Freya Waley-Cohen, Manchester Collective, Heloise Werner, Katie Bray, Fleur Barron, Tamsin Waley-Co
Release Date: 25 October 2024
Label: NMC Recordings
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5023363028424
Genres: Classical
Description
NMC Recordings releases the debut album from composer Freya Waley-Cohen, whose distinctive voice in contemporary classical music draws inspiration from literature, folklore, and the natural world, and is characterized by its vivid imagery and emotional depth.
Waley-Cohen describes the album as a collection akin to a gallery exhibition, where each piece stands alone as a work of art but gains deeper meaning through the sequence and context provided by the album as a whole. "I picture coming across a beautiful old box," she explains, "and opening it to find a different sort of collection, one of otherworldly happenings: of spirits, conjurings, magical objects, and a book of spells."
The title track Spell Book, performed by Heloise Werner (soprano), Katie Bray (mezzo-soprano), Fleur Barron (mezzo-soprano) and Manchester Collective, is based on poems from WITCHby Rebecca Tamas, and delves into the rituals of spellcasting through a series of spell-songs. These compositions transform the concert hall into a space of ritual, where words and music intertwine to influence the universe itself. From the rebellious spirit of Lilith to the seismic shifts of spell for change, each piece is a vivid exploration of transformation, power, and the profound connection between the individual and the larger forces at play.
Also featured on the album is: Conjure - a spellbinding trio that draws inspiration from seances and the mystical power of the number three performed by Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin) Anne Beilby (viola), and Nathaniel Boyd (cello); Talisman, which weaves a tale of magical objects imbued with meaning through rituals and stories, and where each of the 13 string players is treated as a soloist, creating a tapestry of sound that explores the liminal space between belief and scepticisms, where the power of a talisman lies in its ability to evoke both; and Naiad - a tribute to her mentor the late Oliver Knussen, which carries the listener into a world of delicate natural beauty.
'Spell Book is sophisticated, contemporary and feminist – even quite confronting.' – BBC Music Magazine
Tracklisting
Martyn Brabbins, Daniel Pioro, Anna Dennis, Andrew Gourlay, Elena Schwarz
Freya Waley-Cohen, Manchester Collective, Heloise Werner, Katie Bray, Fleur Barron, Tamsin Waley-Co
Slide Action
Siwan Rhys
BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers, Alice Farnham
Lisa Illean, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, GBSR Duo, Juliet Fraser, Explore Ensemble
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins, Andrew Davis
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, London Sinfonietta, Ryan Wigglesworth, Huw Watkins
