Episode 13: Night of Hunters || There Has Been a Shattering

Messing with the Master: Tori Amos

“I think the thing that just astounds me about Tori is that she can take a bit of something like a melody or harmonic sequence for some of these pieces that were the inspiration and create something truly her own, showing how truly powerful her own creative stamp is. I think of Night of Hunters as a 70-minute song with 30 pieces of music held together by 13 sets of interlocking lyrics. Now that’s composing!

Tori was able to keep the narrative in my head at all times, very articulated and intricate. T would make sure I totally got it, explaining every facet and background info in just amazing detail. The story became flesh and blood, for me as it was for Tori.

I have to confess that it was bliss working with T on Night of Hunters. We talked for at least one hundred hours about this record. The amount emotions and deliberations and ponderings and weighing was incredible. [This is] the most complex project I think I personally have worked on, from musical/dramatic perspective for sure, but what was evenheavier was the emotional investment — the dreams, the considerations of narrative. Every few bars mood changes slightly, very little is repeated.

As far as style, and that would include harmonic choices and variations, melodies and variation, Tori has used this language since we first worked together. What has changed is her intensity, the refinement of this language, centering on the narrative. This , I think, is the driving force behind all of Tori”s music, and on this record for Deutsche Grammophon, she can use all of of her creativity, unbounded and without the restraint of ‘pop’ convention to make a extended multidimensional narrative, dramatic and compelling,and this includes her vocal and piano performances.”

John Philip Shenale - Night of Hunters Composer, Arranger and Collaborator to Matt Mazur, 2011.

Playlists:

• Joey
• Matty
• Kristen