The latest recording of Australian composer Brett Dean’s music on the BIS label contains three quite substantial pieces.  The first is a violin concerto in three movements; The Lost Art of Letter Writing which is played by Frank Peter Zimmermann with the Sydney Symphony conducted by Jonathan Nott.  The four movements are each inspired by a 19th century letter (the details can be found here).  Collectively they form a fairly conventional concerto structure; a fast movement, a slow movement, a sort of scherzo and a very fast, busy and insistent conclusion.  It’s complex, dense and chromatic music that sometimes builds tension much in the manner of Shostakovich though Dean’s way of resolving that tension is very different.  It’s a really rewarding piece.

Testament (for twelve violas)  is a 15 minute piece that uses pretty much the full range of what one can do with a viola.  By turns it is brooding and busily insistent with a shimmery finish.  Nicely played by the viola section of the BBC Symphony conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

Vexations and Devotions is a complex and ambitious piece for SATB choir, children’s chorus, large orchestra and electronics.  It starts with a dense, monumental even, nine minute movement called “Watching Others” before moving onto a very playful movement called Bell and Anti-Bell which sets busy, percussion heavy music with blaring brass and shimmering strings against increasingly desperate and funny “hold messages”… “We realise you are frustrated but your feelings are important to us.  Please do not give up hope”.  All in that more or less deadpan voice we all hate so much.  The final movement “The Path to Your Door” is more meditative and makes lots of use of the adult and children’s choirs.  It’s performed by the BBC Symphony and Chorus with the Gondwana Voices.  David Robertson conducts.

It’s a hybrid SACD/CD release.  I was only able to get hold of the standard resolution CD files which are actually pretty good with some clear stereo imaging but I’m sure the higher resolution tracks are much better.  I think it’s only available as a physical release.  There’s a generous 86 minutes of music on the disk and it’s well worth a listen.

Catalogue information: BIS 2016 SACD