Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers


This February, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates Black composers and musicians whose music has been suppressed and ignored. All of these musicians should be added to the music history and music theory curriculum.

https://youtu.be/1acBKW9qCis


Hannah Kendall (born 1984) studied at the University of Exeter, the Royal College of Music, and Columbia University. Her music has been described as ‘intricately and skillfully wrought,” “dramatically intense and atmospheric,” and “teem(ing) with passages of brilliant instrumental colors . . . and harmonies boast(ing) surprising edges and a rich inner life.”


Here is what the composer has to say about today’s post, The Spark Catchers:


“Lemn Sissay’s incredibly evocative poem, The Spark Catchers, is the inspiration behind this work. I was drawn to its wonderful dynamism, vibrancy, and drive. Specific words and phrases from the text have established the structure of the work, and informed the contrasting musical characteristics created within the piece’s main components.

The opening ‘Sparks and Strikes’ section immediately creates vigour and liveliness, with the piccolo and violins setting-up a swelling rhythmic drive, interjected by strong strikes from the rest of the ensemble. This momentum continues into ‘The Molten Madness’, maintaining the initial kinetic energy, whilst also producing a darker and brooding atmosphere introduced in the bass lines. A broad and soaring melodic line in the french horns and first violins overlays the material, moving into a majestic episode led by the full string section, accentuated by valiant calls in the woodwind, brass and percussion; culminating in a sudden pause. A lighter variation of the opening rhythmic material in the clarinets, harp, and strings follows, creating a feeling of suspense. The texture builds-up through a jazzy figure led by the brass, leading to powerful and surging interplay between the flutes, oboes and violins.

The lighter, clearer, and crystalline ‘Beneath the Stars/In the Silver Sheen’ section follows. Quiet and still, it is distinguished by its gleaming delicacy through long interweaving lines, high pitch range and thin textures. An illuminating strike, underpinned by the glockenspiel and harp, signifies the climax of this section. Subsequently, the opening zest comes back again through dance-like material which culminates in ‘The Matchgirls March’ with its forceful and punchy chords.

The Spark Catchers ends with a coda-like section, which carries over the power of the ‘March’, whilst also incorporating variations on musical motives from ‘Sparks and Strikes’ and ‘The Molten Madness’; finally concluding on a sparkling flourish.”


My classical music post for today is Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers.

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