Brett Dean describes the five pieces featured on this recording as the culmination of a deep and ongoing engagement with Shakespeare's *Hamlet*. In his introductory text, Dean explains that the goal of this program is to create "a sonic exploration of the spaces, atmospheres, and archetypes of emotion and character that shape and define the unfolding tragedy of *Hamlet*."
Each piece on this recording originates, in its own unique way, from Dean's opera *Hamlet*, which premiered in 2017. "And once I played Ophelia," for soprano and strings, centers on the often misunderstood character of Ophelia. "Rooms of Elsinore," for viola and piano, featuring the composer himself on viola, evokes the sensation of a drone gliding through the castle of Helsingør, the play’s fictional setting, moving from room to room. "Gertrude Fragments," for mezzo-soprano and guitar, pays homage to the art of lute songs from Shakespeare's time and delves into the complex character of Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. "Confessio," for solo bass clarinet, explores the emotional depths of Hamlet’s remorseful uncle Claudius through the instrument's rich possibilities. Finally, "The Players," a concerto for accordion and small orchestra, revisits the players' scenes from the first act of Dean's opera.
This recording offers a captivating musical journey through one of literature's most iconic masterpieces.
