Favorites: Anna Clyne

Stravinsky wrote this piece for the ballet more than 100 years ago and yet the ink still feels fresh, the notes just jump off the page. I can’t think of another orchestral work that has stood the test of time as well, it’s so alive.  

I’ve always loved collaborating with choreographers, so I’m very drawn to music that really connects with the physicality of the human body, which lies at the heart of this piece. Stravinsky uses folk melodies throughout, which I love, and the way he contrasts delicate and stripped-down passages with bombastic moments that harness the full power of the orchestra is a real masterclass in orchestration.  

I’ve never had the luxury of working with such a large orchestra, but I love the way Stravinsky thinks about sound, the way he layers it. It’s like he’s painting with it. He really understood the sonority of all the different instruments and where he could give them real “bit”, as with the French horns, for example.  

“I love the way Stravinsky thinks about sound, the way he layers it. It’s like he’s painting with it.“

I have a lovely picture of Stravinsky composing at the piano. He was sensitive to its resonance, and that really comes through in his orchestration. I also have one of John Cage holding a massive conch shell with a microphone. So, two composers I love that are very different, but who were acutely sensitive and aware of sound. 

Stravinsky’s score for the Rite is something I go back to with every project – in fact, I have a copy sitting behind me right now. It’s a handwritten score, which is beautiful, it’s like a work of art, it’s so meticulous. When you’re composing, you want to make the parts as clear as possible for the musicians and conductor. You only have a limited amount of rehearsal time so if something’s not clear, it takes time away from getting the music played and well-rehearsed – good penmanship is essential.