9. Late Great Show

David Lang’s mesmerising mystery sonatas are an overt homage to Biber’s ground-breaking work from the late seventeenth century, but without the insane scordatura and the explicit liturgical programme. Lang divides his work into seven sonatas, intimate personal reflections on joy, sorrow and glory. One manifestation of this intimacy appears in the outer movements where the violinist is instructed to play as if singing to yourself.

Lang’s music has unmistakeable similarities to that of Arvo Pärt; their worldview meeting at common points of repetition and inner spirituality – it is easy to get lost in their long, constantly metamorphosing lines.

All works performed by Mairéad Hickey