Since music is a ‘time art’, it follows that questions of form cannot be entirely detached from considerations of time; indeed some composers would argue that they cannot be detached from it at all. The issues involved … partly stray into areas of philosophy. (Toop 2005: 166)

Imagine fundamental durations beyond boundaries of musical time. (Stockhausen 1959: 26)

I met with James MacMillan to discuss his cantata Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993). The conversation, which took place at MacMillan's home in Glasgow on 30 November 2007, ranged far beyond that particular piece and lasted for over 90 minutes. Whilst the conversation has been edited to remove repetitions, I have endeavoured to represent MacMillan's comments accurately.

In the realm of art music, Leo Brouwer (1939-) is widely considered as the most significant living composer for the guitar. Since the latter part of the 20th century, students of the guitar at most, if not all, recognized music institutions have increasingly sought to perform Brouwer's works. Correspondingly, at the South African College of Music (University of Cape Town) respected instructors like Elspeth Jack, Neefa van der Schyff, and others, have over many years consistently and devotedly incorporated Brouwer's guitar literature into their teaching programmes. Cape Town's prized composer-conductor Alan Stephenson has similarly developed a keen interest in Brouwer's large-scale works, inspiring in 1998 a memorable rendition of Brouwer's acclaimed Elegiaco Concerto, performed by the talented soloist Christiaan Van der Vyver and the University of Cape Town Orchestra. In line with this, one of Brouwer's underlying goals has been to create works that are accessible to players of varying standards of performance. As a consequence, young, inexperienced, moderate, advanced as well as top internationally-acclaimed virtuosic players have all found some measure of contentment in performing Brouwer's guitar works.

The really important question is: ‘What does the composer start with; where does he begin?’ The answer to that is, Every composer begins with a musical idea – a musical idea, you understand, not a mental, literary, or extramusical idea. Suddenly a theme comes to him. (Theme is used as synonymous with musical idea.) The composer starts with this theme; and the theme is a gift from Heaven. Aaron Copland, What to Listen for in Music (1939)

• Glasgow: Ronald Stevenson's ‘Praise of Ben Dorain’ Tim Mottershead

• Glasgow & Edinburgh: Scottish Opera's ‘Five: 15’ David Johnson

• Boston: William Bolcom's Eighth Symphony Rodney Lister

• London, Barbican: BBC SO premières Martin Anderson

• London, Barbican: Judith Weir Weekend Paul Conway

• London, South Bank Centre: Contemporary Music and Spirituality John Wheatley

• Manchester: John McCabe's Cello Concerto Tim Mottershead

• Liverpool, Metropolitan Cathedral: Tavener's ‘Requiem’ Paul Conway

• Further reviews John Wheatley and Tim Mottershead

• Janáček and Martinů Martin Anderson

• Maxwell Davies Chamber Music Rodney Lister

• Lachenmann's Quartet Music Arnold Whittall

• Giles Swayne Paul Conway

• Maconchy, Ker, Beamish Guy Rickards

• Philip Glass Peter Palmer

• Ralph Shapey Arnold Whittall

• Further reviews Bret Johnson, Chris Walton, Arnold Whittall and Paul Conway

David Matthews has asked us to correct an inadvertent error in his First Performance review of Pavel Novák's Preludes and Fugues performed by William Howard (p. 34). The statement that the work lasts 17 minutes is incorrect: the actual duration is about 80 minutes.