First Drop

Under the direction of Paul Hillier from 2003 to 2023, Denmark’s Ars Nova Copenhagen built an unshakable reputation as one of the world’s most versatile and inventive vocal ensembles. First Drop is a testament to that spirit: a wide-ranging and ambitious project interpreting the choral works of some of the giants of contemporary classical music, including Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Louis Andriessen, Michael Gordon, David Lang and more.

“Almost all the works on this CD are first recordings,” Hillier explains, referring to one source of inspiration behind the title. “Ideally we wanted the idea of First Drop to remain ambiguous, but the diligent listener will sooner or later notice that it originates with Ralph Waldo Emerson.”

Recorded over nearly ten years, in different locations and with varying configurations of singers, the performances documented here still come across as parts of a seamless whole. From the haunting strains of Michael Gordon’s He Saw A Skull (composed specifically for the 12 voices of Ars Nova) to Hillier’s vocal arrangement of Steve Reich’s classic Clapping Music, First Drop channels a vernal energy unparalleled in new vocal music.