Fable

Jacinta Dennett characterises the remarkable variety of soundscapes she accesses in her new disc of music by female Australian composers as ‘swimming with sound’. She’s got that right; Fable is brimming in variety with shades all the way from shadowy to brilliant and everything in between, and is a distinctive and valuable addition to the recording library. This is a superb collection of seldom-heard works that deserve a platform by a virtuosic performer taking the time and dedication to bring all the possibilities of their sounds to our ears—and the ideal musician to take on that challenge is Jacinta Dennett. ★★★★★★★★★

Fable features harpist Jacinta Dennett performing a collection of works by Australian women – mostly living, save for Miriam Hyde and Peggy Glanville-Hicks. (The album) is an athletically virtuosic and sublimely colourful display of artistry from Dennett. The disc also serves as a compelling anthology of Australian works composed over the last 70 years for solo harp. Helen Gifford’s Fable (1967) is a captivating work in which rhapsodic gestures cover the full range of the instrument. Dennett imbues the harp with impressive coloristic dimensions across its different registers, from a gnarly bass timbre to an ethereal, floating high twinkle. Harmonically this work slides between states of harmonious ambiguity, lending the ‘storytelling’ aspect that the title promises. Like a bolt of lightning, Elena Kats-Chernin’s Chamber of Horrors (1995) thunders into being with a dramatic opening statement. This is perhaps the most programmatically inclined work on the album, providing musical provocations for the listener to imagine their own fantastical creepy wonderland. My personal favourite work of the album followed, Johanna Selleck’s Spindrift (2008). Organised in seven through-composed sections, the work is captivating and joyous. Fable is an excellent album of Australian solo harp music, featuring masterful artistry from Jacinta Dennett. Highly recommended as an inviting, colourful, and enriching listening experiences for all listeners.