The Grateful and the Dead - ACE260.9

Night scenes in Huddersfield, November 1992, with Christmas decorations in the streets. VO of Chris Dench, seen on bus, explaining that the Rex Foundation has given him a measure of financial independence, something he never expected. Dench relates how he came across Lesh’s address in his publisher’s office, and learned that Lesh was involved with the Havergal Brian Society, and decided to alert him to the need for support of living composers. Huddersfield street scenes; Dench on a bus; Dench VO. First performance of Planetary Allegiances (1992), by Laura Chislett and the Alpha Centauri Ensemble, at the Huddersfield Festival. Dench VO says he likes to think of his music as being able to enrich, enhance, and provoke an altered state of being in the listener. Dench on the bus. Music and Dench VO continue over. Huddersfield Festival performance. Dench VO: likes to create things that sit on the edge of the precipice, looking over. Lesh VO says he wanted the Rex Foundation to support this music in order that an audience could enjoy it as he did. Lesh talking about the composers discussed as outsiders. VO continues over brief shots of the composers. None of them is part of the establishment, and most are self-taught. Grateful Dead performing Estimated Prophet (1977) at the Rex Foundation Show. Lesh VO says the Foundation intends that such people should have an audience. Running title lists the commissions and recordings the Rex Foundation is funding for 1992-1993: Performance continues. Credits.