Hidden Heartache by Simone Keller is published as volume 21 of the series Facetten, edited by the Kulturstiftung des Kantons Thurgau.

Hidden Heartache highlights the overlooked brilliance of composers, particularly women and minorities, whose contributions to music history have been largely ignored and who have faced marginalization due to gender, race and disability. The metaphor of “Hidden Heartache” serves as a lens through which to explore themes of social inequality and unequal power relations, much as X-ray images try to probe hidden pain—taking a closer look inside, adding different contrasting agents in order to acquire a clearer image.

In the form of an extended and enlarged CD booklet, the publication presents piano music from the last 100 years in the context of social inequality and unequal power relations. Among the composers featured are Lil Hardin Armstrong, Olga Diener, Julius Eastman, Irene Higginbotham, Julia Amanda Perry and Ruth Crawford Seeger. New works by Swiss composers Jessie Cox and Cristina Janett, Syrian oud player and composer Abathar Kmash, and American composers Julie Herndon and Jessie Marino were created in collaboration with Simone Keller.

Text contributions from May Alrefai, Ruramisai Charumbira, Antoine Chessex & Oxana Ivanova-Chessex, Jessie Cox, Anja Nunyola Glover, Sandra Hetzl, Ellie M. Hisama, Mardoché Kabengele, Simone Keller, Alain Leite Stampfli and Michelle Ziegler reveal varied perspectives on social and power inequalities in the context of our present, and the importance of collective action.

Finally, Hidden Heartache comprises not just a book, but sound recordings too: 100 minutes of piano music from the last 100 years. The eponymous CD is released by Intakt Records and is available for purchase here.

The book and album are an important contribution to the theme of inclusion in music. In March and April 2024 Simone Keller will tour Switzerland with various guests as part of her Hidden Tour. More information can be found on her website.

Shipping starts on March 25, 2024.