So Many Things – Anne Sofie Von Otter

Following on from previously successful recording projects on naïve including Grammy Award-winning ‘Douce France’, ‘Love Songs’ with Brad Mehldau and Grammy Award-nominated ‘Sogno Barocco’, the innovative mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter joins forces with the trailblazing string quartet, Brooklyn Rider to present a new and eclectic project featuring music by iconic artists from both the classical and pop music worlds. New works have been written for them by Nico Muhly, Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw and the quartet s own Colin Jacobsen while the album also features luminescent arrangements of music by John Adams, Elvis Costello, Brad Mehldau, Rufus Wainwright, Sting, Björk and Kate Bush. ‘So Many Things… so much fascinating and wonderful music out there to dis-cover, to perform and to record. This disc is about music from our days: 1990s to 2015. I am bringing two worlds together on So many things. In fact I don t see them as two worlds at all, but just plain old good, interesting, attractive music that moves and inspires me.’ Anne Sofie von Otter
Anne Sophie von Otter returns to crossover with an album combining soft spun modernist classical with classically-treated pop by the likes of Sting, Björk and Rufus Wainwright. Von Otter s vehicle is the nimble Brooklyn Rider string quartet. Among the classical numbers, Cant Voi L aube has a distinctive beauty and charm. Cast around the lyrics of an ancient trouvère song, Caroline Shaw s musical narrative is touchingly archaic. Colin Jacobsen s For Sixty Cents is whimsical with a demure coating. Nico Muhly s So Many Things lives by its jazzy overtones and fitful energy, set neatly in front of Anders Hillbog s dreamy, sultry Kväll. Björk s Cover Me combines icy dissonance with lugubrious vocal line. In Kate Bush s Pi, the string writing lapses occasionally into classical Beatles style. Towards the end, Von Otter warms to the seductive shapeliness of Brad Mehidau s Love Sublime. Finally we have Sting and Rufus Wainright: the former s Practical Arrangement and the latter s Les Feux D artifice T appellent. –Ken Walton The Scotsman, 14th November 2016’an intriguingly crafted and well-produced song recital, performed (it says) essentially live in the studio.’ –Mike Ashman – Gramophone, January 2017An eclectic contemporary collection impeccably performed. –Rebecca Franks – BBC Music Magazine, February 2017