A Closer Listen
Modern composition is looking incredibly strong this fall, as evidenced by the fact that half of our Ten Fall Albums to Check Out Now! came from this category. One of these albums was literally buried for three years; another one is the last testament of a beloved composer. From established veterans to promising rookies, the fall slate promises to console and uplift. Only two LPs below are connected to movies, which means that while listening, the listener becomes the screen. We hope you’ll enjoy our sneak peek at the fall slate in Modern Composition!
Our cover image is taken from Akamatsu’s Seminary, which is covered below, the original illustration from Héloïse Robin.
The spiritual successor to The Blue Notebooks, Max Richter‘s In a Landscape intersperses field recordings with emotional paintings, producing a sense of intimacy. Amazingly, the release will coincide with Richter’s first ever world tour. The message of “reconciling polarities” could not be more timely (Decca, September 13). Also on Decca, Luke Howard combines his solo piano piece from World Sleep Day with a new orchestral work for ballet, in conjunction with choreographer Juliano Nunes. Fans will have to wait a little longer for Interlinked, as it it’s out on November 1.
For months we’ve been hearing about Erland Cooper‘s Carve the Runes, Then Be Content With Silence; the only copy of the tape was buried for three years while fans were encouraged to look for it (and hopefully return it to the composer). Fortunately it survived intact. Cooper’s work for solo violin and string ensemble will soon be heard in full, none the worse for wear (Mercury KX, September 20).
Laurence Pike‘s The Undreampt-of Centre is a new take on a Latin mass, a requiem for the 21st century. Inspired by the loss of his father and an appreciation for the place of humanity in nature, Pike enlisted the Vox Sydney Philharmonia Choir and recorded the music in a 19th century Gothic church. The results are otherworldly (Leap, September 6).
Sarah Neufeld, Richard Reed Perry and Rebecca Foon‘s First Sounds is a glorious new collaboration between like-minded performers, the love child of Bell Orchestre and Esmerine. The lead single “Maria” was inspired by a reel-to-reel tape of old hymns, slowed to half-speed; even at the slower pace, the divinity shines through (Envision, November 1).
If the video for “Enter the Void” arrives with a warning, it’s only for security purposes. Malcolm Pardon (half of Roll the Dice) intends The Abyss to investigate notions of death, including the specter of suicide. These piano-led compositions are not meant to unnerve, but to comfort as one acclimates to the idea of impermanence. On the other hand, we do sense a theme, as the last album was titled Hello Death (September 20). “Achieving success takes a certain level of suffering, and that’s the paradox of joy,” writes Cephas Azariah. Joy Paradox is written for piano and electronics, and glistens with a new-found sense of peace (Reflections, October 21).
Cellist Oliver Coates considers the unreliability of memory on Throb, shiver, arrow of time, infusing his compositions with smoke and smudge. Guest appearances from Malibu, chrysanthemum bear and more send the spirit soaring. Inspired by the after-images of the artist Sarah Sze, these works create their own echoes (RVNG Intl., October 18). Eric Pan‘s Travel Poems is a literal ode to travel, with piano played on four continents, interspersed with field recordings from locations as diverse as Beirut, Tunisia, Greece, and South Korea. But as proven by the transit-based epilogue, there’s no place like home (October 6). Continuing on the numerical theme, Iván Muela‘s Ether took four years to complete, includes the work of four musicians and is “presented as a poem in four stanzas” (September 27).
Akamatsu‘s Seminky (Seeds) sounds as colorful as it looks, combining talents from France and the Czech Republic. Annaïck Domergue’s elegant poetry is sprinkled throughout the set; post-rock and electronics make welcome appearances, and the overall tone is lively and upbeat (Ricco, September 26). Modern composition and electronics meet in the middle on Andert Tysma‘s Hana, which was inspired by Japanese action movies, with guest strings by members of the Berlin Orchestra (Apollo, November 1). Earlier this summer, we featured the striking music video for The Backrooms from Swedish composer Per Störby Jutbring (if you missed it, see below); there’s more wonder to come as Tenants of Misty Mansion (According to the Landlord) is released. The concept album is packed with playful references, designed to appeal to the child inside us all (Hoob Records, October 18).
Icelandic composer Snorri Hallgrimsson is set to release the Longer Shadows, Softer Stones EP on Deutsche Grammophon; the set is short, but packed with expansive beauty, the exquisite piano backed with sumptuous strings (October 4). Also on Deutsche Grammophon is Roger Eno‘s The Skies: Rarities, a short set of unreleased material that speaks to climate change in a melancholic, yet encouraging voice. Strings, guitar and electronics enhance the pensive piano (September 27). The newest signee to Ólafur Arnalds’ OPIA Community label, YANA makes an immediate splash with Ikigai. The track builds on a piano base with strings and analog synth before circling back to its peaceful origins. Daydreamer is out October 23. Tom Connolly (Fohn) returns to his ancestral home and the traditional Irish fiddle on Seanteach (Irish for “old house”), and weaves his family’s tale through field recordings and composition (Odda Recordings, October 18). John Gürtler and Jan Miserre pack the OST to The Outrun with traditional Scottish instrumentation, while adding some surprising beats. The movie looks pretty good as well (Decca Classics, September 13).
Stefano Guzzetti‘s LYS (LIGHT) is dedicated to “all the lights of my life.” Each composition is dedicated to a person or couple (oscarson, September 6). Matthew Barley teams up with visual artists Yeast Culture to present Light Stories, an audio-visual work that will make its debut at the Southbank Centre on its release day, September 28. In telling his story of trauma and recovery, Barley incorporates the music of Bach and others into his own compositions (Signum Classics). Six composers collaborate with pianist Siwan Rhys to create Letting the Light In, an encouraging album that appears just as the light is fading (NMC Recordings, September 20). A week later, the label will celebrate their 35th anniversary with a 35-track, four hour compilation drawn from across their catalogue.
Marche Nocturne (Night Walk)is the debut album from solo pianist Thélonius García. The album is prefaced by a pair of singles, the latest of which is Vestiges, an ode to the sea (September 6). Also making his debut is Slowburner, blending piano, percussion, synth and electronics on Life happens in the interim. The first single is All the possibilities of the universe (September 13). Erjos offers a new EP on Bigo & Twigetti, three tracks of pure piano on The Presence (September 20).
Luca Di Mira (Pillow)‘s Steps was composed during the pandemic and aims to lend solace to its listeners, as exemplified by And I’ll Be There For You, which builds from soft piano to a bed of electronics and strings (Rizosfera, September 20). Pianist Daniel Inzani is making an incredibly bold move by making his debut with a triple album. One disc is jazzy, another is improvisational and the third is chamber ready, with contributions from Spindle Orchestra (which he also leads) and more. Considering how much music is already included, it’s startling to see that the title is Selected Works. The extravaganza is released on Hidden Notes September 3. Cajun-Persian Tallā Rouge, nicknamed “The Little Viola Duo Who Could,” offers world premiere recordings on Shapes in Collective Space: ten tracks from seven composers (Bright Shiny Things, September 20).
Our furthest-out fall release (by date, not by timbre) is Rikuto Fujimoto‘s Distant Landscapes, which was inspired by the composer’s “nostalgia for places he’d never been.” These wistful piano pieces are enhanced by the artist’s expressive voice (FatCat/130701, November 30). Pianist Jordi Forniés returns with his second album of the year, although it’s easy to make connections between the two. We Invented Love is the first taste of the new set (Decca, September 6). Saviet/Houston Duo offers patient piano and violin on a clearing. As the title implies, the space between the notes is as important as the notes themselves (Marginal Frequency, September 10). And Taylor Swindells, recording as Neighborhood Libraries, introduces Departures with the lovely Keflavik, a reflection on “a transformative summer in the Netherlands” (Nettwerk, October 4).
Patrick Shiroishi is the rare artist to appear in multiple genres on our site. His elegant score to Volta Collective’s Glass House represents yet another shift. The LP’s first taste is the procession (Otherly Love, September 20). Clark builds on his score for In Camera with an album of the same title, which expands on the film work while providing additional nuance (Throttle, September 13). Violinist Ray Chen tackles the world of TV, film and video game scores on Player One, featuring themes from Squid Game, How to Train Your Dragon and more (Decca Classics, October 18). James William Blades completed his score for Pare de Sufrir (End of Suffering) without watching A.G Rojas’ film; somehow it all worked out. The film is about people caught between life and afterlife, and the choir and orchestra are perfect reflections (AD 93, October 4).
ECM Records is preparing a slew of releases for September, beginning with four on the 13th. Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado‘s Za Górami draws from folk, chamber and jazz, putting new spins on traditional tunes while introducing their own. Florian Weber‘s Imaginary Cycle, composed for brass ensemble and piano, includes rare appearances by both trombone and harmonium quartets. The clarinet and piano of Louis Sclavis, Benjamin Moussay twirl together on the all-original Unfolding, while Trygve Seim, Frode Haltli duet on saxophone and accordion, Our Time including originals as well as folk songs from Ukraine and other regions. The following week, Tord Gustavsen Trio lends new beauty to old hymns, including “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”
Richard Allen
Thu Sep 05 00:01:47 GMT 2024