For those of you unfamiliar with the music of Oscar Bettison, now is the time to get acquainted. I was honored last summer to have been asked to contribute a brief introductory essay for the liner notes of Bettison’s debut CD, which features his extraordinary requiem masque, “O Death,” loosely based on the American folk song of the same name. Hotel St. George featured the first movement of this sprawling, masterful work in the Listening Room some time ago. More recently, Killing the Buddha reprinted my essay on their website, which can be read here. Feel free to check it out and listen to samples of the piece if you are so inclined.
