Kancheli: Exil

Georgian composer Giya Kancheli has had a long-standing output on ECM’s New Series imprint, but all of it bows in the shadow of Exil. Scored for soprano and mixed chamber ensemble, this pentagonal work sets sacred and secular poetry to music. Soprano Maacha Deubner is a wonder, distant yet of the heart. Alto and bass flutes (played by Natalia Pschenitschnikova) are divine messengers, setting and commenting on scenes in equal measure. The integration of words, melodies, and sound colors speaks with a timeless authority, resulting in what may just be one of the most essential recordings of any genre.