The dead are transfigured into children, for whom the possible would still be possible, because they have not been.
Kindertotenlieder, 2025 is a short monologue written between June-September 2025 for female voice(s). It involved a 3 month research project developed in a variety of online forums but focused mainly around mumsnet, a notorious internet online forum aimed towards mothers & its discontents (chat, conception, feminism, holidays, parenting etc.) with much of the material is largely sourced through Mumsnet’s AIBU forum, an anagram of ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’ something like a self absolving query into the void.
Special thanks to mumsnet contributors mickybarrysmum, EnjoythemoneyJane, WokeyWokeyGetupNow, Chickchoccyegg, Teenagequeenwithaloadedgun, PigeonLady, AdeptWriter, ThisIsMyYearToFindMyself, BookishBabe, Offyoujollywelltrot & many other contributors that I corresponded with over that period.
What plays at the end, is Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder’s Wenn dein Mütterlein tritt zur Tür herein (When your dear mother…), from a Friedrich Rückert poem. In the winter of 1833 and 1834 Luise and Ernst Rückert died of scarlet fever. Rückert would write 421 poems on the subject of their deaths.
Many thanks to the patience of Nell Barlow in the recording process & lending her voice to the project. Many thanks also extend to Luke Kulukundis for helping with the recording process & sound-set up.