Igor Stravinsky, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra — Apollon musagète; Apotheosis
William Peacock
My wife and I recently watched our first Wes Anderson film in The Phoenician Scheme and were immediately blown away. There's no shortage of things to love about the movie, from its themes surrounding love and parental redemption, to its engaging and witty writing, colorful visual palette, star-studded cast, brilliant acting...the list goes on.
But I was (unsurprisingly) most compelled by the score, crafted and compiled by Alexandre Desplat, a regular collaborator of Wes Anderson. I say "compiled" because the score makes frequent use of classical works — some more well-known than others — and especially the works of Igor Stravinsky, with Desplat going so far as to say that an excerpt from The Firebird was the seed of the score that he composed for the film.
However, I was particularly affected by the inclusion of Stravinsky's "Apotheosis" from his lesser-known neoclassical ballet Apollon musagète. As framed by Desplat, it is at once wrenching, searing, and healing, as if cauterizing the soul, and marks significant story beats that I won't spoil here.
I can't recommend this movie or its music enough, and especially for bringing Stravinsky out of the concert hall.
WOODZ — Dayfly
Kendall Todd
I’ve been following Korean singer-songwriter/rapper/producer WOODZ and his many excellent, genre-spanning EP releases for years, and he reliably delivers something different every time, so when he finally announced his first full-length album, Archive. 1, I knew to be ready for anything. What emerged is a celebratory ode to rock-and-roll and all of its sub-genres, from pop-rock ballads to hair metal. “Dayfly,” a two-minute-long adrenaline rush, falls somewhere in the middle. With nods to The Rolling Stones and the Arctic Monkeys, that's a really great place to be.
Kevin Puts, Joyce DiDonato, Time for Three — Because I could not stop for Death
Brian McCreath
Is there a poet whose words are more fascinating and open to contemplation than Emily Dickinson? The spare elegance, the juxtaposition of images, the callout to unexpected emotions all make her poetry irresistible. It’s almost too much to hope that a composer could coherently set her words to music, though many have tried, perhaps most successfully Aaron Copland. But when Kevin Puts applied his compositional voice to Dickinson’s poetry to create a cycle of 26 songs, he had very specific performers in mind, including one of today’s most imaginative and versatile singers and a trio that, while rooted in both classical and folk traditions and more, remains impossible to categorize. The entire cycle is a must-listen, but this track, set to one of Dickinson’s most well-known poems, is a highlight.
RAYE — Click Clack Symphony (feat. Hans Zimmer)
Katie Ladrigan
RAYE releases a new album, we wait for each track release with breaths held, wondering, "What will she do next?!?" Use the sound of high-heels as a rallying call? Summon Hans Zimmer with promises of epic strings and poetry? Melody and spoken-word? Why not all??? This one’s an absolute treat, and truly feels like it fits the album name, This Music May Contain Hope.
(PS like her music, RAYE’s music videos are also works of art!)
Hadestown Original Broadway Company — Wait for Me
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
I caught Hadestown when it came through Boston at the beginning of the month. It's one of those shows that rewards repeat listening. It gets better the longer you sit with it. Especially this earworm, which ended up stuck in my head as I left the theater.
Genesis – Land of Confusion
Greg Ferrisi
I suppose it’s true what they say. The more things change, the more they really do stay the same. Take “Land of Confusion” from the 1986 Genesis album Invisible Touch. This song is 40 years old, and yet it describes so well the world today.
I remember watching the video when I was a kid. I loved seeing puppet Ronald Reagan running around in Superman tights, but I don’t think I fully felt the message back then. I do now. I’ve been going back to this piece a lot lately, even sharing it with the kids, just a few years older than I was in 1986. They, too, miss the point. But laugh at the puppets.
And, SPOILER ALERT here: That part when baby-boomer Phil Collins sings “My generation will put it right”?
They didn’t.
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You can enjoy this month's Instant Replay below, or listen to the full playlist here.