Abstract
'Sonata for Broken Fingers’ is a 75-minute work for five singers and six instrumentalists (plus one pre-recorded). The key area of research is situated around the medium of radio opera, or opera that is designed as an intimate aural experience through innovative use of recorded medium. The piece also exists in a live format and was premiered by Opera 21/Birmingham Contemporary Music Group at CBSO Centre on July 14th 2024. The work was recorded at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in July 2024, and will be released on Birmingham Record Company in October 2025.
The piece itself is a thriller set in Stalinist Moscow about the search for a missing pianist in the middle of the night. Although fictional rather than factional, the character of the pianist is inspired by the renowned Soviet pianist Maria Yudina, who often clashed with the authorities. She features briefly in the recent film “The Death of Stalin”. This project explores the meaning of music in a terrifying world dominated by a totalitarian state. Not only is the subject matter highly topical, but Maria Yudina is also the subject of a recent biography by Elizabeth Wilson.
In a similar way to 'The Soldier’s Tale', 'Sonata for Broken Fingers' is a flexible piece that does not necessarily belong in an opera house. It is primarily set in the recording studio of a radio station, so it is intended to be a powerful and intimate listening experience that does not need a traditional full staging to make its mark.
Sonata for Broken Fingers was supported by funding from BCU, Vaughan Williams Foundation, Hinrichsen Foundation, Swiss Cultural Foundation, The Marchus Trust, The Golsoncott Foundation, Maria Bjornson Fund, Oleg Prokofiev Trust and the Ratcliffe Trust.
The piece itself is a thriller set in Stalinist Moscow about the search for a missing pianist in the middle of the night. Although fictional rather than factional, the character of the pianist is inspired by the renowned Soviet pianist Maria Yudina, who often clashed with the authorities. She features briefly in the recent film “The Death of Stalin”. This project explores the meaning of music in a terrifying world dominated by a totalitarian state. Not only is the subject matter highly topical, but Maria Yudina is also the subject of a recent biography by Elizabeth Wilson.
In a similar way to 'The Soldier’s Tale', 'Sonata for Broken Fingers' is a flexible piece that does not necessarily belong in an opera house. It is primarily set in the recording studio of a radio station, so it is intended to be a powerful and intimate listening experience that does not need a traditional full staging to make its mark.
Sonata for Broken Fingers was supported by funding from BCU, Vaughan Williams Foundation, Hinrichsen Foundation, Swiss Cultural Foundation, The Marchus Trust, The Golsoncott Foundation, Maria Bjornson Fund, Oleg Prokofiev Trust and the Ratcliffe Trust.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Type | Opera |
| Media of output | Musical work (score) |
| Publisher | Composers Edition |
| Publication status | Published (VoR) - 1 Jun 2024 |