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Hoarded DreamsGRAHAM COLLIER OBE, JAZZ COMPOSER
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Hoarded Dreams
This documentary is a profile of the composer Graham Collier and his composition commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain for the Bracknell Jazz Festival in 1983. It is performed by an all-star International 20 piece band conducted by Graham Collier. The performance was filmed by Bright Thoughts for Channel 4. (TX 06/03/85)
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Graham Collier: Born 1937, died 2011.
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Hoarded Dreams
Hand-picked [by the composer] musicians from around the world
Graham Collier
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The Line-up
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Dave Powell
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Conny Bauer
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Juhani Aaltonen
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Ed Speight / Art Themen
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Kenny Wheeler
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Matthias Schubert
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John Surman
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Tomasz Stańko
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Charles Fox
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Other contributors
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About the show The purpose of our documentary was to follow the journey of creation from commission through all stages right through to the performance itself.
Our brief from Andy Park (Commissioning Editor), was to gain insight into the creative process, to observe the unfolding and without attempting to prejudge the final result. Working with Graham over a period of months, following behind the scenes whilst Hoarded Dreams was in gestation and the composition elements taking shape, and whilst the invited musicians were also coming together. We interviewed Graham at his home in South London in his study and whilst at work. |
We also brought with us to also observe this process some esteemed music critics and other influential people in Graham's professional as well as his personal life.
On the day of the performance as well as recording such a complex piece (from the position of it being largely improvised and directing cameras who have had no rehearsal nor given camera script), we hopefully capture the essence of improvisation and the sense of excitement and anticipation about the piece and the Festival itself. And, finally, we get the verdict when they come off stage. Did it work?
On the day of the performance as well as recording such a complex piece (from the position of it being largely improvised and directing cameras who have had no rehearsal nor given camera script), we hopefully capture the essence of improvisation and the sense of excitement and anticipation about the piece and the Festival itself. And, finally, we get the verdict when they come off stage. Did it work?
Neil Anthony, Producer
Composition and improvisation
“Overall the piece inhabits (as indeed does most of my writing) that area between the purely written and the purely improvised. ...There are some conventional big band sounds and some collective improvisations, but there’s a lot more besides. There’s a lot of collective interplay within the band where the dividing line between what is written and what is improvised becomes blurred.
The structure is simple and presents all of the musicians in solo situations, but situations which are affected strongly by the written framework and the interrelationship of ideas throughout the piece. Essentially there is a three-way process: the composer was affected by the improvisers, the improvisers will be affected by the writing, and we will all be affected by the interplay between these elements and the overall ambience of the actual performance.”
– Graham Collier
