Thom Yorke premieres Don't Fear the Light and “Gawpers” in Paris

Thom Yorke's first piece of concert music had its premiere at the Philharmonie de Paris on Sunday 7 April. Katia and Marielle Labeque played Don't Fear the Light, about 20 minutes in three parts, at two Steinways. Yorke then sang a new song, “Gawpers”, with the sisters to close the concert.

He had already been on once, unannounced. In a T-shirt and blazer, Yorke walked on midway through David Chalmin's “Particule no 5 - Particule no 6” and sang a falsetto counterpoint to Chalmin's own vocal.

The night was a Minimalist Dream House concert, the Labeques' band with Chalmin and Bryce Dessner of The National. Yorke's pieces had been announced in January.

Yorke was not on stage for Don't Fear the Light, which opened the second half with the two pianists leading. To Jazz Monroe, reviewing the night for Pitchfork, its opening sat close to the darker parts of the Suspiria score before it moved further from anything Radiohead have done. “Gawpers” is shorter and closer to a song, and Yorke sang it in the voice everyone knows, cueing the sisters with small flicks of his right hand.

Before the encore he told the hall Now I'm gonna do some hip-hop covers.¹ Instead he played “Suspirium” with Dessner and Chalmin, and the stalls stood. Monroe calls the debut a daring triumph, though Yorke looked ill at ease through the applause, bowing awkwardly and leaving with his eyes on the floor.

Programme, Philharmonie de Paris, 7 April 2019 (in part)