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The Cardinall's Musick Premieres Julian Anderson's Nothing At All at Wigmore Hall

Jul. 21, 2024

On July 10, The Cardinall's Musick gave the world premiere performance of Julian Anderson's Nothing At All, a dramatic madrigal for eight unaccompanied voices. Text was drawn from the Noh-play, Hagoromo by Zeami Motokiyo, as retold by Paul Griffiths. The program also included vocal works by Palestrina, Victoria, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and others.

Nothing At All follows the story of a fisherman who discovers the magical cloak of a spirit-being. The fisherman attempts to claim the cloak as his own, but is stopped by the spirit who pleads for it, unable to reach heaven without. The fisherman finally agrees to return it, on condition that the spirit shows him her dances – which are the dances of heaven.

What the fisherman witnesses in her dance he cannot explain to anyone. It is said he watched her dance for a month, before she spiralled up to heaven and the cloak became 'nothing at all.'

Additionally, the Piatti Quartet gave the UK premiere of Anderson's Ice Quartet on July 22 at the Sledmere House as part of the Ryedale Festival in North Yorkshire. The work was premiered by the Engegård Quartet in May 2024.

Listen to Julian Anderson discuss harmony with Samuel Andreyev on the Samuel Andreyev Podcast:

To learn more about Julian Anderson, visit schott-music.com.

Julian Anderson
Nothing At All (2022)
for eight unaccompanied voices (SSAATTBB)
Text from the Noh-play Hagoromo by Zeami Motokiyo retold by Paul Griffiths
10'

Ice Quartet (String Quartet No. 5) (2023)
for string quartet

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