Emily Hall has made her name by taking an often unconventional approach as a composer. With five mould-breaking operas and numerous song cycles under her belt, composing for Onyx Brass has been a fresh challenge. Two works, Eternity and Blackcurrant River, feature on the ensemble’s new album, out on 23 June on NMC.
MEET THE COMPOSER
‘I love working with other people’s words’
When I was a kid, one of my neighbours was Jonathan Harvey. I remember my Dad would be like, ‘Show him your sketch!’ and I’d be like, ‘Uhhhhhh!’ But Jonathan was lovely to me. So I had really positive associations with a composer and I think that was probably quite formative, to be honest.
I love writing songs. I love collaborating, working with other people’s words and working with a singer in mind. I think that’s my ultimate collaborative triangle. I’m always on the lookout for things to set.
I wrote Eternity in 2009/10. My husband did a sound installation at an old Nazi submarine base in Bordeaux, and he wanted me to set something which dealt with eternity and infinity – because it’s a vast, cavernous space and the reverb is never ending. I found a poem by Rimbaud and actually wrote it very quickly. Onyx Brass did a lovely version of it during the pandemic, and they asked me if I would write a partner piece to go with it.
I like to feel the music beneath my fingers. I’ve just written for electric g
