It seems really odd – like, really odd – that I wasn’t aware of Anna Clyne until a track on Lisa Stepanova’s E Pluribus Unum album last summer and then the full-on stunning cello concerto “Dance” for Inbal Segev that came out a short time after. Clyne’s work has been championed, performed and recorded by artists I pay close attention to (e.g. Jennifer Koh, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, the Knights…) and has been released on labels I always keep an eye on (e.g. Tzadik, Cedille, Avie). Now, four months on from learning of her existence, I wouldn’t hesitate to call Clyne one of my favorite composers of all time. I have listened to everything I can find and I pretty much love it all. I’ve found a lot: Clyne’s prolific and works in multiple media, and frequently collaborates with artists in other fields. Her early electro-acoustic stuff is fierce and that vigor has remained consistent; in the pieces she’s written over the last eight years she has shown an uncommon sense of melody, dynamics and effect, and she applies it to music that is intricate and consistently intriguing… Tonal and heavyweight at the same time.
I needed that. Along with Dolt 45’s defeat in the November election, my introduction to Clyne’s music represents one of the few highlights of 2020 in my weary world. I think/hope this program of her work will make your 2020 a little brighter, too.
One final note: I have played the Stepanova and Segev turns on previous shows and will reprise each in the next two weeks. Two hours is way too short for composers like this…
I guess Mixcloud doesn’t embed in WordPress anymore, so here is the address for the radio show devoted to Clyne: https://www.mixcloud.com/deafmix3/121320-the-music-of-british-composer-anna-clyne-1980-/
0:00:32
“Masquerade” (2013)
Marin Alsop: BBC Symphony Orchestra
from Mythologies (Avie, 2020)
0:10:42
“A Wonderful Day” (2013)
Bang on a Can All-Stars
live, 2015 (WQXR channel, Youtube)
0:16:45
“Night Ferry” (2012)
Riccardo Muti: Chicago SO
from Riccardo Muti Conducts Mason Bates & Anna Clyne (CSO, 2014)
0:41:42
“Prince of Clouds” (2012)
Jennifer Koh & Jaime Laredo w/ Vinay Parameswran: Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
from 2 x 4 (Cedille, 2014)
0:58:06
“Shorthand” for cello & string quintet (2020)
Musicians from The Knights feat. Karen Ouzounian, cello
world premiere performance, 2020 (Caramoor channel, Youtube)
1:11:07
“Three Sisters” Concerto for Mandolin & String Orchestra (2017)
Avi Avital w/ Nicholas McGegan: Detroit SO
world premiere performance, 2019 (Detroit SO channel, Youtube)
1:31:07
“Sound and Fury” (2019)
Catherine Larsen-Maguire: Scottish Chamber Orchestra
live, 2020 (Scottish CO channel, Youtube)
1:50:57
“Fits and Starts” for cello, backing cello & tape (2003)
Benjamin Capps (cello) & Anna Clyne (backing cello & tape)
from Blue Moth (Tzadik, 2012)
Concentration Camp 