AN ALBUM by the “Banksy of classical music” that lay buried in Orkney for more than a year before being unearthed by fans has topped the UK classical chart.
Scottish composer and producer Erland Cooper wrote and recorded Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence three years ago with chamber string group Studio Collective and violinist Daniel Pioro.
The only physical recording of the album was then immediately “planted” in the ground in Orkney, where Cooper grew up, and all digital copies were permanently deleted.
Fans following a “treasure hunt of clues” left by Cooper eventually found the tape in late 2022, and the album was performed to the public for the first time in London’s Barbican Hall in June 2024.
READ MORE: Subscribe for exclusive journalism in our subscriber-only newsletters
On his website Cooper wrote: “In early 2021, I planted the only existing recording of a new work deep in the soil of Orkney.
“The master tape was buried with a violin, the full score, a letter in a biscuit tin & a special stone marking the spot. A treasure hunt of clues was revealed for you to search if so wished.
“In late 2022, my tape was found by Victoria and Dan Rhodes. They discovered it by understanding the poetry of the work and examining the physical rock formations in photos I revealed.”
The album was then released in September 2024, exactly as it sounded, after lying underground for more than a year.
Speaking after the album was released, Cooper said: “I think poet George Mackay Brown would be rather tickled by this.
“I know he had a deep connection to community, landscape and the music of it all, so to celebrate nature’s wild contribution to composition, and the resilience of both, is a glorious thing.
“I’ve so much gratitude to everyone listening and buying this record, even had it emerged from the soil as silence.
“Huge thanks to my record label for being so bold and supportive. A win for Orkney, nature and the seedlings of ideas.
“May the words and music fly high and dive deep like a gannet. For the islands we sing.”
Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence is Cooper’s first classical number one album, and earned him a Number 1 Award from the Official Charts Company.
The award trophy itself will now be “planted” underground in an undisclosed location, and will belong to whoever finds it.
Tom Lewis, co-president of record label Decca, said: “Erland is the Banksy of classical music.
“He brilliantly and fearlessly melds the worlds of composition and performance art.
READ MORE: How Scotland's 'treasure find' laws could change after review
“This is his greatest and riskiest work yet. And to think that it could have all disintegrated before any of us heard a note. That’s so audacious.”
Cooper will tour in October and November, with dates in the UK, Europe and the US.
Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence is released by Mercury KX.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here