| This is a landmark recording for me, as I've wanted to make a piece for voices for many years. I'm sure that this will be the first of many joint works by myself and Geraldine. We began this project by listening to the entire Schubert lieder (21 compact discs) in a single sitting, and then tried to imagine how those sentiments and longings (songings) might manifest in a world where music has become less forgiving.The music structures were generated using improvisations by myself, Philip Thomas and Chris Cutler as source material, and were orchestrated with additional material by Chris Meloche, Charlie Collins and Mick Beck. I allowed Chance to play a substantial and, as ever, totally reliable part in the composition process. The singers, Julie Tippetts, Steve Roden, Sedayne and Rachel McCarron composed and arranged their own parts with a minimum of interference from me. "The songs are beautiful, evocative haiku-like structures, some describing scenes or emotions, others the fragmentary nature of pure dream-state, which fits the skittering, flighty accompaniment.... Special mention must be made of Steve Roden's voice, which soothes the parts no other Gregorian can reach" - Trevor King, Record Collector |