Classical Music: Anna Clyne Abstractions

Abstractions

Within Her Arms; Abstractions; Restless Oceans; Color Field
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop
Naxos 8.574620

This debut Naxos recording immediately draws the listener into textures and colours that are warm and deep, revealing much to commend in Anna Clyne's distinctive compositional voice. Here is music that feels both entirely contemporary and rooted in tradition, offering compositions that are genuinely new and exciting.

Clyne's mastery of string writing is evident throughout, with her orchestral palette thoughtfully devised and applied with the care of a painter considering light and shadow. Just as a visual artist carefully adjusts each brushstroke to capture luminosity, Clyne demonstrates an adept sense of musical connection between inspiration and execution.

The centrepiece, Abstractions, comprises a suite of five movements inspired by contrasting contemporary artworks from the Baltimore Museum of Art and the private collection of Rheda Becker and Robert Meyerhoff, to whom the music is dedicated. 'In drawing inspiration from these artworks, I have tried to capture the feelings or imagery that they evoke, the concept of the work, or the process adopted by the artists,' Clyne explains. The result is music with an often cinematic quality that translates visual art into compelling sonic experiences.

The album also features Within Her Arms for strings, which the Chicago Classical Review described as 'a powerful work, a sombre, deeply felt meditation on loss'. This beautiful elegy demonstrates Clyne's ability to strike both positive and resilient tones, whilst Restless Oceans showcases her more defiant musical voice with terrific rhythmic energy.

Under Marin Alsop's direction, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra delivers performances that fully realise Clyne's unique fusion of postmodern techniques with traditional foundations. The close relationship between composer, conductor, and orchestra is palpable throughout, resulting in interpretations that feel both authoritative and deeply felt.

The New York Times has described Clyne as a 'composer of uncommon gifts and unusual methods', and this recording amply demonstrates why she has become one of today's most sought-after voices in contemporary classical music.