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Words Meet Music: Composers Transform Novels into Sound
3 Jul
Summary
- Four composers created new music inspired by Ali Smith's novels.
- The New European Ensemble performed these unique literary-musical works.
- Ali Smith herself read excerpts, bridging words and music.
The New European Ensemble recently presented a concert where new musical compositions were inspired by novels from Ali Smith's 'Seasonal Quartet'. This project extended the theme of interconnectedness found in Smith's works by commissioning four female composers: Kate Moore (Australia), Alice Yeung (Hong Kong), Seung-Won Oh (South Korea), and Sara Zamboni (Italy).
The program also included pieces by Peter Maxwell Davies, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, and Kinan Azmeh, creating a cycle from autumn to summer. Specific responses to the novels were evident, such as Kate Moore's 'Fall Falling' reflecting Smith's use of lists and Anna Thorvaldsdottir's 'Essays on Solitude' evoking the darker themes of sacrifice.
Alice Yeung's 'Inabsolute Zero' was particularly noted for its atmospheric textures, creating a sense of winter's ghosts, while weaving in elements of Shostakovich's 'Jazz Suite'. The New European Ensemble performed as a unified septet, with Ali Smith actively participating by reading passages from her novels between musical selections.
