Prayers For A Feverish Planet: New Music About Climate Change, Vol. 1
New Focus, 2026
9/10
Listen to Prayers For A Feverish Planet: New Music About Climate Change, Vol. 1
The pianist Ann DuHamel fleshes out her first volume of commissioned work, where the pieces are inspired by and point twards the climate change crisis.
Erick Tapia’s “Solipsismo” opens with the diverse keys radiating beauty and mystery in a cinematic fashion, and “Forgive Them Not, For They Know What They Do”, by Karen Lemon, follows with the animated keys that have the ability to mesmerize firmly, just as they do tug on the heartstrings.
Moving into the middle, Ian Dicke’s “White Parasol” moves elegantly via the rumbling versus dreamy gestures, while “frostbYte: chalk outline” spends 11+ minutes drawing us into the gorgeous restraint and bursts of colorful keys amid the electronics of the Daniel Blinkhorn piece.
Close to the end, Judith Shatin’s “Plain Song” injects spoken word alongside the unpredictable keys across 4 segments of enlightenment, and “Those Who Watch” exits with wordless vocals, soundbites and spoken word in between the upbeat, playful key progressions.
A solo piano effort unlike any other, the sonic attention, electroacoustic stabs and timbral expression makes for a body of work that’s all substance and employs extended techniques superbly.
Travels well with: Michael Jones- The Promise Of Escape; Eric Chasalow- …arching, reaching, breathless