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Paul Max Edlin
Paul's works have been performed both nationally and in Europe. In 1989 his opera The Fisherman was premièred to wide critical acclaim in a production by the RCM Opera School under James Lockhart. Arthur Jacobs, writing for Opera Magazine, called Paul "our latest operatic prodigy". A major contribution to Paul's work to date, is his large scale cycle based on architecture from South-East Asia. This cycle includes: Borobudur for large orchestra, first performed by the RCM Symphony Orchestra under Elgar Howarth as the concluding piece to the RCM's 1995 'Fast Forward Festival', Bayon, a five act opera, and Banteay Srei which was first performed as the ballet Wild Child, whose preparations and performance formed the subject of a documentary shown on BBC 2. Of his chamber forces, Five Fantastic Islands was performed at the 1994 Huddersfield Festival by Psappha and subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3. This piece inhabits the sound world of his most recently completed composition, an opera/ballet, Five Arabian Nights, written in collaboration with American writer and librettist Patricia Debney. The original piece explores the emotions and attitudes of Scheherazade and Shahriar through interpretations of five tales from 'The Thousand and One Nights'. Paul Max Edlin is married with two sons. He lives in Kent, where he lectures at Canterbury Christ Church College and is currently working on a Clarinet Quintet for David Campbell. Programme Note: Five Fantastic Islands Five Fantastic Islands takes the listener on an imaginary dream-like voyage. But, as in a dream, we never really get 'inside' the images, rather we observe things at a distance, at a stage removed. At first we pass the Isle of the Cord Dancers; in ancient Cambodia, mysterious towers existed called Towers of the Cord Dancers. The second island is that of the Temptress - inspired to a degree by the symbolist paintings of the late nineteenth century. Then follows the Isle of the Serpents and the Sleeping Muse - directly inspired by the paintings of Fernand Khnopff. The Isle of the Murderous Emperors is followed by the Bird of Paradise. Between each island we journey on calm serene waters; the music being a set of variations on the same melodic material initially played by the clarinet and subsequently by the strings in harmonics, by the flute etc. First Performance Details The first performance of Five Fantastic Islands was given on 27th July 1994 on board the Cutty Sark in dry dock in Greenwich! The first performance in a concert venue was given on 16th November 1994 at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. Both performances were given by Psappha, conducted by Christopher Gayford. First Broadcast Details The first broadcast of the work was given on BBC Radio 3 on 7th July 1995 by Psappha, conducted by Christopher Gayford. First Recording Details The work was recorded by Psappha for CD on 15th December 1997 and will be released on the British Music Label BM026 on 23rd March 1998. See Psappha Debut CD for details. Contact Details Paul Max Edlin can be contacted directly at:
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Paul Max Edlin was born in 1963. He comes from an artistic family; his
grandparents were both opera singers and his mother is an artist. He entered the
Royal College of Music in 1981 where he studied composition with Edwin Roxburgh,
Richard Blackford and Joseph Horovitz, and also trumpet with John Wallace. He
won most of the composition prizes at the College, then in 1986 he won the IX
Premio Internazionale Ancona, and in 1987 was the recipient of the Harriet Cohen
Memorial Award.Copyright ©2001 Psappha
