Sapiens: humanity in music

By Timmy Fisher, 10 December 2018

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“Simon Haram danced sphinx-like... an ancient shaman attempting to conjure the spirits of the world”

Reviewed at Purcell Room, London on 7 December 2018

Bowden, Sapiens (World premiere )

Knussen, Songs without Voices (1992)

Matthews C., As Time Returns (World premiere )

Bidisha, Presenter

Jessica Cottis, Conductor

Simon Haram, Saxophone

London Sinfonietta

London Sinfonietta explodes fixed views of Boulez

Roy Westbrook, 5th October

Pierre Boulez died in 2016, but on this evidence of this exploration into …explosante-fixe…, his music will live on.

*****

Patterns in motion: Sasha Waltz & Guests dance Riley’s In C

Marat Ingeldeev, 29th April

An evening of thrilling choreography and seamless synergy between dance and music, as Sasha Waltz & Guests and the London Sinfonietta bring Terry Riley’s legendary In C to life.

****1

London Sinfonietta's ‘Hidden Voices’ lack a narrative strand

Susannah Moody, 3rd April

The London Sinfonietta blends premieres and poetry in a confusing evening at the Southbank Centre.

**111

London Sinfonietta’s spectacular exploration of Cage and Boulez

Marat Ingeldeev, 9th March

Musical cross-pollination came to life in London Sinfonietta’s electrifying performance, in a seamless blend of theatre, history and virtuosic playing.

*****

London Sinfonietta weave Love Lines with passion and drama

Christopher Woodley, 6th December

Engaging performances, including two world premieres, are served up by one of Kings Place's partners in the ‘Scotland Unwrapped’ season.

****1

Failing better, sounding again: Beckett and Feldman at the Southbank

Marat Ingeldeev, 29th November

Beckett’s theatrical precision and Feldman’s fragile soundscapes cross paths at the Southbank Centre, creating a fleeting beauty in a profound artistic dialogue.

****1

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Timmy Fisher

Timmy read musicology at Durham University, studying composition with Richard Rijnvos. He has written for Gramophone and The Spectator, and composes for both film and the concert hall. He has a special interest in contemporary choral music, and co-hosts The Classical Music Pod with Sam Poppleton, available on iTunes and Spotify. Follow him on twitter at @timmy_fisher.

Mark Bowden's Sapiens: humanity in music from the London Sinfonietta