Six Celan Songs • The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi
Encyclopedia
Six Celan Songs • The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi is the 54th album release by Michael Nyman
, who not only composed but also conducted both the works on the album. The first, a setting of poetry by Paul Celan
, was originally recorded by Ute Lemper
and the Michael Nyman Band
on The Michael Nyman Songbook
in 1991, and here the band is joined by Hilary Summers
. The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi is a new work created with the artist Mary Kelly
. This is performed by soprano
Sarah Leonard with The Nyman Quartet: Gabrielle Lester
, Catherine Thompson, Kate Musker, and Tony Hinnigan
.
Michael Nyman
Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
, who not only composed but also conducted both the works on the album. The first, a setting of poetry by Paul Celan
Paul Celan
Paul Celan was a poet and translator...
, was originally recorded by Ute Lemper
Ute Lemper
Ute Lemper is a German chanteuse and actress renowned for her interpretation of the work of Kurt Weill.- Biography :Born in Münster, Germany, Ute Lemper was raised in a Roman Catholic family. She joined the punk music group known as the Panama Drive Band at the age of 16...
and the Michael Nyman Band
Michael Nyman Band
The Michael Nyman Band, formerly known as the Campiello Band, is a group formed as a street band for a 1976 production of Carlo Goldoni's 1756 play, Il Campiello directed by Bill Bryden at the Old Vic...
on The Michael Nyman Songbook
The Michael Nyman Songbook
The Michael Nyman Songbook is a collection of art songs by Michael Nyman based on texts by Paul Celan, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, William Shakespeare and Arthur Rimbaud. It was recorded as an album with Ute Lemper in 1991, and again as a concert film in 1992, under the direction of Volker...
in 1991, and here the band is joined by Hilary Summers
Hilary Summers
Hilary Summers is a Welsh contralto. She was trained at Reading University, the Royal Academy of Music, and the National Opera Studio in London. She has performed on soundtracks such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Libertine, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
. The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi is a new work created with the artist Mary Kelly
Mary Kelly (artist)
Mary Kelly is an American conceptual artist, feminist, educator, and writer. has contributed extensively to the discourse of feminism and postmodernism through her large-scale narrative installations and theoretical writings. Kelly’s work mediates between conceptual art and the more intimate...
. This is performed by soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Sarah Leonard with The Nyman Quartet: Gabrielle Lester
Gabrielle Lester
Gabrielle Lester is an English classical violinist and orchestra leader. She maintains an extensive discography of classical, popular and soundtrack recordings.-Career:...
, Catherine Thompson, Kate Musker, and Tony Hinnigan
Tony Hinnigan
Anthony "Tony" Hinnigan is a musician from Glasgow. He is best known for his work with Michael Nyman , Ennio Morricone, and James Horner. He plays cello as well as Irish whistle and various Andean woodwind instruments...
.
Track listing
- Chanson einer Dame im Schatten – 7.11
- Es war Erde in ihnen – 4.57
- Psalm – 3.42
- Corona – 7.09
- Nächtlich geschürzt – 6.47
- Blume – 6.08
- The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi - 17:43
Personnel
- Michael NymanMichael NymanMichael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
, conductor - Gabrielle LesterGabrielle LesterGabrielle Lester is an English classical violinist and orchestra leader. She maintains an extensive discography of classical, popular and soundtrack recordings.-Career:...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... - Catherine Thompson, violin
- Fiona McNaught, violin
- Kate Musker, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Tony HinniganTony HinniganAnthony "Tony" Hinnigan is a musician from Glasgow. He is best known for his work with Michael Nyman , Ennio Morricone, and James Horner. He plays cello as well as Irish whistle and various Andean woodwind instruments...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Nick CooperNick CooperNick Cooper is an American drummer, record producer and composer best known for his work with Free Radicals. Nick is also an activist with indymedia, and food not bombs, a writer for the Free Press Houston, and Houston Peace News...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Chris LaurenceChris LaurenceChris Laurence is an English jazz double bassist born in London, perhaps most noteworthy for his 1980s work in various trios with Tony Oxley ....
, double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Martin Elliott, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- David Roach, sopranoSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
and alto sax - Simon Haram, soprano and alto sax
- Robert BucklandRobert BucklandRobert James Buckland is a British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Swindon South, having won the seat from the Labour Party at the 2010 general election....
, soprano and alto sax - Andrew Findo[nAndrew FindonAndrew Findon is an English flautist and saxophonist. Educated at Harrow County School for Boys, he trained as an orchestral flautist, and served as principal flute of the National Youth Orchestra in the early 1970s and three years at the Royal College of Music...
], baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, piccoloPiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written... - Andrew Sparling, bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
- Steve SidwellSteve Sidwell (musician)Steve Sidwell is a conductor, composer, and instrumentalist specialising in swing music. Renowned as an arranger and composer, Steve, has featured on numerous albums, television shows, advertising campaigns and films with his distinctive and innovative orchestrations and compositions.He is also a...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... - Nigel BarrNigel BarrNigel Barr grew up as a member of the High Wycombe Salvation Army band. In 1980 he went to the Guildhall School of Music and studied trombone with Peter Gane and Denis Wick during that time he was also a member of International Staff Band playing bass trombone.Since then Nigel has had a varied...
, bass trombone, euphoniumEuphoniumThe euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"... - David ArchDavid ArchDavid Arch is a British musician, composer, arranger and musical director.- Career :Arch is the current arranger and musical director of the Strictly Come Dancing house band, as well as the band's pianist and guitarist...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Hilary SummersHilary SummersHilary Summers is a Welsh contralto. She was trained at Reading University, the Royal Academy of Music, and the National Opera Studio in London. She has performed on soundtracks such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Libertine, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
, contraltoContraltoContralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... - Sarah Leonard, sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
- Produced by Michael Nyman
- Recorded, mixed and edited by Austin Ince
- Assistant engineer (Six Celan Songs): James Stone
- Assistant engineer (The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi): Matthew Bartram
- Mixed at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
26 and 27 March 2006 - AAssistant engineer: Robert HoustonRobert HoustonRobert Houston is an American actor and filmmaker from California. Robert first became known for his character Bobby in Wes Craven's 1977 horror classic The Hills Have Eyes. He directed the samurai epic Shogun Assassin in 1981. Robert also wrote and directed a few more mainly independent films in...
- Mastered by Peter MewPeter MewPeter Mew is a British music audio engineer at Abbey Road Studios where he is now senior mastering engineer. He came to Abbey Road in 1965 as a tape operator and has since worked with many artists at the studio...
at Abbey Road Studios - Published by Chester Music Ltd 1991/2001
- Thanks to Ute Lamper, Volker SchlöndorffVolker SchlöndorffVolker Schlöndorff is a Berlin-based German filmmaker who has worked in Germany, France and the United States...
, Declan Colgan, Elsa Longhauser, Mary KellyMary Kelly (artist)Mary Kelly is an American conceptual artist, feminist, educator, and writer. has contributed extensively to the discourse of feminism and postmodernism through her large-scale narrative installations and theoretical writings. Kelly’s work mediates between conceptual art and the more intimate...
, The Photographers, Colette Barber at Abbey Road Studios, Viviana D'Ambrosio, Nigel BarrNigel BarrNigel Barr grew up as a member of the High Wycombe Salvation Army band. In 1980 he went to the Guildhall School of Music and studied trombone with Peter Gane and Denis Wick during that time he was also a member of International Staff Band playing bass trombone.Since then Nigel has had a varied...
, Jane Carter
- Design by Russell MillsRussell Mills (artist)Russell Mills is a British artist who was born in Ripon, Yorkshire, UK in 1952. He paints, creates multimedia installations, designs stage sets and lighting and has produced record covers and book covers for Brian Eno, the Cocteau Twins,Michael Nyman, David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel, and Nine Inch...
(shed) http://www.russellmills.com - Co-design by Michael Webster (storm) http://www.michael-webster.co.uk
- Cover photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
by Michael Nyman
- Liner notes: Michael Nyman, Michael HamburgerMichael HamburgerMichael Hamburger OBE was a noted British translator, poet, critic, memoirist, and academic. He was known in particular for his translations of Friedrich Hölderlin, Paul Celan, Gottfried Benn and W. G. Sebald from German, and his work in literary criticism...
, Mary KellyMary Kelly (artist)Mary Kelly is an American conceptual artist, feminist, educator, and writer. has contributed extensively to the discourse of feminism and postmodernism through her large-scale narrative installations and theoretical writings. Kelly’s work mediates between conceptual art and the more intimate...
, Elsa Longhauser - Celan translations: Michael Hamburger