Anna Clyne’s name may not be a familiar one to you, but she is much in demand as a composer, and in fact is the eighth most performed contemporary composer in the world! Not surprising then that she was commissioned to write the very first of the BBC’s 25 for 25, new works currently being premiered weekly, each celebrating one year of the first quarter-century of the millennium. Her offering, The Eye, depicts the turn of the millennium and in particular that spectacular addition to the London skyline, the London Eye. Another of her works, Night Ferry, is one of the latest set of BBC Ten Pieces.
Hallam Sinfonia has been planning to work again with Gemma Rosefield, Ensemble 360’s cellist, since our Beethoven Triple adventure in 2022. We were all delighted when Jon suggested that our next collaboration should involve Anna Clyne’s cello concerto, entitled Dance.
The orchestra’s enthusiasm for this idea arose from our earlier experience with Anna Clyne’s music. We were introduced to her by Ellie Slorach when we worked with Jon Boden, also in 2022. Her exuberant piece Masquerade, a 2013 BBC Proms commission, conjures up vivid images of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in the 18th century and we loved it (but it was hard!). Tuneful, exciting and rewarding to play, it left us all wanting more.
Dance was inspired by poetry by the 13th century Sufi mystic Rumi, and has been choreographed by the San Francisco Ballet. Anna Clyne, herself a cellist, responds to a vast range of influences including her own heritage, and is a natural collaborator with artists across the arts world.
And finally – if the Dance connection isn’t enough for you in this programme including Malcolm Arnold’s Scottish Dances and Manuel de Falla’s Three Cornered Hat, do note that Anna Clyne went to university in Edinburgh and to judge from her website photos is very fond of hats!
The concert is at Victoria Hall, at 7.30pm on Saturday 22 March (part of the Classical Sheffield festival weekend). Tickets and further information available here.
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