Almost three years in to the making of this project, it quickly turned in a labour of love, lost love and tragedy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRfiz9IvEBc
When asked to write a new version of the story of Scheherazade for the Post Romantic Empire project of Italian, Giulio Di Mauro, Roger was first introduced to the cellist Julia Kent. They collaborated on the suite written in three movements by Roger for piano and four cellos and decided to explore this liaison further. After a solo performance by Julia in Spring 2011 the two met and in one of those moments of open thought and excitement decided to add two other stories to Scheherazade and complete an album together.
Roger suggested ‘Tristan and Isolde’ and Julia, ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’. The original idea was that they would write one story each but due to Julia’s extensive touring schedule Roger took over the composition. Each story was written in three movements in the same way Scheherazade was approached, and because each story had three crucial plot points, this made the process quite simple.
Each piece is written for piano and two to four cellos, all of which are played by Julia. Roger wrote the entire suite for Julia and at one stage contemplated recording with other cellists due to scheduling conflicts. This idea was quickly abandoned due to no other reason than that it simply wasn’t meant to be.
Writing in his studio in England’s rural Devon, Roger sent the piano files and scores to New York where Julia recorded the parts in her home studio. Two totally contrasting environments but with a common understanding of emotion and drama; dialogue was never required, misunderstandings never an issue. The male piano and the female cello came together in perfect harmony.
Once the recordings were finished, Roger called upon his good friend Paul Corkett to mix the songs and then mastered them in London with Guy Davie. The tracks have been cut to heavyweight vinyl and are presented in gatefold format with art work by constant collaborator Anna Dorfman. The inside cover photograph was taken by Australian photographer Romain Duquesne and realised by the artist Jodee Knowles.
