REBECCA SAUNDERS (b.1967): Choler for 2 Pianos, Crimson for Piano, Miniata for Accordion, Piano, Chorus and Orchestra.

Description: A composer constantly in search of new timbres, Saunders frequently takes her cues from visual stimuli, colors - in the case of these three works, the color red. Choler, as the title suggests, refers to the Mediæval humor that caused anger, associated with the redness of blood, and the cascading clusters are appropriately furious, violent and even ugly. The orchestral work is associated with the artist's red pigment, sadly difficult to obtain nowadays on account of its extremely poisonous nature, derived from mercury; quotations from Kandinsky and Derek Jarman on the qualities associated with the color enlighten us as to the relevance of Saunders' flailing piano clusters, glittering angry sparks against the dark-toned canvas of orchestral and choral sonority. In the solo piano work as well, Saunders' preoccupation with resonance and percussive effects seems analogous to the play of light and dark described in the quotation from Beckett that appears on the score of the orchestral piece. Nicolas Hodges, Rolf Hind (pianos), Teodoro Anzelotti (accordion), SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart, SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Hans Zender.