Composer, Anna Clyne, and founding member of The Knights chamber orchestra, Eric Jacobsen, discuss their new recording, Shorthand, which was recently released on SONY Classical. It's an album of all Anna Clyne compositions with Yo Yo Ma, Avi Avital, Colin Jaconsen, and Pekka Kuusisto as guest artists. Anna discusses how it happened and Eric highlights the latest new season for the Knights. Eric and Anna describe the special features of the new music and add personal details including the workspace and composing methods.
The album also features Clyne’s most personal work, Within Her Arms, written as a tribute to her late mother. Scored for 15 individual string parts, the music is shaped around a simple motif that grows and moves around the listener throughout the piece.
Poetry, art, and music are reflected throughout the album, with the track Prince of Clouds drawing on Baudelaire’s poem L’Albatros. Three of the tracks entitled "Three Sisters" reflects on three stars found in the constellation of Orion, whilst the title track "Shorthand" muses on Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata. The album also features the premiere recording of Shorthand (Redux), a reimagining of Clyne’s thoughtful work.
The Knights have had considerable recording success with Gil Shaham in the Beethoven Concerto, and a Christmas collection. Their Carnegie Hall series is off to a good start with plans for the upcoming year. Anna Clyne was named the world’s most performed living female British composer in both 2022 and 2023 by Bachtrack. Her forthcoming year sees major instrumentalists and orchestras presenting her music to audiences across the globe.
Visit https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/Anna-Clyne-Shorthand/104644 to find the CD and learn more. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted
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