The keen readers might not be familiar with Dale Cornelius, yet they might have already heard his music. A celebrated figure in the soundtrack industry, the talented Australian composer boasts more than 90 international productions, as well as a portfolio of achievements that have reached an international scale. That said, ‘What Is Carried, What Is Left Behind?’ might just be his most pivotal work to date, a personal EP that turns Cornelius into a fully-fledged original artist.
Throughout six nuanced and elegant pieces, listeners get close to the eclectic neo-classical ethos that propels Cornelius’ overarching artistry. Mainly built on hypnotic string sections and sparse, long melodies, the EP also benefits from Dale’s background in cinematic music, a feature that’s particularly evident in the opening soundscapes for ‘Innocence’, among other episodes. In a way, this shifts Cornelius’ offerings into contemporary territories, highlighting the wide reach of his compositional abilities.
A pivotal point in the album is ‘A Whispered Down (Spencer’s Lullaby)’, a sombre, crepuscular piece that represents a particularly dramatic period in Cornelius’ life. The piece was written in 1999 after his first-born son had to undergo a very dangerous operation in utero, acting as an artistic release for immense, profound pain. As Dale explains: “Recording it now, alongside music written from that more honest place, is an act of reclamation. It’s the answer that piece has been waiting on for twenty-six years.”
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