Just last week we attended one of Planetarium’s four worldwide concerts at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and witnessed the wake-the-dead sound-kaleidoscope that this sensational ensemble can produce live. We were somewhat surprised, then, when we stumbled upon the video below of a pared-down, chamber-orchestra take on the group’s sensational song Mercury. We loved the song the first time we heard it and at HFC, but the superb granular approach below, in which each instrument is discernible and puzzle-perfect, fits the mercurial beauty of the song oh so well  (lyrics at bottom).  [Is it just us, or does Stevens invoke Carrie & Lowell both melodically and lyrically at the pun-y “Carrier, friend, Where do you run?” juncture of the song?] As always, Sufjan Stevens’ stunning vocal sucks you in, then Nico Muhly’s decorative piano celestially seasons the tones, Bryce Dessner’s guitar-trills embroider the melody, and the violinist brings vibrato bravura, all helping to render the song perfectly. Beauty right there.

“All that I’ve known to be of life
And I am gentle
You ran off with it all
And I am faithful
All that I felt within my arms
And I am weightless
You ran off with it all
And I am speechless
All that I’ve said to get it right
And I am confident
You ran off with it all
And I am steadfast
All that I thought, to be precise
And I am consequence
You ran off with it all
And I am sorry

And I am sorry
All that I’ve known to be at peace
And I am desperate
You ran off with it all
And I am restless
All that I’ve known to be of love
And I am gentle
You ran off with it all
And I am desperate
All that I dream
Where do you run, where do you run to?
And I’m evidence
All that I dream
Where do you run, where do you run to?
And I am faithless
All that I dream
Where do you run, where do you run to?
Now I am messed up
All that I dream
Where do you run, where do you run to?
Carrier, friend
Where do you run?”