Freya Waley-Cohen - Freya Waley-Cohen: Spell Book (2024)

The debut album from composer Freya Waley-Cohen, whose distinctive voice in contemporary classical music draws inspiration from literature, folklore, and the natural world, and is characterized by its vivid imagery and emotional depth.

Waley-Cohen describes the album as a collection akin to a gallery exhibition, where each piece stands alone as a work of art but gains deeper meaning through the sequence and context provided by the album as a whole. "I picture coming across a beautiful old box," she explains, "and opening it to find a different sort of collection, one of otherworldly happenings: of spirits, conjurings, magical objects, and a book of spells."

The title track Spell Book, performed by Héloïse Werner (soprano), Katie Bray (mezzo-soprano), Fleur Barron (mezzo-soprano) and Manchester Collective, is based on poems from WITCH by Rebecca Tamás, and delves into the rituals of spellcasting through a series of spell-songs. These compositions transform the concert hall into a space of ritual, where words and music intertwine to influence the universe itself. From the rebellious spirit of Lilith to the seismic shifts of spell for change, each piece is a vivid exploration of transformation, power, and the profound connection between the individual and the larger forces at play.

Also featured on the album is: Conjure – a spellbinding trio that draws inspiration from séances and the mystical power of the number three performed by Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin) Anne Beilby (viola), and Nathaniel Boyd (cello); Talisman, which weaves a tale of magical objects imbued with meaning through rituals and stories, and where each of the 13 string players is treated as a soloist, creating a tapestry of sound that explores the liminal space between belief and scepticisms, where the power of a talisman lies in its ability to evoke both; and Naiad – a tribute to her mentor the late Oliver Knussen, which carries the listener into a world of delicate natural beauty.