#4388: Music Inspired by Shakespeare

It’s another literary edition of New Sounds, featuring music inspired by Shakespeare's plays - from Jocelyn Pook, Caroline Shaw, Michael Nyman, and Hans Abrahamsen. Listen to a soundtrack for The Merchant of Venice, music based on the character of Ophelia from Hamlet, and quite a few works inspired by The Tempest (into which Shakespeare actually wrote songs). Also, a work inspired by Shakespeare's sonnets from Andrew Norman. 

Listen to music by Michael Nyman from Prospero’s Books, a remix of The Tempest. Then, we’ll hear from The Young Scamels, a group out of Louisville, KY, consisting of former members of Rachel’s, including the late Jason Noble. The Young Scamels came together back in 2007 to do music for a production of The Tempest. Also, listen to music from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw who captures the sounds of Prospero and Caliban’s island in The Tempest in her recent vocal piece, “The Isle,” as performed by the group Roomful of Teeth, recorded at a New Sounds Live at Merkin Hall.

There’s also music set to the text of Shakespeare’s Hamlet - only words spoken by Ophelia in the play -reworked and intoned by Paul Griffiths and set to music by cellist Frances-Marie Uitti. Also, hear some of the Grawemeyer Award-Winning, “Let Me Tell You,” by Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen, again with text by Paul Griffiths, retelling the story of Ophelia from Hamlet in her own words— exactly and only the words her character actually utters in the play. Plus, music by Andrew Norman, as played by cellist Caitlin Sullivan and pianist Vicky Chow, inspired by Shakespeare’s sonnet 64, “When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd.”

Program #4388: Music Inspired by Shakespeare (First aired 7/16/2020)

ARTIST: Charles Dutoit/Montreal Symphony Orchestra
WORK: Mendelssohn: Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream [1:20]
RECORDING: Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream
SOURCE: Decca
INFO: Try Amazon.com

ARTIST: Michael Nyman Band
WORK: Michael Nyman: Prospero's Magic [5:09]
RECORDING: The Essential Michael Nyman Band 
SOURCE: Argo 436820
INFO: Try Amazon.com

ARTIST: Young Scamels
WORK: Bring Forth a Wonder [2:49]  
RECORDING: Tempest 
SOURCE: FT 74
INFO: file-13.com

ARTIST: Young Scamels
WORK: Be Not Afeard [3:41]  
RECORDING: Tempest 
SOURCE: FT 74
INFO: file-13.com

ARTIST: Jocelyn Pook, feat. Andreas Scholl, countertenor
WORK: The Merchant of Venice Selections [7:39]
RECORDING: The Merchant of Venice 
SOURCE: Decca Classics  #475 6367
INFO: Out of print.

ARTIST: Roomful of Teeth
WORK: Caroline Shaw: The Isle [15:25]
RECORDING: New Sounds Live/Ecstatic Music Festival at Merkin Hall, 3/12/17
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: carolineshaw.com

ARTIST: Caitlin Sullivan, cello with Vicky Chow, piano
WORK: Andrew Norman: Confounded to Decay [4:27]
RECORDING: A Page From  
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: caitlinsullivan.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Frances-Marie Uitti & Paul Griffiths 
WORK:  I did look [4:49]
RECORDING: There is still time
SOURCE: ECM #1882 
INFO: ecmrecords.com

ARTIST: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, 
Andris Nelsons, cond. 
Barbara Hannigan, soprano
WORK: Hans Abrahamsen: Let Me Tell You, Part III (I Will Go Out Now) [11:29]
RECORDING: Let Me Tell You
SOURCE: Winter & Winter 9102322 
INFO: winterandwinter.com