The “Drone Mass” was described by its composer, the late Jóhann Jóhannsson, as “a contemporary oratorio”. Written for voices, string quartet and electronics, it was commissioned and premiered by the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, aka ACME, who toured and recorded with Jóhannsson for almost ten years.
“Drone Mass” is an extraordinary, mysterious accomplishment which at times bears comparison with the meditative minimalism of composers such as Arvo Pärt or Henryk Górecki. Beginning with strings and voices, but slowly integrating Jóhannsson’s electronic techniques into its landscape, the work represents what the Icelandic composer called “a distillation of a lot of influences and obsessions”.
In 2019, ACME and the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Theatre of Voices and Paul Hillier recorded “Drone Mass” for Deutsche Grammophon. The album was released on March 18, 2022.
JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON
Drone Mass
ACME
-Ben Russell, violin
-Laura Lutzke, violin
-Isabel Hagen, viola
-Clarice Jensen, cello & artistic director
Theatre of Voices
-Else Torp
-Kate Browton
-Signe Asmussen
-Iris Oja
-Paul Bentley-Angell
-Jakob Skjoldborg
-William Gaunt
-Jakob Bloch Jespersen
Adam Wiltzie, live electronics
David Sheppard, sound design
Paul Hillier, artistic director & conductor