Bryce Dessner rose to fame with the New York indie rock band The National, with whom he still plays today. Dessner also writes orchestral and chamber music. Since moving to France in 2015, he has also been present on the European scene. His solo works for classical greats such as pianist Katja Lapic, violinist Pekka Kuusisto and harpist Lavinia Major have made their debut on Sony Classical. Dessner can be heard on guitar. Atmospheric, kinetic minimalist musical effects and Satie’s contemplative indifference characterize the pieces for piano, harp, guitar and even marimba. The string solos, on the other hand, are expressive, emotional and elegiac, and the distant model of Bach’s Partita shines through, along with the singer-songwriter’s flair. After all, Dessner sees his solo works as non-verbal poems. They speak directly. They are masterfully recorded by performers who exploit the potential of their instruments intensively.
© Jens Koch
Solos
Dessner: Lullaby for Jacques and Brune, Francis, Tussula, Song for Octave, Miniature Trompe, On a Wire and others
Bryce Dessner (guitar), Pekka Kuusisto (violin), Nadia Sirota (viola), Anastasia Kopekina (cello), Lavinia Meyer (harp), Colleen Currie (percussion), Katja Lapic (piano)
Sony Classic
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