Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halvorson
Bone Bells
Pyroclastic Records
pyroclasticrecords.com
Personnel:
Sylvie Courvoisier (piano), Mary Halvorson (guitar).
Recorded in Mount Vernon, May 7, 2024.
This captivating new release from the Courvoisier-Halvorson duo features four compositions by each artist, though the impression throughout is that the pianist takes a somewhat more prominent role in shaping the overall musical direction. The album unfolds as a subtle and intricate dialogue, marked by careful mutual listening and a keen sense of structural coherence across the various pieces.
Among the highlights are three of Courvoisier’s contributions: the lushly evocative Esmeralda; Nags Head Valse, a waltz that oscillates between fluidity and solemnity; and Silly Walk, whose palpable density and textural richness stand out. On Halvorson’s side, Folden Secret emerges as particularly striking—a largely rhythmic, almost pointillistic piece that showcases her distinct compositional voice.
Halvorson’s writing tends to emphasize rhythmic complexity, while Courvoisier offers broader, more varied landscapes. This contrast mirrors their broader discographies and lends the album a dynamic range, balancing moments of vibrant inspiration and refined elegance with excursions into more experimental territory—though occasionally veering toward ideas that feel somewhat familiar within their respective bodies of work.
Nevertheless, Bone Bells stands as a balanced, cohesive, and skillfully executed collaboration—one that confirms both artists’ ability to navigate the space between compositional precision and exploratory freedom.
Alberto Bazzurro
