All tracks on this album are premiere recordings, meaning they are the first time these pieces have been recorded.
Composition History
"Elegy for Esmeralda" is based on an interlude from Lliam Paterson's opera "The Angel Esmeralda," which was commissioned by Scottish Opera and premiered in 2020.
Composition History
The main work, "Say it to the still world," originated from a conversation between composer Lliam Paterson and guitarist Sean Shibe, who suggested creating a new work for guitar and choir based on Rainer Maria Rilke's "Die Sonette an Orpheus."
Composition History
"poppies spread" was written as a companion piece to "Say it to the still world" and uses poems written by the composer's mother, Flora Paterson, inspired by poppies in their garden and watercolours by his father, Alan W. B. Paterson.
Composer Biography
The composer, Lliam Paterson, connected the themes of loss and transformation in Rainer Maria Rilke's sonnets to his personal experience of grieving his mother, Flora Paterson, who was a gifted painter and poet.
Performer Biography
Sean Shibe, the electric guitarist on this album, is a versatile musician recognized for championing both classical guitar repertoire and new commissions, and has received a Gramophone Award.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer Lliam Paterson decided to fragment Rainer Maria Rilke's original text and its English translations for "Say it to the still world," focusing on the quality of sound derived from word fragments to reflect the power of the singing voice disconnected from language.
