Posted by Erland Cooper is forever moving forwards.
The London based composer is a one man hive of activity, perpetually hurling himself into new projects.
New EP ‘Egilsay’ is out now, and it is rooted in the landscapes and heritage of his native Orkney, a continual source of inspiration in his work.
The project is Erland’s second collaboration with choral ensemble Shards, a choir who continually sitting at the cutting edge of modern classical music.
We’re able to highlight beautiful new song ‘Glimro’, a slow-paced evolution that interweaves subtle string elements around Shards’ beautiful vocal abilities.
A heavenly experience, it comes with a film of the recording shot by Alex Kozobolis.
Erland introduces it thus…
Photographer and filmmaker Alex Kozobolis reminded me that in Orkney the light shifts so many times a day, you can rarely take the same picture twice. This is especially so in midwinter. From sea pinks to the shimmer of the aurora polaris or Northern Lights – Mirrie Dancers or Tullumentan in local [Orcadian] dialect, the changing light in the Highlands and Islands is truly alluring.
This work for voice is a meditation on that theme as the seasons roll on like weather. Some say, as a test of endurance, when you move to an island you must have stayed for several winters before you know you can truly survive its hardship and live there. This is music for when against the wind, where time can mend anything, except today so lay on your side and dream the world away.
Watch it now.
Erland Cooper will unveil the premiere of his live score for The Wind (1928) written for the women of the chorus of Opera North on February 24th.
Photo Credit: Samuel Davies
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