Stories

14th March 2019

In a small dressing room in a theatre in Arques, France, we’re waiting to perform Biped with CNDC. Gavin Bryars passes the time by playing to us parts of the recording of his Requiem. It is stunning. This is the piece he showed to us as a sketch on the train journey from Paris to Le Mans. It seemed so simple in the sketch. He made it sound so easy to complete the full work from the A4 page of notes on his orchestration. Now we’re listening to the complete work, full orchestra, choir, soloists. This is what he was doing while we were playing in Le Mans and Angers.