Music For The End Of The World, Part 4: "Symphony No. 3, Op. 36: I. Lento - Sostenuto Tranquillo Ma Cantabile" by Górecki sung by Dawn Upshaw with the London Sinfonietta

Making a soundtrack for the end of the world...

https://londonsinfonietta.org.uk/

"Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev" by Aphex Twin

There is an interesting story to this Aphex Twin (the nom de musique of electronic musician Richard James) track, "Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev" which was recently released on the Aphex Twin retrospective album "Selected Ambient Works Vol. II (Expanded Edition)." It was originally performed live at the Barbican in London in 2012 as part of an experiment James called The Remote Orchestra: a 48-piece orchestra and a 24 person choir all wearing wireless headphones took sound and visual cues (colored bars displayed on a large monitor overhead) to sing or play certain notes and in certain styles or volumes from James working on a laptop computer backstage. In effect, he turned the orchestra and choir into a sort of electronic instrument he could play by clicking on his software.

The track has been reworked and is presented here in reverse, which recalls something Brian Eno might have done. The idea that ambient music is holistic, meaning one can take any small section and have it represent the whole, is apparent here. It does not matter if the track is heard as it was recorded or played backward. The cumulative sense is the same.

But what is truly touching are the liner notes from "Selected Ambient Works II (Expanded Edition)" about this track:

Rhubarb notes:
My mum gave me so much love, dedicated her life to me, filled me to the brim with confidence and somehow managed to be a nurse at the same time. That love she gave can now be felt by millions of people all over the world and beyond through this music.
Thanks for everything Lorna James!
I watched both my mum and dad die in front of me recently, was so very grateful to have been able to be with them then, as scary as it was to see. She was cracking jokes hours before she left, even though she was in a lot of pain, she told the awkward doctor on the last day, 'I should be shot, put down', she was very funny. I opened the lovely french doors to the room she was in on the last morning, it was sunny and she said, 'ah that beautiful Champagne air', will remember that til I die.
I still meet them in my dreams regularly and have relaxing normal chats about nothing in particular, I'm going to see if all three of us can listen to this track next time we meet up.
Richard D. James, June 2024

Considering I am between the anniversaries of my own parents' deaths, I am very moved by the story, his notes, and certainly the heavenly music.

https://aphextwin.warp.net/

"Throw Me A Line" live in concert by HAEVN

Wow, this is a lovely performance of a gentle, swooning, swelling song, "Throw Me A Line" by the group HAEVN (the duo of singer-songwriter Marijn van der Meer and film soundtrack composer Jorrit Kleijnen) with the enhancement of an orchestra...that gorgeous arrangement played by the string section is near to heaven...

Is there a place where we can go and talk this out
Got a feeling that I can’t escape
I’m falling in doubt

Is there a way for you to leave this daunting force
Got all shattered by your push and pull
Leaving me lost

oeh, Say the words
I’m right here
oeh, Just say the words

oeh, Throw me a line
you hear me?
oeh, Throw me a line

Remember when you told me how our lives would change
You’d be leaving all your fears behind
I’ve been holding a space for us

oeh, Say the words
I’m right here
oeh, Just say the words

oeh, Throw me a line
you hear me?
oeh, Throw me a line

Are you out there
I’ve been waiting for so long
Are you out there

Are you ready to break out now
Are you ready to break out now
Are you ready to break out now
Are you ready to break out now

Are you ready to break out now
Are you ready to break out now
Are you ready to break out now

Cause I’m ready for you

https://www.haevnmusic.com/