Bryce Dessner tells us about the music that inspired his new solo album 'Impermanence/Disintegration'
The National’s Bryce Dessner is always staying busy. He recently worked on new albums by Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens, and more, and he also just put out his own modern classical album, Impermanence/Disintegration, on 37d03d, the label he runs with his brother Aaron and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon (order yours).
To celebrate the release, Bryce made us a list of 14 pieces of music that inspired his new album. “This is all music I’ve been listening to this last year as I composed Impermanence/Disintegration,” he tells us. “Some of these tracks are instrumental sounds and textures that I’m always drawn back to and others are songs that feel timeless. It’s music from different countries and different eras but it all feels related to me.”
Stream Bryce’s album, watch the accompanying short film (by Pedro Grieg), and read on for his list…
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MUSIC THAT INSPIRED BRYCE DESSNER’S IMPERMANENCE/DISINTEGRATION
“Les Marquises” – Jacques Brel
Symphony No. 3 – Movement 4 – Mahler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0uAyeKgruA
“Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” – Ryuichi Sakamoto
“Song to the Siren” – This Mortal Coil
Summer Variation – Meredith Monk
“This was Written by Hand” – David Lang
Metaboles – Henri Dutilleux
Harmonielehre – John Adams
“Stay On It” – Julius Eastman
48 Responses to Polymorphia – Jonny Greenwood
Musique Fenebre – Witold Lutoslawski
Ascension – Sufjan Stevens
“De Cara a la Pared” – Lhasa de Sela
“Avec le Temps” – Leo Ferre