Amanda Lee Falkenberg: The Moons Symphony

Might 's be a classical crossover counterpart to ? Listeners can decide for themselves; album buyers have voted in the affirmative, placing this release on the classical best-seller charts in the autumn of 2022. It certainly does not lack ambition. became fascinated by the science and the lore surrounding the moons of our solar system, including the Earth's own, wrote texts about them, set those for chorus and orchestra, penned a prose reflection on the whole thing, recruited actual NASA astronaut to read those at the end, and, to boot, added a creditable reading of with herself on the piano. has a background in film music, and that is quite evident in the big settings here. One might expect a reflective or romantic tone when it comes to moons, but this is music designed to grab the listener's attention. It also happens to be right up the alley of conductor , leading the and the ; she builds a solid structure and keeps it moving along effectively. This recording occupies an interesting British space that resides firmly in the crossover sphere but does not foreclose artistic reach. ~ James Manheim