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The Scratch Orchestra was an experimental musical ensemble founded in the spring of 1969 by Cornelius Cardew, Michael Parsons and Howard Skempton.[1]
In the draft constitution published in the Musical Times of June 1969, Cardew defines a scratch orchestra as: "a large number of enthusiasts pooling their resources (not primarily material resources) and assembling for action (music-making, performance, edification)".[2] The Orchestra reflected Cardew's musical philosophy at that time. This meant that anyone could join, graphic scores were used (rather than traditional sheet music), and there was an emphasis on improvisation. The Scratch Orchestra arose from Cardew's "Experimental Music" class at Morley College, London, which served as a venue for extra rehearsals for Scratch Orchestra concerts, but Scratch Orchestra rehearsals were also held separately. New Zealand artist/musician Philip Dadson was amongst those at Morley College who were in the foundation group for the Scratch Orchestra and, after returning to New Zealand, established a NZ Scratch Orchestra in 1970, which evolved into the group From Scratch in 1974.
The first meeting of the Scratch Orchestra was at St Katharine Docks, 1 July 1969. It was announced by means of a "Draft Constitution", published in The Musical Times in June 1969. The Draft Constitution set out categories of musical activity: Improvisation Rites, Popular Classics, Compositions, and Research Projects. Cardew also proposed that the responsibility of programming of concerts be assigned in reverse seniority, so that the first concert, on 1 November 1969 at Hampstead Town Hall, was designed by Christopher Hobbs, an eighteen-year-old student of Cardew's at the Royal Academy of Music. Original members included Carole Finer.[3]
Despite the emphasis on free improvisation, the varying experience of the members, and the "do your own thing" free aesthetic of the time, the Scratch Orchestra was a disciplined ensemble. Eventually the strains of Cardew's "reverse seniority", tensions between musically-trained and non-musically-trained members, and an increasing interest in political aesthetics led to a gradual change in the activities, and then the outlook of the ensemble. It was effectively inoperative by 1974.
The ScratchOrchestra was an experimental musical ensemble founded in the spring of 1969 by Cornelius Cardew, Michael Parsons and Howard Skempton. In...
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composer, and founder (with Howard Skempton and Michael Parsons) of the ScratchOrchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected experimental...
accordionist. Since the late 1960s, when he helped to organise the ScratchOrchestra, he has been associated with the English school of experimental music...
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presenter, artist and art teacher. She was a founder member of the ScratchOrchestra. Finer studied fine art at Chelsea College of Arts; at Chelsea she...
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core group. Orchestra and soloists are usually professionals, though their services are often donated for charity benefits. The "scratch" name derives...
during the recording of Electric Ladyland. July 1 – Cornelius Cardew's ScratchOrchestra holds its first meeting. Brian Eno begins his musical career as a...
of Cornelius Cardew and a member of the ScratchOrchestra. He also co-founded the Promenade Theatre Orchestra in 1969. Sleeve notes for 'South of the...
orchestra on a contract basis for each season of performances, or hire a scratchorchestra for specific performances, e.g. when they are on tour. During company...
Rzewski's Les Moutons de Panurge, which Nyman often played with the ScratchOrchestra. The album was first issued on compact disc on March 29, 2004, by...
continued to focus on political issues, as did his original work with the ScratchOrchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He is currently living and working...
John White, and other experimental composers, including those in the ScratchOrchestra, but also others, including Robert Ashley and Terry Jennings. As the...
whose music he has interpreted and recorded and a member of the ScratchOrchestra. His biography of Cardew, "Cornelius Cardew – A life unfinished" was...
Nuzzle and Scratch is a British children's television programme, shown on CBeebies from 1 Sep 2008 and ran for three series with two spin offs up to 4...
Music ensembles formed around improvisation were founded, such as the ScratchOrchestra in England; Musica Elettronica Viva in Italy; Lukas Foss Improvisation...
performed a compositional piece. Shilonosova is a member of the Moscow ScratchOrchestra, a collective that makes music inspired by composer Cornelius Cardew...
and artist, who was in the foundation group for the ScratchOrchestra and founder of From Scratch. He lectured at the Elam School of Fine Arts, part of...
part in Christian Wolff's 'Burdocks' concert. He was a member of the ScratchOrchestra from its formation in 1969. Following on from this came the formation...
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