William Susman: ‘Scattered Threads’

It’s always a delight to listen to new music from guests I have chatted with on Harmonious World, and that is definitely true of the fabulous composer William Susman and pianist Nicole Brancato.

I chatted with Bill in 2022 and 2021 and Nicole in 2023 and 2024. I have reviewed Bill’s music before, especially his Music for Moving Pictures in 2024. I also reviewed Nicole’s opera  Infinitessimal with Jeremy Weiss, when they brought it to London in 2025.

Now Nicole has joined with violinist Dylan Hamme to record Bill’s music on Scattered Threads.

I often recommend listening to albums from the start (it’s how the artists curated it!) and that is certainly true with this one. Aria shows off both piano and violin beautifully. Like much of Bill’s work, this is contemporary classical music that will make the listener’s life just a little better. And we all need that right now. I’d never heard Hamme’s playing before, and I’m glad I have now.

Each track on Scattered Threads takes on new voicing and timbres, so it’s right to move onto the energetic Duo Montuño next, before the beautifully composed, performed and recorded Seven Scenes for Four Violins. This is a mesmeric track that is both clever and captivating.

The album continues with more of this duo’s outstanding playing, including frenetic Motions of Return and the divine Scatter My Ashes. The briefest of end pieces comes with Katrina Ballerina, with a violin that almost sounds improvised over a theme: a plaintive end to this wonderful collection.

Bill says: “Scattered Threads is the debut album of Dylan Hamme, violin, alongside extraordinary pianist Nicole Brancato, performing my music. The album brings together a collection of works that trace evolving musical ideas, reimagined through new voices and timbres. While some pieces have appeared in different forms before, each recording on this album offers a fresh perspective and a world-premiere interpretation.”

As usual, the best way to listen to this music (if you can’t see the artists in performance) is on Bandcamp