TREE – The Hermes Experiment

Marianne Schofield Islands *; Abel Selaocoe Buhle Bendalo *
arr. Benjamin Woodgates (b. 1986); Laura Moody Rilke Songs * I An die Musik, II. Sonnet to Orpheus, Rose; Oliver Pashley But I still breathe *;
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (1665–1729) Les rossignols ** arr. Marianne Schofield; Cécile Chaminade (1857–1944) La lune paresseuse ** [2:33]
arr. Marianne Schofield; Nicola LeFanu The Bourne ** arr. Anne Denholm-Blair; Fergus Hall Look what I found – II. *; Hannah Peel The Almond Tree ** arr. Oliver Pashley; Héloïse Werner Thunder clears * arr. Héloïse Werner; Errollyn Wallen Tree ** arr. Héloïse Werner

* premiere recordings. ** premiere recordings in these arrangements

Anne Denholm-Blair Harp, Oliver Pashley Clarinet, Marianne Schofield Double Bass, Héloïse Werner Soprano.

Delphian DCD34358
https://www.delphianrecords.com/

Delphian's steadfast commitment to championing contemporary composers deserves considerable praise. By boldly venturing into new musical territory, the label provides a vital platform for experimental works and innovative techniques that often possess a genuinely compelling force. This repertoire may not be familiar ground for all listeners, yet there's much to be gained from approaching these pieces with an open mind and curious ear.

The Hermes Experiment's third Delphian release offers a meditation on nature, memory and change that rewards such open-minded listening. Commissioned works and vivid reimaginings sit alongside new compositions by the ensemble's own members, exploring humanity's instinct to find emotional meaning in the natural world – in birdsong, trees, storms, and stars. With their distinctive line-up of clarinet, harp, voice and double bass, the ensemble creates a soundscape by turns intimate, luminous and strange. Joy and grief, fragility and resilience exist side by side in a programme that feels both deeply personal and elemental. TREE celebrates interconnectedness – between text and music, self, and surroundings – brought to life by one of the UK's most original chamber groups.

The Hermes Experiment provides an innovative take on their concept by exploring various techniques to create a compelling narrative. Abel Selaocoe's piece, Buhle Bendalo, captivates listeners with its infectious rhythmic quality and incorporation of beatboxing elements. Laura Moody's Rilke Songs (Sonnet to Orpheus) form an intriguing centrepiece, with clarinettist Oliver Pashley providing wonderfully crisp accompaniments, while Héloïse Werner's vocal line fractures into an intentionally fragmented, glitch-like effect—a moment that initially sounds like a recording flaw but reveals itself as clever compositional writing paired with virtuosic performances.

Werner's voice proves particularly haunting throughout, and her compositional contributions alongside Pashley's add considerable depth to the collection especially in But I Still Breathe. Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre's Les rossignols fits perfectly within the album's concept through its cleverly conceived Marianne Schofield arrangement that begins with contemporary sounds before fusing into something that closely resembles the original score. The segue into La lune paresseuse works equally well. The starkness of Nicola LeFanu's The Bourne, opening a cappella, creates an atmospheric beginning, particularly effective when the instruments emerge as if from the ether itself.

Kate Wakeling's insightful liner notes provide valuable context. For Héloïse Werner's In Thunder Clears, we learn the composer creates a 'sonic painting' of a poem by Ali Lewis. Originally composed for solo voice, this new arrangement invites the ensemble to improvise, often in response to the vocal line, incorporating an array of evocative sonic effects, including atmospheric 'wind sounds'.

An intriguing album of contemporary music that richly rewards exploration.