Things finally explode with dissonant, banging piano before re-forming and churning toward the second chorus’s cry of strength and desperation, urging us to ring the bells that still can ring. You will hear some of those rich sonorities arise through the first part of the song, but either over-the-top saccharine or slightly out of place somehow. I started thinking about the weird juxtaposition of that era’s lush, almost schmaltzy popular and movie music against the horrors that were taking place all over the world. As I began to write those parts in early August 2017, images of red flags from Charlottesville brought to mind the 1930s and '40s. Giving his melodies to a choir risks emphasizing prettiness at the expense of grit, so, to keep the balance in our version, I incorporated rawness through the instruments. ![]() ![]() The result is an unusual synthesis of beauty and rawness that is a perfect complement to his lyrics. Will says: “Part of what gives Leonard Cohen’s songs such power is the combination of his low, limited and raspy voice with relatively traditional sounding, and singable, music. The late Leonard Cohen’s is increasingly recognized as a profound, profoundly Jewish songwriter, and Will Robertson’s arrangement of his “Anthem” for chorus, strings, and piano goes beyond a mere cover to bring to life the vivid center of Cohen’s poetry.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |