Barbara Hannigan's latest collaboration with French pianist Bertrand Chamayou in John Zorn's "Jumalattaret" is an unorthodox yet captivating exploration of the intersection between Finnish mythology and modern classical music. The 2012 score, inspired by Finland's national epic "The Kalevala," combines diverse musical elements such as folksongs, rock grooves, and scat singing to create a unique sonic landscape.
As Hannigan navigates this complex terrain, she morphs from persona to persona with remarkable agility, leveraging her extensive experience in world premieres to convey the primal intensity of Zorn's compositions. Chamayou's percussive piano work serves as a perfect foil to Hannigan's vocalizations, which range from yelps and keening cries to guttural moans and soft, gentle whispers.
In their performance, both artists create a sense of spiritual ecstasy, drawing on the same emotional reservoirs that have made Messiaen's "Chants de Terre et de Ciel" – another work featuring Hannigan – such a compelling listening experience. The French composer's own blend of the eternal feminine and stern masculine is mirrored in Chamayou's piano, which speaks with the soft vowels characteristic of the language.
As the duo takes the audience on a journey through Zorn's cycle, they exhibit an uncanny ability to reinvent themselves both vocally and physically, conjuring different personas for each song. From playful innocence in "Danse du Bébé-Pilule" to infinitely tender love songs like "Bail avec Mi," Hannigan's voice is at once expressive and vulnerable.
The silence that follows the pealing finale of "Résurrection" speaks volumes about the emotional depth of this performance, which feels more akin to a deeply personal confession than a conventional concert experience. In this sense, Hannigan and Chamayou have created something truly special – an experiential musical odyssey that defies categorization and invites listeners on a journey into the very heart of sound itself.
As Hannigan navigates this complex terrain, she morphs from persona to persona with remarkable agility, leveraging her extensive experience in world premieres to convey the primal intensity of Zorn's compositions. Chamayou's percussive piano work serves as a perfect foil to Hannigan's vocalizations, which range from yelps and keening cries to guttural moans and soft, gentle whispers.
In their performance, both artists create a sense of spiritual ecstasy, drawing on the same emotional reservoirs that have made Messiaen's "Chants de Terre et de Ciel" – another work featuring Hannigan – such a compelling listening experience. The French composer's own blend of the eternal feminine and stern masculine is mirrored in Chamayou's piano, which speaks with the soft vowels characteristic of the language.
As the duo takes the audience on a journey through Zorn's cycle, they exhibit an uncanny ability to reinvent themselves both vocally and physically, conjuring different personas for each song. From playful innocence in "Danse du Bébé-Pilule" to infinitely tender love songs like "Bail avec Mi," Hannigan's voice is at once expressive and vulnerable.
The silence that follows the pealing finale of "Résurrection" speaks volumes about the emotional depth of this performance, which feels more akin to a deeply personal confession than a conventional concert experience. In this sense, Hannigan and Chamayou have created something truly special – an experiential musical odyssey that defies categorization and invites listeners on a journey into the very heart of sound itself.
They're pushin' boundaries like crazy with "Jumalattaret", incorporatin' all these different styles and makin' it feel fresh again. I mean, Finnish mythology meets rock grooves? It's wild, but in the best way possible 
. The way they move through each song is insane - Hannigan just melts into this other persona or energy, and Chamayou's piano work is like butter for her voice 
. They're gettin' into some real emotional territory here, too, like that final bit of "Résurrection"... it's like you're bein' let in on a secret or somethin'. This performance is more than just music - it's an experience, man 
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i mean, i was literally transported to a different world 
and it felt like they were speaking straight 2 my soul 
their vocal scatting/rock vibes/piano work r all like, wow what r u doing!!! 
and that silence at the end? pure poetry 
it's like they took me on this deep introspective journey & i'm still reeling from the experience 
The way she can switch between so many different vocal styles and personas is just mind-blowing. And that piano work from Chamayou is like the perfect complement to her voice 
. Bertrand Chamayou's piano work is the perfect complement to her vocals, adding this percussive element that just elevates the whole thing 
. And can we talk about how spiritual and ecstatic this performance feels? It's like you're being transported to another world, or in this case, a world inspired by Finnish mythology 
! The silence at the end is so impactful, it makes me feel all these emotions that I don't even know how to process 
. Anyways, I'm definitely going to go listen to more of John Zorn's music now 
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Don't get me wrong, Hannigan and Chamayou are both super talented and all that jazz 
this whole spiritual ecstasy vibe is a bit too much for my taste... give me some good old-fashioned melodies any day 
she has so much range and emotion, it's like she's channeling these different personas for each song! I felt like I was on this musical journey with them, it was like a deeply personal confession 
... I'm still reeling from the performance, I need to listen to it again ASAP! 
. You can feel the emotions pouring out of every note, and the silence at the end just... wow. It's like they're sharing a secret with you, or something. 
. I love how Hannigan just transforms into this different persona with every song, it's like she's tap dancing on her own voice 
... anyway, I think they've created something really special here, it's not just a concert, it's an experience, you know? 
it's not really my vibe. but hey to each their own right? i just don't see what the fuss is about tbh 
the way she morphs from one persona to another is insane, and the spiritual ecstasy vibe at the end? 
i'm getting chills just thinking about it... and what's up with zorn's score combining finnish mythology and modern classical music? genius 
. They're combining Finnish mythology with modern classical music and it's like, whoa 
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. It's like they're having a conversation with the music instead of just playing it 
. And that final bit, where it's just silence... man, that spoke volumes to me 
. It feels like this performance is saying "hey, I'm not just about entertainment, I'm about connecting with you on a deeper level" 
. On YouTube, their video views have surpassed 3.5K! 
Hannigan has an insane vocal range, btw... her voice can go from 0-140 Hz in just one song! 
What do u think of this innovative sound? Should classical music be more experimental like this? 
. This performance feels so intimate and emotional, like a deeply personal confession 
and bertrand chamayou's piano work is like butter for her voice it's like they were made to create this unique sound together. i loved how they changed their personas in every song, it was like watching an opera performance but instead of being stuffy, it felt so raw & emotional