Lost prayers

Description

Lost Prayers is the first album on ECM New Series to be entirely devoted to the chamber music of Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. The reduced instrumental forces do not, however, diminish the expressive power of the compositions, and the volatility of Tüür’s “vectorial” concept emerges forcefully from the very first seconds of Fata Morgana, which is, along with Lichttürme, one of two pieces for violin, cello and piano. These pieces are performed by the Estonian trio made up of Harry Traksmann, Leho Karin and Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann, all of whom have played Tüür’s music extensively and have taken part in ECM recordings, including Crystallisatio and Oxymoron. The Signum Quartet plays the composer’s Second String Quartet, titled Lost Prayers, and its violinist Florian Donderer also performs Synergie, alongside cellist Tanya Tetzlaff. The album was recorded at Sendesaal in Bremen in April 2019.