Rarely heard works by renowned music composer and lead guitarist for Radiohead, Jonny Greenwood, were performed live for NPR employees by new music group Ensemble Signal during NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. Watch it below.
The group performed Greenwood’s “Three Miniatures from Water”- a piece played on piano, violin, bass, and the tanpura, an instrument used in classical Indian music – along with his 2015 solo piano piece “88 (no.1).”
According to Greenwood, both pieces are heavily inspired by 20th-century French avant-garde composer Olivier Messiaen.
“88 (no.1)” has the unique requirement of having the pianist put on fingerless gloves halfway through the piece in order to protect their hands during a segment in which they must hammer on the keys quite forcefully.
“But don’t let that fool you into thinking the music is dark or angry: It is – or is meant to be – joyful,” said Greenwood.
Greenwood’s soundtrack for the film There Will Be Blood was reissued on vinyl earlier this year with two additional segments. His scores for Phantom Thread and You Were Never Really Here were both released this year as well.
