Donnacha Dennehy, Land of Winter
an hour-long orchestral journey that Donnacha Dennehy composed for Alarm Will Sound, and dedicated to Alan Pierson
From the Conductor My collaboration with Donnacha Dennehy is among the deepest and richest of my career. From the day I conducted the very first workshop of Donnacha's “Grá agus Bás” in 2006, I knew that this was an artist making profound, important, original work; that it was music people needed to hear, and that I needed to bring it into the world with as much care as I could. Land of Winter is dedicated to me, and it builds on these decades of our collaboration. But it's also something very new: Donnacha's largest work, an hour-long instrumental tone-poem, shaped by the changing seasons and light across the months of a year, which metaphorically also become the shifting phases of life. I love the grand journey on which it carries the listener. Realizing that journey calls upon so much from the musicians: propulsive energy, rhythmic agility, and great attention to detail. Bringing it to life has taken all of the skills I've developed over my decades of experience on the work of this great composer. |
Press
Featured on best-of-2025 lists by the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and Gramophone: Boston Globe "...shockingly original, while also being compulsively listenable, particularly in Alarm Will Sound’s muscular performance." Gramophone "...an imaginatively conceived and subtly integrated work, where spectralist gestures rub shoulders with post-minimalist patterns and folk-like drones with microtonality" "Benefiting once more from a top-notch performance from the ever-reliable Alarm Will Sound directed by Alan Pierson (to whom the work is dedicated), Land of Winter offers further proof, if it were required, that Dennehy is Ireland’s most significant composer to have emerged since Gerald Barry." Article: "Sharing Overtones" - Chris P. Thompson
Podcasts: Donnacha talks about the album in conversations with John Schaefer and Colm Toíibín. |
A Tribute to Adam Abeshouse
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Land Of Winter was produced by legendary producer, Adam Abeshouse, who was a long-time collaborator of Alan, Donnacha, and Alarm Will Sound. Without his dedication and hard work, this project would not have been possible. Adam tragically passed away shortly after producing this album.
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NOMINATIONS
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
CREDITS
composer Donnacha Dennehy
conductor Alan Pierson
performers Alarm Will Sound
recording engineer Daniel Neumann
executive producer Gavin Chuck
producer Adam Abeshouse ❤️
Released by Nonesuch Records
conductor Alan Pierson
performers Alarm Will Sound
recording engineer Daniel Neumann
executive producer Gavin Chuck
producer Adam Abeshouse ❤️
Released by Nonesuch Records
Mary Kouyoumdjian, Adoration
A new Mary Kouyoumdjian/Royce Vavrek opera, based on the Atom Egoyan film, about an orphaned half-Palestinian boy struggling to make sense of his family history amid a racist community.
From the Music Director There's no greater joy for me than working with artists I love on a new opera. Working at the intersection of music and theater, and helping shape music towards the telling of a story and the creation of a dramatic experience is the most stimulating experience I know— particularly so when the artists are two dear friends, like Mary Kouyoumdjian and Royce Vavrek. Royce has a knack for picking stories that touch on deep topics in ways that bring a sense of mystery and invite curiosity. His treatment of this Atom Egoyan film about the struggles of an adopted half-Palestinian boy to come of age amid a prejudiced community, is among his most mysterious and curious. And Mary's mastery of atmosphere, color, and line makes for the perfect partnership with his story. It's been such a joy to work with this team — director Laine Rettmer, sound designer Daniel Neumann, producer Beth Morrison, and the extraordinary cast — to bring this piece and this album to fruition. |
Reviews
Opera Wire "...this was superb writing and understanding on Kouyoumdijian’s part, and an unusual gift to behold." "This world premiere, shockingly timely, challenged audience members to examine bias while diving head-first into the complex compositions of Kouyoumdijian with total abandon." San Francisco Classical Voice "...the production vividly illustrated the artistic ideal of less is more. The singers were so close that the performances took on a visceral quality." "...exceedingly well directed by Laine Rettmer and conductor Alan Pierson." NOMINATIONBest Opera Recording |
CREDITS
composer Mary Kouyoumdjian
librettist Royce Vavrek
music director Alan Pierson
performed by Silvana Quartet
vocalists Marc Kudisch, David Adam Moore, Omar Najmi,
Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Karim Sulayman,
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
live sound, recording, album mix Daniel Neumann
producer Mary Kouyoumdjian
executive producer Beth Morrison Projects
adapted from the film by Atom Egoyan
Released by Bright Shiny Things
librettist Royce Vavrek
music director Alan Pierson
performed by Silvana Quartet
vocalists Marc Kudisch, David Adam Moore, Omar Najmi,
Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Karim Sulayman,
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
live sound, recording, album mix Daniel Neumann
producer Mary Kouyoumdjian
executive producer Beth Morrison Projects
adapted from the film by Atom Egoyan
Released by Bright Shiny Things