The overall structure of "Geyser" shifts from dark to light over its eight movements, with the music becoming brighter and more rhythmically and harmonically free towards the climax.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Marius Neset initially conceived "Geyser" as a celebration of music and its return after the pandemic, with a predominantly joyful and optimistic mood.
Historical Context
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 deeply affected Marius Neset, leading him to revise "Geyser" to reflect feelings of darkness and despair.
Composition History
Marius Neset's "Geyser" was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and premiered at the Royal Albert Hall as part of BBC Proms 2022.
Compositional Technique
Marius Neset aimed to integrate the freedom and spontaneity of jazz, including improvisation, with the written-down classical idiom of the London Sinfonietta in "Geyser."
Recording & Production
This album is a live recording of "Geyser" performed at the BBC Proms and broadcast by Radio 3 on September 3, 2022.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The title "Geyser" is a metaphor for the music's underlying rhythmic energy, which is intermittently unleashed in ecstatic outbursts, and also for tension boiling under the surface.
