Slagwerk Den Haag & Claron McFadden by Various, No (2023/2023), Musis & Stadstheater Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands

A striking Dutch composer Rob Zuidam can call himself one of the most striking Dutch composers of recent decades. He made a name for himself with operas such as Freeze and Suster Bertken and many orchestral and chamber music works for leading ensembles and orchestras. With his new work The Pit and the Pendulum he gives a sound to the horror story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe. It promises to become a penetrating meditation on the mortal. Some relaxation comes from the selection of songs from The American Songbook arranged in a special way by George Crumb. With his sometimes unearthly instrumentations, he gives classics such as Swing low, sweet chariot and Go down, Mosesa new load. Percussion that sings Slagwerk Den Haag, the client of Rob Zuidam's new work, has been the rhythmic heartbeat of Dutch music for almost fifty years. In addition, the ensemble creates a great deal of new repertoire each year with commissions from internationally renowned composers. And in the meantime, the company regularly proves that percussion can also sing. This time they do it together with Claron McFadden. The American soprano, who has been living and working in the Netherlands for years, sings pop just as easily as classically and knows how to completely captivate you with her powerful and lyrical voice.