This 53 minute work sets a series of varied texts for different
combinations of voices. The words are drawn from far and wide,
as diverse as the Michelin Guide to Corsica and Dante’s Inferno,
all in different languages and given different compositional
treatment.
The first of the twelve movements, Rationale, is a spoken
monologue, performed here by the composer. The pitched material
develops in the second movement, with soprano Julia Doyle singing
slow-moving lines with a pure-toned voice. Movement three features
director James Weeks, in a combination of speaking, shouting
and what sounds like percussive foot-stamping. Already within
these three short movements, Fox has demonstrated an interesting
and imaginative approach to the setting of words, which creates
gesture from language and shows the scope of vocal expression.
The music seems simple, but is highly effective, with well considered
rhythmic elements underpinning the musical line. The spoken
voice is as musical in its overall concept as the pitched material,
offering variety of timbre and expression.
The beautiful fourth movement, Hanging Line, is poetic
in its use of silence and space around the vocal element, and
the slow-moving flow of the line is both meditative and completely
captivating. The dramatic change of mood provided by the fifth
movement shows a more dramatic side of Fox’s writing, with excellent
rhythmic drive and remarkable stereo separation in this recording.
The two voices come across as aspects of the same instrument,
and this is an extremely impressive performance, with a wonderful
sense of interaction and energy. Movement six, Triptych
features repeated melodic phrases which change and develop as
the music proceeds. Aspects of Urtext reminded me of
a slowed-down version of the vocalization of rhythm patterns
by tabla players, and there is a rich palette of sounds within
this rhythmic movement. Movement eight, Outsider uses
four voices; each has its own melodic character. Particularly
striking is the use of scotch snap and dotted rhythms, giving
a sense of folk music. Babel is gentle and incomprehensible,
but with interesting articulation and using a variety of word
formations to alter the tone and resonance of the voice. The
tenth movement is for soprano with megaphone, and creates some
interesting timbral effects. Movement 11 once again features
the composer, in an enchantingly expressive performance using
a variety of languages. This is another captivating track which
demonstrates the range of the spoken voice. The final movement,
Index, makes use of the vocal ensemble, with each voice
adding another layer to the sonic tapestry and incorporating
phrases and sounds heard earlier in the work.
Overall, this is a highly engaging and fascinating work, which
has enormous appeal. Fox’s well constructed melodic lines and
timbral variation provide an excellent overview of different
aspects of the human voice. The overall structure of the work
leads the listener through a series of fascinating musical tableaux.
The performance by Exaudi is exemplary and standards of production
are equally high. Not to be missed.
Carla Rees
Christopher Fox (speaker)
