Nico Muhly

Following the success of their last album, ‘Timelapse’, this new album from Orchestra of the Swan is a collection of extraordinary works connected by ideas of pilgrimage, contemplation, exploration and enlightenment through the works of composers such as Richter, Respighi, Britten, Piazzolla, Brian Eno, Nico Muhly, Joy Division and more.

The soundtrack for the film The Hours (2002), with its all-star cast including Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman, has been one of Philip Glass' most popular works, with a BAFTA award in Britain having been a key step in spreading Glass' reputation beyond the U.S. Perhaps the task of writing specifically representational music helps him hone his style (see also his big operas of the 1970s and '80s). The music has also had a second life in Michael Riesman and Nico Muhly's piano version; in Muhly's case, you might argue for a degree of influence.

Calefax is an internationally acclaimed ensemble of reed players renowned for performing their own arrangements and newly commissioned compositions for the unique combination of oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bass clarinet and bassoon. Switching genres and periods with consummate ease, this adventurous new release for PENTATONE from the reed quintet Calefax is a superb collection of well-honed arrangements of less familiar works, all played with the ensemble’s customary verve, passion, and mellow sound. From the frothy virtuosity of Corelli and Locatelli to the haunting beauty of Gesualdo, Satie, and the heartfelt introspection of Nina Simone, it’s an astonishingly varied and intriguing programme. As well as pieces by Franck and Janáček, it includes one commission, Look for Me by Nico Muhly, based on an American folk song, and an arrangement of the Chinese popular song Er Quan Ying Yue. All these pieces have regularly featured in Calefax’s concerts and they fully showcase the ensemble’s versatility and mastery.