Colab 2
Caroline Shaw – Partita for 8 Voices
The first thing I notice is that I got lost in the music and was surprised that it had come to an end.
Overall I found the music was very beautiful with gorgeous harmonies and amazing unison at times. Some of the sections were overwhelming to me- when all the voices sang together very loudly or when the sopranos were singing very high but I stuck with it as I realised it’s a part of the whole. I especially enjoyed the calmer moments of the piece. It was intriguing how many different sounds can be made with the voice, lips, throat and breathing. Some of the sections sounded like throat singing and were very cool. I the beginning I was trying to make sense of the words but was then surprised when they returned at the end. It sounded like the words described a map on the wall and possibly a disagreement. At one point I wondered what it would look like if I tried to paint my response to the piece. I think it would be interesting to try that.
Some music to listen to closely is Ptakh by DakhaBrakha. I have had the great fortune to hear DakhaBrakha live 3 times. They are from Ukraine and sing passionately about their home and the quest for freedom:
Here is a translation, if you wish to know the meaning of the words: