Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner (The National) and Nico Muhly compose ode to Solar System

Apr 09, 2012

Bryce Dessner, Nico Mulhy, solar system, Sufjan Stevens, The National

Along with great beer and fantasies of a weed paradise, we can now thank the Dutch for giving us another fantastic export in the form of a new song cycle from Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner of the National and composer Nico Muhly. You can watch four songs from a performance below.

Performed at the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, the compositions were written for seven trombones and a string quartet, and inspired by our Solar System, because Sufjan will not be restrained by piddly American states. Like the planets themselves, the compositions are all delicate, dynamic, and uniquely beautiful, with the backing brass and string sections lending a cinematic edge to Sufjan’s lyrics. If NASA have any brains they’ll start transmitting these songs into space ASAP, because how could any alien conquerors destroy a species that’s written such moving odes to their home planets?

Watch the surprisingly decent quality clips below, via TwentyFourBit:

“Mercury”