A new kind of liturgy is about to begin… a Land Mass. This is a spontaneous, vocal-visual liturgy for the land, sung by a unique choir, The Improvisers’ Choir, conducted by composer Jenni Roditi, who is creating her conducting directions as the improvised music is sung.
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Directed by Jenni Roditi, Sara Pozin
Review by Julie Sheppard:
Land Mass, this fabulous, liturgically-styled piece from the UK was structured into 12 unique sections. These sections were brought to life by three major elements: gorgeous visuals, moving poetry, and a cacophony of sounds by The Improvisers’ Choir.
The first element of visual imagery was adeptly presented by superimposing and blurring items and playing with intense light and shadow. There was also captivating footage of wildlife — from the humblest of insects, to majestic birds, to humans in action.
The second prominent element was the stirring poem, which asked sage questions and offered a host of rhymes and observations about humanity and nature, oftentimes repeating phrases for emphasis.
The final element which gave the piece both a sense of reverence and of play was the vocal work of the choir, which shifted from hauntingly lyrical to frightening and discordant, always in direct line with the visuals. The fact that we got to see the singers performing near the end made the work all the more dynamic and immediate.
While the 12 sections were quite distinct, the overall film had strong cohesion, demonstrating consistency in the artists’ energy and their passionate commitment to the project.
Festival Reviews 