New nation rising: a 21st century symphony

An extended composition celebrating London’s diverse histories through the thematically linked movements of a symphony. Foxes Fox (69.28) and 'Freedom of the City’ (A 79.44, B 78.39) comprise two selected recordings with improvising musicians.

These recordings are part of Beresford's regular collaboration with the London Improvisers Orchestra (especially in the annual

Freedom of the City series), and Evan Parker, Louis Moholo and John Edwards (especially on the Foxes Fox CD).

The two recordings highlight the ongoing processes of collaboration with improvising musicians which has been at the forefront

of Beresford's work. In these recordings, and in the regular live performances in a wide variety of venues, Beresford explores

the paradoxical principles of improvisation. Every performance is highly differentiated from every other, and yet all have the

potential to sound the same. Every collaboration involves listening intently to his collaborators playing and responding to their

music with his own, but where this listening may result in strategies of non-listening. The unpredictability of free improvisation

rests on the structuring process of this unpredictability in order to create rich, satisfying music.

This work is one in a constant state of refinement: each recorded artefact moves the research forward. Through the

improvisatory process Beresford is trying to establish a flexible model for musical communication and meaning, whereby the

artefact at the end of the process, while rewarding in its own right, is only an instantaneous window onto the process itself.

Beresford’s work as improviser, composer and performer was profiled in The Wire (April 2002, May 2005).

Publication dates include October 27, 2004 (Foxes Fox: Naan Tso) and May 1, 2005 (London Improvisers’ Orchestra: Freedom

of the City 2005).