Broadcasting from an undisclosed location on the shore of the Tasman Sea, John Luther Adams encourages us to find comfort and faith in an ancient story.
‘An Atlas of Deep Time,’ performed by the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and conducted by music director Delta David Gier, is out today:
https://lnk.to/deep_time
NOW STREAMING on Apple Music: 'An Atlas of Deep Time' is John Luther Adams' first large-scale work with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Commissioned and recorded by the SDSO under the baton of music director Delta David Gier, the piece taps into an ancient resonance that seems to hover imposingly, but benevolently, over our own existence — itself a blip in geological time.
Back in 2016, Gier had invited the composer to a performance of his Pulitzer-winning 'Become Ocean.' The spirit of the orchestra won Adams over, and also reminded him of his own past as a percussionist in the Fairbanks Symphony: “I’m used to audacious orchestras outside the cultural capitals," he said at the time, "— in particular those who don’t know what they’re not supposed to be able to do.”
'An Atlas of Deep Time' was mixed in Dolby ATMOS by recording engineer Nathaniel Reichman. We encourage you to experience the music in Spatial Audio, the way it was intended, on #AppleMusicClassical:
https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1770552158?l=en-US
We're still reeling from this past weekend's edition of Long Play, bookended by these two performances by Patti Smith and Soundwalk Collective to open the festivities on Friday night, and Deerhoof to close them on Sunday.
Much respect to the entire team at Bang on a Can and all the participating Brooklyn venues this year. We can't wait until the next one!
A moment with Vicky Chow performing "Sister" from Cassie Wieland's HYMN
Which Side Are You On?
"Which Side Are You On?", the new single from Michael Gordon and Kronos Quartet's upcoming release CAMPAIGN SONGS, is out now!
https://lnk.to/MGKQ-which-side
Premiered online between October and November 2020, Campaign Songs is a collaboration with Kronos Quartet intended to galvanize voter turnout in the 2020 election. Recorded in isolation by each member of the Quartet, the eight short pieces that comprise Campaign Songs were accompanied by specially-made video works touching on racial, climate, and economic justice issues, among other topics.
The pieces, arranged by Michael Gordon, draw from the canon of American patriotic, political, and folk music, including Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” “God Bless America,” (a campaign song for both Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his 1940 opponent Wendell Willkie), “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” (a campaign song for James A. Garfield), “America the Beautiful” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” Campaign Songs will be released on 7-inch vinyl.
credits
For composer Zibuokle Martinaityte, the deep conceals a haunting and hypnotic music that can bring about a feeling of ritual calm; in her words, it inspires a music that can metaphorically “make the darkness visible.”
Hadal Zone, written for bass clarinet, tuba, violoncello, contrabass, piano and electronics, is performed by the adventurous Lithuanian ensemble Synaesthesis, and features recorded samples of the San Francisco-based choral group Volti (conducted by Robert Geary). The hour-long work takes its title from the scientific name for the region of the ocean that extends below 6,000 meters, where sunlight can never reach.
Available May 5 on CD and all digital platforms. Synaesthesis brings the American premiere of Hadal Zone to Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn on Saturday May 6, as part of Bang on Can's Long Play Festival.
Pre-order the album over on bandcamp!
https://synaesthesis.bandcamp.com/album/hadal-zone
This Friday:
Michael Gordon and Kronos Quartet release "God Bless America," the first single from their upcoming 7-inch EP, Campaign Songs.
Premiered online between October and November 2020, Campaign Songs is a collaboration with Kronos Quartet intended to galvanize voter turnout in the 2020 election. Recorded in isolation by each member of the Quartet, the eight short pieces that comprise Campaign Songs were accompanied by specially-made video works touching on racial, climate, and economic justice issues, among other topics.
Content Warning: This video contains references to suicied and depictions of suicidal thoughts that may trigger and disturb soem viewers.
In response to Japan Society’s commission for a new chamber opera, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang combined and reimagined three texts by iconic Japanese novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa. The result is this stunning and haunting monodrama, note to a friend, addressing our eternal human fascinations with death, love, family and suicide. Theater luminary Yoshi Oida, Paris-based opera director and longtime member of Peter Brook’s international theater company, directs this world premiere for the legendary New York vocalist Theo Bleckmann. The musicians are from Japan, and have been selected by Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Japan, co-producer of this production. Don’t miss this meetup of international gems!
David Lang's latest opera, "Note to a Friend" is being performed this week as part of the Prototype Festival. January 12th and 14th at 7:30pm and again on the Januery 15th at 3pm.
https://prototypefestival.org/shows/note-to-a-friend/
