Resurrection. 12 Ensemble. Sancho Panza Records – cat# SPAN001 (9/14/18) TT: 67:00 [Distr. by PIAS] ****:
The 12 ensemble continue their rise on the international classical music scene with this excellent debut album ‘Resurrection’.
Featuring a new work from Bryce Dessner, the acclaimed composer and guitarist of the band ‘The National’, a commission from boundary-pushing UK composer Kate Whitley and works by Lutoslawski and Woolrich, ‘Resurrection’ is an interesting collection of four works for strings that reflect the ensemble’s quest to bring energy to contemporary works for strings. Always performing without a conductor, the ensemble has developed a reputation across Europe as one of the UK’s leading string orchestras.
The idea behind the album title, Resurrection, is the groups wanting to breathe new life into the music. An an example, they play Lutoslawski’s Musique funèbre, and then offer Bryce Dessner’s ‘Reponse Lutoslawski’ using the originals atmosphere as a starting point.
The other example on the disc is John Woolrich’s Ulysses Awakes, reusing an aria from the first act of Monteverdi’s opera Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria. Woolrich transcribes it but adds in harmonies and modifies the orchestration, which updates it.
The performances on the disc are excellent and committed. The recorded sound is pretty closely mic’d which is appropriate for this kind of music.
Resurrection is an excellent journey into newer string music, and it’s recommended.
Track List:
Witold Lutoslawski ‘Musique Funebre’
1) Prologue
2) Metamorphoses
3) Apogee
4) Epilogue John Woolrich
5) ‘Ulysees Awakes’
Kate Whitley – Autumn Songs
6)‘Autumn Songs’
Bryce Dessner ‘Reponse Lutoslawski’
7) Resonance
8) Preludio
9) Des Traces
10) Warsaw Canon
11) Residue
—Mel Martin
Editorial Note — Sancho Panza Recordings is a new label, recently partnering with PIAS. Sancho Panza Recordings is focusing on contemporary music, music reflecting our times. In addition to the classical emphasis, they will also feature Jazz and Electronic music. 12 Ensemble is a truly exceptional group, and is the debut release of the Sancho Panza Recordings label with their album “Resurrection”. Audiophile Audition strongly encourages the efforts by such organizations in breathing life and exposure to the world of contemporary music.
More information here.
12 Ensemble
Sancho Panza Recordings
