Seven Ages of Man Paul Mottram

• 1 Origins 05:15
• 2 Gestation 08:15
• 3 Infant 07:07
• 4 Schoolboy 05:27
• 5 Lover 08:31
• 6 Soldier 09:12
• 7 Judge 08:42
• 8 Pantaloon 08:57
• 9 Old Age 08:09
• Total Runtime 01:09:35

Info for Seven Ages of Man

"Seven Ages of Man" is a large scale 70-minute work scored for Jazz Sextet and String Orchestra which explores the intersection between the worlds of classical music and jazz. It features sections underpinned by jazz grooves and improvisation but woven into a tight thematically developed classical structure. It was written for the acclaimed jazz musicians Tim Garland (soprano/tenor sax and bass clarinet) who performs as the principal soloist with Jason Rebello on piano and Jonny Mansfield on vibraphone.

The idea and title of the album come from the "Seven Ages of Man", a concept popular in art and literature during the Middle Ages, which forms the basis of the ‘All the World’s a Stage’ speech performed in Shakespeare’s play "As You Like It". Shakespeare depicts these seven stages as the howling, crying Infant, the whining, complaining Schoolboy, the emotional Lover, the fiery-tempered Soldier, the wise, contented Judge, the ageing man (Pantaloon), still in control of his faculties but becoming painfully aware of their decline, and the extremely aged man (Old Age) who returns to a second childlike state of helplessness, echoing Infant.

I also included two introductory prologue movements (Origins and Gestation) which explore the beginning of life itself, both in the conception and growth of an embryo which emerges from a cluster of cells, and more philosophical musings on the evolution of life on our planet which echoes this journey. These set the stage for the start of ‘Seven Ages of Man’ proper upon Infant.

The framework of the "Seven Ages" provided a clear conceptual arch to the album and the opportunity to musically characterise each stage of life, although not necessarily by conforming to the Shakespeare and shaped by my own reflections. Featuring the soprano and tenor saxophone (and bass clarinet in Pantaloon) also seemed to give a sense of personal voice to the individual travelling through the "Seven Ages of Man".

Tim Garland, soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Jason Rebello, piano
Jonny Mansfield, vibraphone
Misha Mullov-Abbado, double bass
Ralph Salmins, drums
Paul Clarvis, percussion

Paul Mottram
His work figures prominently in such well known shows as The Great British Bake Off, The Apprentice, Downton Abbey, Who Do You Think You Are, Panorama, The One Show, Countryfile, Antiques Roadshow and QI and he has written title and incidental music for programs such as Travel Man, Upstart Crow, People Like Us, The Shelbourne, The Big House, Bank of Dave, Vic Reeves Rogues Gallery and Kirstie’s Handmade Britain. His music has also featured in films such as Bad Santa and The Bee movie as well as the trailer to Woody Allen’s Oscar winning film Blue Jasmine.

Paul Mottram was classically trained as a violinist, pianist and composer at the Royal College of Music, Cambridge University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. With eclectic musical tastes and an acute analytical ear he quickly developed the skills and versatility required to write outstanding music for film and television.

Initially Paul worked as on orchestrator on films such as Chaplin, Shirley Valentine and Rain Man and was also heavily involved with the restoration and re-recording of William Walton and Malcolm Arnold’s “lost” film scores of the 1940s and 1950s.

His trademark is a direct yet detailed multi layered compositional style with a strong emotional core Soon specialising as a composer, Paul started working in the world of advertising and wrote music for commercials such as Pizza Hut, Tetley, Renault, Hitachi and JVC. From these small but exacting canvasses, Paul started composing music for BBC radio 4 in shows such as In the Red, Babblewick Hall and Rigor Mortis and then television with the hit spoof documentary series People Like Us.

His trademark is a direct yet detailed multi layered compositional style with a strong emotional core that can be brought to bear on whatever the demands of the project in hand. He is equally at home in Classical or Jazz mediums. Melodic writing is another forte and tracks such as Sideways Like A Crab have reached something of a cult status.

He also writes concert music and has composed for musicians such as The Swingle Singers, John Harle, Fine Arts Brass Ensemble, Superbrass and the Dunedin Consort. In 2016, his song cycle Falls was performed at the Snape Maltings by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and a Gospel Jazz work Come Spirit was premiered by the Chapter House Choir in York Minster.

This album contains no booklet.