Nether (2019)
(for soprano and 19 players)

Nether
/nɛð.ə/ ME, nither, nethere, nithere. OE nithera, down, niþerian. Germ. niþer, niþra. Norse neðri, neðarri. Sanskrit iन .

Nether, netherness, netherty, netherworld, nethermore, nethermost, netherdom, netherward.

adv.: low down and beneath.

adv.: 1. subsurface, subterranean. Lying or dwelling beneath the surface of the earth, nether regions; chthonian, chthonic, infernal, of a being of the underworld; below, beneath, downwards.
2. in an inferior position.
3. beneath a thing - nether garments.

n. dialect: oppress, stress; a withering or stunting influence.

v. dialect: to suppress - constrict, straiten and confine, keep under, press in upon and oppress; to depreciate or disparage; to thrust down, abase and humble;

M24 - Nether was originally module 24 of 28 modules which make up Yes (2017), a 82 minute large-scale spatialised performance work, which explores parts of Molly Bloom´s monologue, the final chapter of James Joyces Ulysses. This final separate version, Nether, is significantly expanded and re-worked, and extended by 5 minutes.

Nether was written for Juliet Fraser and Musikfabrik for the NOW! festival at the Essen Philharmonie. and with my grateful thanks for the inexhaustive exploratory work with the musicians of Musikfabrik, and the sopranos Juliet Fraser, Donatienne Michel-Dansac and Sarah Sun.