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Michael Cox|George Benjamin : Into the Little Hill

George Benjamin : Into the Little Hill

Bejun Mehta, Concertgebouw Orch., Michael Cox...

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George Benjamin’s 2006 chamber opera Into the Little Hill was commissioned by the Paris National Opera, the Ensemble Modern and a few other high-level companies. The libretto, by British playwright Martin Crimp, is an updated version of the tale of the Pied Piper, i.e. the Ratcatcher of Hamelin, with added contemporary political and social overtones: the power of music and its exploitation in today’s world. The story is told by just two singers, a soprano (embodying The Crowd, The Stranger, a Narrator, The Minister's Child) and a contralto (The Crowd, a Narrator, The Minister, The Minister's Wife), who share all the characters and narration, thus acknowledging the inherently artificial nature of sung drama even though, occasionally, particularly in heated moments, it does approach the naturalistic. The score is typical of Benjamin: spare, somewhat austere, meticulously calibrated between instruments and voices, all the more since the orchestration, limited to a 15-person ensemble, employs some highly unusual timbres, ranging from bass flute, mandolin and cimbalom to banjo, contrabass clarinet and basset-horns. The recording is conducted by the composer in person. The same remark applies to the other major work on the album, the song cycle Dream of the Song, featuring countertenor Bejun Mehta and the Concertgebouw orchestra. This is assuredly one of the most intense and emotional song cycle composed these last few years. © SM/Qobuz

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George Benjamin : Into the Little Hill

Michael Cox

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Into the Little Hill, Pt. 1 (George Benjamin)

1
I. The Crowd: Kill them they bit -kill them they steal
George Benjamin
00:00:51

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

2
II. The Minister and the Crowd - The Minister Greets the Crowd
George Benjamin
00:02:40

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

3
III. The Crowd - Kill Them They Bit, Kill Them They Steal
George Benjamin
00:01:34

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

4
IV. The Minister and the Stranger - Night Comes but Not Sleep
George Benjamin
00:07:59

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

5
V. Interlude, Mother and Child - Why Must the Rats Die Mummy?
George Benjamin
00:06:14

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

Into the Little Hill, Pt. 2 (George Benjamin)

6
VI. Inside the Minister's Head
George Benjamin
00:03:42

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

7
VII. The Minister and the Stranger, His Head Lies On His Desk - Between the Family Photograph
George Benjamin
00:05:20

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

8
VIII. Interlude, Mother(s) and Child(ren) - Each Cradle Rocks Empty
George Benjamin
00:06:24

Hila Pitmann, Soprano - Susan Bickley, Contralto - London Sinfonietta - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Martin Crimp, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

Flight (George Benjamin)

9
Flight
Michael Cox
00:09:50

Michael Cox, Flute - George Benjamin, Composer

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 London Sinfonietta

Dream of the Song (George Benjamin)

10
I. The Pen
Bejun Mehta
00:02:54

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

11
II. The Multiple Troubles of Man
Bejun Mehta
00:03:39

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

12
III. Gazing Through the Night
Bejun Mehta
00:05:02

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

13
IV. Gacela Del Amor Maravilloso
Bejun Mehta
00:02:24

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

14
V. The Gazelle
Bejun Mehta
00:02:53

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

15
VI. My Heart Thinks as the Sun Comes Up
Bejun Mehta
00:02:43

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor - Nederlands Kammerkoor - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Federico Garcia Lorca, Lyricist

(C) 2017 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2017 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Album review

George Benjamin’s 2006 chamber opera Into the Little Hill was commissioned by the Paris National Opera, the Ensemble Modern and a few other high-level companies. The libretto, by British playwright Martin Crimp, is an updated version of the tale of the Pied Piper, i.e. the Ratcatcher of Hamelin, with added contemporary political and social overtones: the power of music and its exploitation in today’s world. The story is told by just two singers, a soprano (embodying The Crowd, The Stranger, a Narrator, The Minister's Child) and a contralto (The Crowd, a Narrator, The Minister, The Minister's Wife), who share all the characters and narration, thus acknowledging the inherently artificial nature of sung drama even though, occasionally, particularly in heated moments, it does approach the naturalistic. The score is typical of Benjamin: spare, somewhat austere, meticulously calibrated between instruments and voices, all the more since the orchestration, limited to a 15-person ensemble, employs some highly unusual timbres, ranging from bass flute, mandolin and cimbalom to banjo, contrabass clarinet and basset-horns. The recording is conducted by the composer in person. The same remark applies to the other major work on the album, the song cycle Dream of the Song, featuring countertenor Bejun Mehta and the Concertgebouw orchestra. This is assuredly one of the most intense and emotional song cycle composed these last few years. © SM/Qobuz

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