Sound World, a project set up last year to support self-employed music artists through the coronavirus pandemic, has released its first single ‘The Grace of Silence’, with all revenue going to the musicians. The Bristol-based charity launched the scheme to offer paid work to freelance musicians in lieu of government handouts, after working opportunities were gravely reduced as a result of pandemic restrictions.
Sound World director Julian Leeks said: “It was clear in early March last year that things were going to be extremely tough for freelancers whose diaries were emptied overnight.
“So we got in touch with a number of composers to ask if they would write some short pieces for us and we set up a Crowdfunding campaign so that we could pay the musicians to record them, in their homes, during lockdown. The responses from the composers and the public were incredibly generous. We raised enough money to record a complete album.”
The Grace of Silence: here is @DameEvelyn talking about her new piece. Specially written for Sound World, it will be raising money to support freelance musicians. Performed by @harriet_riley & @Paul990 of @bristolensemble.
Available from download/streaming sites from Friday pic.twitter.com/RoAqNMFvtM— Sound World (@SoundWorld_UK) February 10, 2021
Sound World requested free contributions from 12 world-renowned composers. ‘The Grace of Silence’ was composed by Dame Evelyn Glennie, who drew inspiration from her own attitude and experience with lockdown restrictions; the original piece was performed by Harriet Riley and Paul Israel of the Bristol Ensemble. “‘The Grace of Silence’ was really very much to do with the circumstances we all found ourselves in,” Dame Glennie commented. “We had to really truly listen to ourselves – so many of us were in isolation, it was such a completely different landscape and it just happened all of a sudden.
“It’s (the song) trying to differentiate what silence is and what peacefulness is; some people have felt that there is such a thing as silence, and it’s very lonely. For other people, it’s a case of being peaceful, but there’s still sound around them. The piece represents this monotonous clock – it’s so simple, but that’s what we found in our lives: the simplicity of listening to our home environment was suddenly really magnified.”
‘The Grace of Silence’ was composed and recorded during a period of social restriction in the UK, with both musicians recording their respective parts at home. The recordings were later compiled and arranged by sound engineer Andy Keenan.
“Andy has done an amazing job. You’d never know these weren’t conventional studio recordings,” said Leeks. “All of the songs written and recorded during lockdown will feature on an album called Reflections due for release in the late spring or early summer.
“So as well as featuring some great sounds, the album tells a fascinating story of music during the lockdown and shows what can be achieved in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances.”
