Discover Max Richter's Soothing 8-Hour Lullaby, A Remedy to Modern Stress
“Max Richter’s Sleep” is now available online and showing in UK cinemas at the link below the article.
With their latest release, Dogwoof and director Natalie Johns introduce genius composer Max Richter and re-acquaint us with a much-needed good night’s sleep. The result is an exquisitely soothing film to be enjoyed cuddled up on the sofa after dark.
Richter’s landmark 8-hour composition, “Sleep”, is a modern lullaby blending classical and electronic influences, designed to be listened to as you drift in and out of sleep. Unique locations such as Antwerp’s Cathedral of Our Lady or even the Sydney Opera House have added to its mystique in hosting surreal all-night performances packed with hundreds of cosy cots, downy duvets and fluffy pillows. The result has been an international phenomenon, with audiences describing it as a cleaning of the soul, a means of renewing a connection with the world or even as being close to death.
The film is loosely set during an open air performance in LA’s Grand Park. Ticket-holders gradually make their way to the 560 beds laid before the stage, traffic thins in the surrounding streets and late-night buses quietly glide in and out of shot. As the concert begins and its calming harmonies wash over the audience, the camera slowly pans to reveal people tucked up in bed, others listening intently and couples embracing. There’s a desire to recreate the concert’s ephemeral atmosphere for the big screen and with patience, a clever use of the soundtrack and some very smooth editing throughout, Johns truly succeeds in doing so. Subtly, tangents on Richter himself as well as members of the audience develop without disrupting “Sleep’s” expansive, soothing mood. Like its subject, the film is an experience in itself, one that is deeply and pleasantly calming.
The novel idea of composing a piece for sleeping listeners came to Richter’s partner Yulia Mahr who would often tune in late at night to his concerts in faraway timezones. She describes mentioning it to Richter only to discover that he’d been toying with the idea for several years. Their close, loving relationship is a heartwarming pillar of the film as we discover that their path to success hasn’t been easy. Like many in the audience, they too crave some respite from our stressful modern lives.
Each concert is years in the making and, unsurprisingly, so was the composition itself. Its sheer scale meant that Richter often slipped into pure improvisation when writing, a labour of love that shakes off structure in favour of flow and an ambient atmosphere that will be strangely familiar electronic music listeners.
The fact that this gargantuan effort should result in something so subtle and ethereal is particularly touching. The nonchalance with which Richter kicks off the performances, his only instruction being “maybe switch off your phone… “, adds to the concept’s simple beauty and its hard not to respond to the emotion that courses through his music.
To summarise, “Max Richter’s Sleep” is an appeasing remedy to our frenetic 21st century lifestyles. Like the live performances, it gently and effortlessly plunges you into a sweet and relaxing meditation. What’s more, it opens your door to Richter’s stirring wider catalogue of beautiful music, a meaningful discovery that I am personally very grateful for.
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