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When Michael Berkeley asked Neil Tennant for his thoughts on the direction of their recent song for Ukraine, InchZero Hour,Inch Tennant casually suggested, InchPut it on the next Michael Berkeley album of CollaborationsInch. This offhand remark sparked an idea for Berkeley, reminding him of several pieces written over the years born out of collaborations with favourite musicians. The resulting new album, a compilation celebrating the extraordinary legacy of Michael Berkeley, showcases the composer's evolution from tonal choral writing to a more spare, linear language, exemplified by InchThe Magnolia TreeInch and the keyboard pieces InchHaiku 1 BirdsInch and InchHaiku 2 Insects,Inch dedicated to Clare Hammond and Mahan Esfahani, respectively.Amidst these sketch-like pieces is a poignant lament for solo violin, InchNotes on the Loss of a Friend,Inch an immediate and impulsive response to learning of Nicholas Snowman's sudden passing, a dear friend of Berkeley's and a great advocate of contemporary music. Berkeley's song cycle, InchSpeaking Silence,Inch initially written for baritone David Wilson-Johnson, found new life with mezzo Alice Coote, championed by collaborator Julius Drake. The immediacy of live performances including InchThe Magnolia Tree,Inch sit alongside further collaborations with esteemed artists and ensembles including the BBC Singers and conductor Owain Park. InchZero HourInch harkens back to Berkeley's earlier days as a pop musician, with this new track bringing together an illustrious lineup featuring Neil Tennant's vocals, David Gilmour's guitar solo, and production by Hugh Padgham (Sting and The Police) and Paul Wix Wickens (musical director of Paul McCartney's touring band).
