octet '61 for Jasper Johns · Cornelius Cardew · Cornelius Cardew
Material
℗ 2004 Hat Hut Records, Ltd.
Released on: 2014-07-24
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cornelius Cardew: Red Flag Prelude
-Cornelius Cardew, Piano
Cornelius Cardew: Thälmann Variations (1/2)
Cornelius Cardew (1936-1981) was associated with commitment concerning leftwing politics, the mass and avantgarde music. This work however belongs to another phase. He composed it in 1975, but it came to be published no sooner than 1986.
Ernst Thälmann
Cornelius Cardew - Song for the British Working Class
from Consciously (2006), originally recorded 1979
British ruling class puffed up with arrogance
Boasted that the sun shone on your vast empire
That sun has now eclipsed.
British ruling class, we have got news for you.
Your time has run out; You have got
Theme: We Sing For The Future
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Theme: We Sing For The Future · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cornelius Cardew & The Scratch Orchestra – The Great Learning 1971 Avantgarde Modern
Cornelius Cardew - Smash The Social Contract
Cornelius Cardew | We Only Want The Earth: The Peoples' Liberation Music Tapes: 1973-78 | Musicnow | 2001
For the ruling class and Labour government
The situation is getting worse and worse
Every thing they try is bound to fail
Because they labour unde
Cornelius Cardew: Thälmann Variations (2/2)
Originally from 1975. Last two variations. See for some more data and some discussion there too, infobar and comments of vid part 1.
Frederic Rzewski, piano.
Cornelius Cardew-Take Up the Fight
Musicians on Consciously - Cornelius Cardew / Peoples Liberation Music
07 Take Up the Fight
Laurie Baker - Voice and bass guitar
John Marcangelo - Keyboards
Geoff Pearce - Electric Guitar
Keith Rowe - Electric Guitar
Pip Pyle - Drums
Dave Smith - French
Cadenza I: (We Sing For The Future)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Cadenza I: (We Sing For The Future) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Thälmann Variation: Pt. 3
Provided to YouTube by Believe SAS
Thälmann Variation: Pt. 3 · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing for the Futur: Thälmann Variations
℗ Doxy Records
Released on: 2013-01-28
Composer: Cornelius Cardew
Music Publisher: D.R
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cornelius Cardew - Fight The Cuts
Cornelius Cardew | Consciously | Musicnow | 2006
The monopoly Capitalist lackey government
Lets finance have its way
To increase their rate of profit
They make the workers pay
Fight the cuts
That's part and parcel
Of our class strategy
In proletari
Cadenza II: (We Sing For The Future)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Cadenza II: (We Sing For The Future) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Thälmann Variation: Pt. 2
Provided to YouTube by Believe SAS
Thälmann Variation: Pt. 2 · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing for the Futur: Thälmann Variations
℗ Doxy Records
Released on: 2013-01-28
Composer: Cornelius Cardew
Music Publisher: D.R
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cornelius Cardew - Smash the Social Contract
For the ruling class and labour Government the situation is getting worse and worse
Ev'ry thing they try is bound to fail because they 'labour' under history's inescapable curse:
From crisis to crisis they lurch and they sway
They scratch their heads to
Ending: (We Sing For The Future)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ending: (We Sing For The Future) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Part I: (Thalmann Variations)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Part I: (Thalmann Variations) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Part II: (Thalmann Variations)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Part II: (Thalmann Variations) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Part III: (Thalmann Variations)
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Part III: (Thalmann Variations) · Cornelius Cardew
We Sing For The Future
℗ 2001, New Albion Records, Inc
Released on: 2001-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Cardew – The Great Treatise – Noël Akchoté : 02 – Treatise : Page N° 7
Worldwide Available 04.03.2016
Cornelius Cardew – The Great Treatise Serves – Noël Akchoté
COR-6 (Noël Akchoté Downloads, Album, MP3, Believe Digital, 2016).
Noël Akchoté : Acoustic Guitar.
02 – Treatise : Page N°. 7
06 – Treatise :
Cardew – The Great Treatise – Noël Akchoté 06 – Treatise : Page N° 19
Worldwide Available 04.03.2016
Cornelius Cardew – The Great Treatise Serves – Noël Akchoté
COR-6 (Noël Akchoté Downloads, Album, MP3, Believe Digital, 2016).
Noël Akchoté : Acoustic Guitar.
02 – Treatise : Page N°. 7
06 – Treatise :
Cardew – The Great Treatise – Noël Akchoté : 13 – The Great Treason
Worldwide Available 04.03.2016
Cornelius Cardew – The Great Treatise Serves – Noël Akchoté
COR-6 (Noël Akchoté Downloads, Album, MP3, Believe Digital, 2016).
Noël Akchoté : Acoustic Guitar.
10 – The Great Learning : Paragraph N°. 27
13
Cardew – The Great Treatise – Noël Akchoté : 10 – The Great Learning : Paragraph N° 27
Worldwide Available 04.03.2016
Cornelius Cardew – The Great Treatise Serves – Noël Akchoté
COR-6 (Noël Akchoté Downloads, Album, MP3, Believe Digital, 2016).
Noël Akchoté : Acoustic Guitar.
10 – The Great Learning : Paragraph N°. 27
13
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