Julia Bullock’s ‘From Ordinary Things’ – A Deep Dive
- Singers galore are monthly recording songs from the rich 19th century classical repertory, while composers are busy making new ones.
- The smart shopper will already note signs of staleness and mold in the old practice of a singer in stiff white tie and tails or gaudy gown,standing,arm propped...
- A new generation of singers, though, has been strikingly upending the song recital, turning to songs from a wide variety of sources old, new and genre fluid.
The art of the so-called art song is a thriving business. Singers galore are monthly recording songs from the rich 19th century classical repertory, while composers are busy making new ones. But what was once known as the Lieder recital - the German title for songs in a genre once dominated by Schubert, Schumann, Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss – has approached its sell-by date.
The smart shopper will already note signs of staleness and mold in the old practice of a singer in stiff white tie and tails or gaudy gown,standing,arm propped on piano,of the second banana accompanist. Attention here was meant to be drawn not to the singer but the marvels of song, as you followed the text in your program book. The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.
A new generation of singers, though, has been strikingly upending the song recital, turning to songs from a wide variety of sources old, new and genre fluid. Singers think thematically and theatrically. Pianists become welcoming creative partners. Other musicians, stage directors, choreographers and dancers may be invited in.
“From Ordinary Things,” which had its premiere as part of CAP UCLA’s series at the Nimoy Theater on Thursday night, is the latest project of one of the least ordinary and most compelling singers of this new generation, Julia Bullock. A rivetingly theatrical soprano,Bullock,in collaboration with percussionist/composer Tyshawn Sorey and director Peter Sellars,has developed a full-scale operatic evening,”Perle Noir: Meditations for Joséphine,” about the chanteuse Josephine baker and slated next for Australia’s Adelaide Festival in March. Another project has been Bullock’s riveting staging, with dance, of Olivier Messiaen’s mystical, Amazonian, sex-love-death song cycle, “Harawi,” which came to the Wallis in October 2024.
Conor Hanick, a partner of bullock’s in the experimental collective American Modern Opera Company (AMOC), was the pianist for “Harawi” and is again for “From Ordinary Things.” They are further joined by the equally versatile cellist, Seth Parker woods. The title comes from the last line of “Shelter,” a song by André Previn with a text by Toni Morrison. “In this soft place/Under your wings/I will find shelter/From ordinary things.”
That leaves us Bullock with extraordinary things, and her program is surprising in all things. she begins in shock, singing unaccompanied, on a dark stage in a darkened hall, performers illuminated by powerful spotlights.
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Cellist Seth Parker Woods and pianist Conor Hanick gave a compelling performance of George Walker’s Sonata for Cello and Piano at a recital Sunday at Zipper Hall. The program, a tribute to Black composers, was thoughtfully curated, but it was Walker’s sonata that proved the most revelatory. It wasn’t the most flashy piece on the program, but it was a welcome addition for another reason other then it gives the spotlight to the instrumentalists and it is indeed a score that begs to be heard.
Parker has been a glowing advocate of the early work, written in 1957, by the late composer whose music is only in the past few years beginning to find its way to the public thanks to the efforts of reviving neglected Black composers. The sonata does not have the vibrant complexity of Walker’s commanding later works, but it is indeed tight, strong, accessible and with an inspired slow movement that it would be hard to get enough of.
Table of Contents
This review, originally published by the Los Angeles Times, covers Julia Bullock’s recital at the UCLA Nimoy Theater on December 7, 2023, featuring collaborations with cellist Seth Parker Woods and pianist Conor Hanick.
Performance Overview
The recital was described as having a notably unconventional structure, with a first half that presented challenges for the audience due to the presentation of song texts via cellphone screens and the use of amplification. The second half of the program was received more favorably.
Robert Owens and Early romanticism
The program included songs by Robert Owens (1923-2017), an American composer who lived and worked in Munich, Germany. Owens composed in a style reminiscent of Richard Strauss, setting texts by 19th-century poet Joseph von Eichendorff. The review characterizes Owens as a “curiosity” rather than a major rediscovery. As of January 20, 2026, Owens remains a relatively obscure figure in musical history, with limited recordings and scholarly attention.
Avant-Garde and 20th/21st Century Works
The recital ventured into avant-garde territory with “Ultimate Rose” from Salvatore Sciarrino’s 1981 opera, Vanitas. The review highlights Sciarrino’s ability to deconstruct early music and vocal/cello techniques. Sciarrino (born 1947) continues to be a notable figure in contemporary classical music, and Vanitas remains a notable work in his oeuvre.
The program also included “Four Women” by Nina Simone, a powerful and stark song addressing the experiences of Black women.Simone (1933-2003) remains a highly influential artist, and “Four Women” continues to be a frequently performed and analyzed piece.
André Previn and song Arrangements
A significant portion of the second half featured the work of andré Previn (1929-2019). Bullock performed “Shelter,” a song Previn wrote with his former wife, Dory Previn, as well as Previn’s arrangements of standards including “Love Walked In” (Gershwins) and “Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me” (Rogers and Hart). Previn’s arrangements,originally created for Leontyne Price,were praised in the review. Previn died in February 2019, and his legacy as a composer, pianist, and conductor continues to be celebrated.
Concluding Remarks
The review emphasizes the individual and often enigmatic nature of each song selection, and the unique dynamic created by the interplay between Bullock, Woods, and Hanick.The reviewer notes that the recital prompts reflection on the meaning of each piece and the inherent depth within seemingly ordinary things.
Source: Los Angeles Times (original article date December 8, 2023).
Reviewer: (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)
Latest Verified Status: As of January 20, 2026, the details presented in the review remains consistent with available biographical and musical information regarding the artists and composers mentioned. No significant new developments have emerged regarding the recital itself.