A new work for violin, horn, and piano is the most recent addition to Tansy Davies’ chamber ensemble catalogue. Entitled Grand Mutation, the 13-minute work takes its name from the significant astrological event which took place on 21 December 2020: the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Air signs for the first time in 200 years.
As a horn player, Davies is very familiar with the musical embodiment of ‘Air’ and gives the instrument intriguing, elongated gestures which emerge and submerge into the continuous semiquaver murmurs of the violin and piano. Grand Mutation is to be recorded this month for broadcast on 28 January by Ensemble Court-circuit as part of soundFestival, both of whom commissioned the work with support from Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Fondation Francis et Mica Salabert, and Diaphonique. Following this, the recording will additionally be broadcast by BBC Radio 3, and Radio France. The Court-circuit performers are Alexandra Griffin-Klein (violin), Antoine Dreyfus (horn), Jean-Marie Cottet (piano).