What Belongs To You
Bright Shiny Things, 2026
9/10
Karim Sulayman, Alan Pierson and Alarm Will Sound illuminate music and libretto by David T. Little, based on the novel by Garth Greenwell across these 2 discs of contemporary classical sounds.
Disc 1 belongs to the 4 chapters of “Mitko”, where expressive singing guides the mystery and ambience. The unpredictable keys and precise percussion won’t go unnoticed, as the setting turns turbulent at times.
Disc 2 opens with “A Grave”, which illustrates meticulous strings and plenty of theatrical ideas, while “Pox” exits with several segments that showcase vivid storytelling, curious winds, strategic brass and powerful bouts of animated texturing.
The storyline follows a doomed love affair between an American English teacher in Bulgaria and a sex worker named Mitko, and the balancing of elegance and dramatic shifts is executed flawlessly by Sulayman’s tenor, Pierson’s conducting and the many exceptional players off Alarm Will Sound.
Travels well with: Nicholas Finch- Cellostatus; Curtis Stewart- Seasons Of Change