Max Richter - Infra

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 9 / 7 / 2010

Label: 130701
Format: CD

intro

Magnificent latest album from composer Max Richter, which was originally written for a ballet performance and has been subsequently reworked

German born composer Max Richter has made it no secret as to where he's from; he studied in Tuscany, under Berio and grew up in the UK. Derived from a score originally written for a ballet performance, 'Infra' actually comes as the conclusion to a live performance, a BBC TV soundtrack and a chamber orchestra rehearsal. Now reassembled as an album for commercial release, it is the work of a composer who was commisioned to shape the sounds of dancing bodies falling in line with a choreography and in line with its movements beneath the dancefloor. Invisible and, therefore, sheerly impossible movements augmented. 'Infra' embodies atonements of both motion as well as compositional stillness. The documentary of the 'Infra' ballet was shown on BBC 2 TV in 2008 yet the original recordings have been altered, and squeezed, into much tighter coherence, all for the benefit of this album. Since what filtered through can be considered as prime, majestic Max Richter music, the connotations to the works of Schubert deserve very much a place of their own here. Schubert must be the first classical composer to ever get sampled within the correct context. Max Richter's 'Infra' stands at odds with movement and pastoral perfection, but 'Infra' combines the contrasting motions in sound and composition. The album tracks have been split between those listed under the title of 'Infra' and those under the title of 'Journey'. In retrospect, the 'Journey' tracks prove the ones to set you to higher spirits whilst the 'Infra' tracks set the pace for designing new mind travel schemes. Either way though; Max Richter's 'Infra' tantalizes senses well beyond the realms of the unheard. 'Infra' is a majestic call to the forces of melody, as well as to the structure found in composition; encaptured in one single term; absolute marvel.

Track Listing:-

1 Richter: Infra 1
2 Richter: Journey 1
3 Richter: Infra 2
4 Richter: Infra 3
5 Richter: Journey 2
6 Richter: Infra 4
7 Richter: Journey 3
8 Richter: Journey 4
9 Richter: Journey 5
10 Richter: Infra 5
11 Richter: Infra 6
12 Richter: Infra 7
13 Richter: Infra 8
14 Richter: Sub Piano (Bonus Track)
15 Digital Booklet: Infra

Band Links:-

http://www.maxrichtermusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaxRichterMusic
https://twitter.com/maxrichtermusic

profiles

Profile (2015)

Maarten Schiethart tries to stay awake to listen to Max Richter's new eight hour composition, 'Sleep'

favourite album

Memoryhouse (2014)

In our 'Re:View' section, in which we look back at albums from the past, Maarten Schiethart reflects on British composer Max Richter's extraordinary 2002 debut 'Memoryhouse', which has just been reissued

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