Amanda Lee Falkenberg: The Moons Symphony

by Marin Alsop, London Voices, Ben Parry, London Symphony Orchestra, Amanda Lee Falkenberg

Overview

Might Amanda Lee Falkenberg's The Moons Symphony be a classical crossover counterpart to Gustav Holst's The Planets? Listeners can decide for themselves; album buyers have voted in the affirmative, placing this release on the classical best-seller charts in the autumn of 2022. It certainly does not lack ambition. Falkenberg became fascinated by the science and the lore surrounding the moons of our solar system, including the Earth's own, wrote texts about them, set those for chorus and orchestra, penned a prose reflection on the whole thing, recruited actual NASA astronaut Nicole Stott to read those at the end, and, to boot, added a creditable reading of Debussy's Clair de lune with herself on the piano. Falkenberg has a background in film music, and that is quite evident in the big settings here. One might expect a reflective or romantic tone when it comes to moons, but this is music designed to grab the listener's attention. It also happens to be right up the alley of conductor Marin Alsop, leading the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Voices; she builds a solid structure and keeps it moving along effectively. This recording occupies an interesting British space that resides firmly in the crossover sphere but does not foreclose artistic reach. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2022
Label:	Signum Classics
UPC:	0635212073025

Tracks

1. The Moons Symphony~I. Io: Celestial Tug of War
2. The Moons Symphony~II. Europa: is There an Ocean?
3. The Moons Symphony~III. Titan: Equatorial Dunes and Methane Monsoons
4. The Moons Symphony~IV. Enceladus: Rows and Rows of Gigantic Geysers
5. The Moons Symphony~V. Miranda: Monolithic Cliff
6. The Moons Symphony~VI. Ganymede: Magnetic Forces and Colossal Discoveries
7. The Moons Symphony~VII. Earth Moon: Earthrise - The Overview
8. Clair de Lune, L.75 No. 3
9. Reflections on Symphonic Space Flight

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Marin Alsop   Primary Artist,Conductor
London Voices   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Ben Parry   Primary Artist
London Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Amanda Lee Falkenberg   Primary Artist,Piano
Daniel Koek   Tenor (Vocal)
Leo Jemison   Treble (Vocal)

Technical Credits

F. Ron Miller   Cover Image
Jonathan Stokes   Engineer
Neil Hutchinson   Engineer
Benjamin Ealovega   Photography
Nicole Stott   Liner Notes,Readings
Amanda Lee Falkenberg   Composer,Producer,Liner Notes,Text
Spoken Word   Composer
Paul Hopkins   Producer
Matt Kaplan   Liner Notes
Chris Bake   Executive Producer
Claude Debussy   Composer
Lewis Jones   Engineer