Sean Shepherd (b. 1979)
On a Clear Day (An einem Klaren Tag), oratorio for orchestra, cello & choirs (2022-23)
Piano Trio – On the Sea (Auf dem Meer) (2024)
Young Person’s Choral Academy, The Young ClassX Ensemble,
Soloists of the Dresdner Kreuzchor, Alsterspatzen; Children and Youth Choir of the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra/Kent Nagano
Jan Vogler (cello), Mira Wang (violin), Matthias Kirschnereit (piano)
rec. live, 5th May 2023, Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany (Oratorio); April 2025, Telex Studio, Berlin, Germany (Trio)
Avi-music 4868008 [61]
This new album on Avi-music, now a partner label of Deutsche Grammophon, comprises two works by American composer Sean Shepherd: first, his large-scale oratorio On a Clear Day (An einem Klaren Tag) and secondly the Piano Trio – On the Sea (Auf dem Meer). Both works are receiving their world premiere recordings on this album.
A name new to me, Sean Shepherd was born in 1979 at Reno, Nevada. His music studies began as an undergraduate at Jacobs School, Bloomington, progressing to graduate level at Juilliard, New York City followed by a doctorate at Cornell, New York State. His music has been successfully performed internationally; composer Augusta Read Thomas says he is “a naturally musical composer who has consistently followed his own personal artistic vision.”
On a Clear Day is scored for solo cello, orchestra with five children and youth choruses, setting text in German incorporating a few English lines by poet and writer Ulla Hahn about critical environmental problems, juxtaposing the wonder of the natural world with the increasing peril of mankind’s damage to it.
The work was a joint commission from the Dresden Music Festival and Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra and received its world premiere on 22nd April 2023 in Carnegie Hall under Kent Nagano with cello soloist Jan Vogler. Performances soon followed at both the Hamburg International Music Festival on 28th and 30th April 2023 and the Dresden Music Festival on 5th May 2023.
This is not the first time that Shepherd has written music about environmental problems and climate change; he refers to two ‘companion pieces’, Melt (2018) regarding melting glaciers and Sprout (2021) relating to great forest fires and the capacity for regrowth.
Unlike the music of some contemporary composers, there is nothing to fear about Shepherd’s, as it is agreeable and essentially tonal with some contemporary features. The album publicists PR² classic says that On a Clear Day ‘addresses the challenges facing future generations and combines this with a message of respect and charity.’ The children and youth choruses singing Hahn’s texts no doubt recognise that environmental issues are likely to impact their lives and those of successive generations. Solo cellist Jan Vogler sees his leading role as that of ‘a cantor, commenting on world events from the stage.’
The oratorio is in two parts, with five movements in the first and seven in the second. Hahn prefaces her text in the booklet with the titles All you need is love (The Beatles) and Not to hate with, but to love with I’m here (Sophocles. Antigone). It is not always easy to fully comprehend, so below are my impressions whilst following the text and listening to the recording.
The opening movement has the Roman numeral ‘I’ as its title. My first image is one of a long, balmy summer evening where it will be light for an extended time. A loud climax at 1:17 leads to a cello solo and at 2:13 the choruses rejoin the cello and orchestra. Movement No. 2 Lied der Amsel (Song of the Blackbird) evokes a scene at the edge of the forest where there is a mix of fear and excitement. Birds are calling, especially the blackbird, with the cello adding dark tones. Clearly for impact, the text is sung twice in No. 3 Anticipation – Foreboding. The chorus and orchestra open quietly with a series of bell strikes entering the landscape; it feels as if sounds imbedded deep in the earth are communicating.
Titled Morgenlob (Morning praise) No. 4 is notable for its persistently agitated cello part over percussion and chorus. I believe this movement is reminding us of the inevitability of night following day and other givens that we take for granted. Bringing part one to a close is No. 5 Bitten an Abel (Requests to Abel) given as Meccanico (Mechanical) in the track listing which is spoken and chanted, not sung, by the chorus. Quick, repetitive sounds suggest automotive components grinding together with chants from the chorus open the movement. A whistle starts some raucous shouting with markedly doom-laden music at 1:54 to 2:01. This relates to Cain killing his brother Abel and God giving him a second chance by ensuring his protection.
Part Two commences with No. 6 titled Somber, a movement for solo cello and orchestra but without chorus. Vogler’s cello conveys a remarkable sense of aching tension that seems to transform into a more yearning compassion which fades away to nothing. Movement No. 7 is titled ‘VII’. Here, five lines of Hahn’s German text is interwoven with three English lines from Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself (No. 31). There’s a curious, anodyne quality to the singing, although the impact is in the actual words. Named Cheeky movement No. 8 commences with percussion and woodwind introducing the singing. This is light-hearted, cheery and melodic writing that evokes a rather quirky countryside scene on a clear day. At just over nine minutes, No. 9 Die Erde Reif (The Earth Called) is the longest movement. This feels like a river journey in a boat, mainly drifting along while sometimes lurching forward; the series of thunderous orchestral climaxes is striking. The cello plays intermittently yet still makes a significant impression. This is atmospheric writing by Shepherd serving as a plea for mankind to respect the earth.
A solemn cello part imbues No. 10 Very Slow Dreamy with a growing happiness. At nearly eight minutes, movement No. 11 Lilting at first. gathering intensity features the cello with increasingly powerful bursts of orchestral writing. Choruses are prominent, singing of the earth’s generosity in providing what mankind needs. Spacious,the final movement No. 12, features a dreamy cello part and the choruses expressing mankind’s gratitude for the power of nature with reference to the gods of several religions. The work ends with curious rustling sounds, reminding me particularly of the oceans, the forests and the great plains.
In the integral and prime solo cello part, Jan Vogler demonstrates mastery of his instrument and his unmistakable enthusiasm for the work. Conductor Kent Nagano brings his choral and orchestral forces together with great aplomb. At points, there is real gravity to the performance which is never strained. It’s hard to fault the first-class contribution of the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra. The children and youth choruses do a remarkable job with the text, their diction and unity being of a high standard. Nagano’s large choral and orchestral forces were recorded live in the splendid acoustic of the Kulturpalast, Dresden. Full credit is due to the engineering team for achieving satisfying sound. I notice that applause at the conclusion has been removed.
Shepherd’s second Piano Trio – On the Sea (Auf dem Meer) was written and premiered in 2024. It was commissioned to mark the 200th hundredth anniversary since the foundation at Hamburg of Laeisz, a diversified company with a shipping fleet at the core of its business.
Given the specialisation of the commissioner, it’s not surprising that the Piano Trio is, according to the booklet notes, designed to evoke seafaring. Maybe I’m thinking too hard about Smetana’s Die Moldau, Debussy’s La Mer, Bridge’s The Sea and Britten’s Four Sea Interludes but nothing in On the See evokes anything maritime. Nonetheless, it is a most attractive work, beautifully written chamber work.
It opens with a short first movement, Im Hafen (In Harbour), that has a balmy, restorative effect. The anxiety-laden writing of the central movement, Seereise (Sea Voyage), has significant nervous energy before becoming calmer. There is a strong element of trepidation and yearning in the closing movement titled Zuhause angekommen (Arriving Home). I sense an uncommon rapport between the performers Matthias Kirschnereit (piano), Mira Wang (violin) and Jan Vogler (cello) who play sensitively throughout. There are no problems whatsoever with the sound.
In summary, this is an excellent album and most effectively performed. The beautifully written oratorio and attractive chamber work deserve to be heard.
Michael Cookson
Buying this recording via the link below generates revenue for MWI, which helps the site remain free
