Hymns for Private Use
Shara Nova (soprano); Akropolis Reed Quintet (Bright Shiny Things)
Published:
Hymns for Private Use
Nico Muhly: Hymns for Private Use; Annika Socolofsky: so much more
Shara Nova (soprano); Akropolis Reed Quintet
Bright Shiny Things BSTC 0180 37:44 mins
The Akropolis reed quintet has rightly won plaudits as a sonically daring ensemble who specialise in performing new works with charisma and integrity. Comprised of oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon, the quintet has a wonderfully fresh sound which proves an ideal match here for the mellifluous voice of Shara Nova.
The album’s title work is a five-movement song cycle by Nico Muhly on sacred texts drawn from early English sources. The quintet is well suited to Muhly’s rich score which evokes something of the ancient in among bursts of sensuous harmony and shimmering minimalistic textures. Nova, classically trained but best known as the songwriter and lead singer of the American band My Bright Diamond, gives an entirely credible performance here. Her voice can bloom richly but is often tenderly restrained, while she brings a crystalline clarity to the occasional stratospheric highs of Muhly’s score.
An intriguing new work by Annika Socolofsky, so much more, completes the disc. Commissioned by the quintet in 2021, the piece is structured around a fixed 17-minute soundtrack featuring seven American small business owners being interviewed about their lives and work by Socolofsky herself. The individuals taking part range from a farmer in Kansas, a North Carolina wig maker and the owner of an LGBTQ+ wellness business in Colorado. Underpinned by a subtle but vibrant score for quintet, the result is a distinct and moving work which offers a fascinating snapshot of contemporary America.
Kate Wakeling
Authors
Kate Wakeling is a writer, musicologist, poet and BBC Music Magazine critic, predominantly focusing on contemporary music. She studied music at Cambridge University and holds a PhD in Balinese gamelan music from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. She writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and is a writer-in-residence with the Aurora Orchestra.