Having got to know Saunders almost exclusively through her works for smaller forces (this site having played a significant role in that process!), I must say that this piece has introduced me to a hitherto unknown aspect of her musical personality, namely a keen interest in harmony to match her trademark fascination with the textural possibilities of individual instruments. There’s an almost Norgardesque quality to some of the ensemble writing here (never a bad thing, IMHO!), although Saunders remains very much her own composer.
You won’t hear much from me over the coming year, as, having realised how drastically, in this digital age, my appetite for unknown music has begun to outstrip my capacity to assimilate it, I’m planning a 12-month moratorium on stuff that’s new to me. Nevertheless, I shall continue to enjoy reading your blog, and in particular utterly enthralling series such as this one. On behalf of all your readers, many, many thanks for doing what you do!
Andrew
9 years ago
What’s that vocalizing (humming) I hear throughout the performance. The conductor? One of the solists? It’s kind of distracting.
Great piece though! Saunders is one of the most original voices in contemporary music IMO.
[…] Unbreathed (2017). i’ve written extensively about all three of these works previously, void and Skin also as part of the 2018 Lent Series (and also, more briefly, after Skin‘s first UK […]
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Having got to know Saunders almost exclusively through her works for smaller forces (this site having played a significant role in that process!), I must say that this piece has introduced me to a hitherto unknown aspect of her musical personality, namely a keen interest in harmony to match her trademark fascination with the textural possibilities of individual instruments. There’s an almost Norgardesque quality to some of the ensemble writing here (never a bad thing, IMHO!), although Saunders remains very much her own composer.
You won’t hear much from me over the coming year, as, having realised how drastically, in this digital age, my appetite for unknown music has begun to outstrip my capacity to assimilate it, I’m planning a 12-month moratorium on stuff that’s new to me. Nevertheless, I shall continue to enjoy reading your blog, and in particular utterly enthralling series such as this one. On behalf of all your readers, many, many thanks for doing what you do!
What’s that vocalizing (humming) I hear throughout the performance. The conductor? One of the solists? It’s kind of distracting.
Great piece though! Saunders is one of the most original voices in contemporary music IMO.
[…] Unbreathed (2017). i’ve written extensively about all three of these works previously, void and Skin also as part of the 2018 Lent Series (and also, more briefly, after Skin‘s first UK […]