Bruce's piece pivots on the contrast between its elegaic first movement and the five dances that follow it, and Bliss and the Carduccis relish the expressive variety - The Times
Clarinettist Julian Bliss and the Carducci Quartet are mot sensitive and elegaic - Financial Times
[Bliss] flits seamlessly between regular and bass clarinet. The finale's joyous barrage could almost be out of a Falla ballet - The Guardian
Here's a double delight. First, an engaging new work that deserves a place in the Chamber repertory; second, a passionate account of Brahms' Clarinet Quintet which can hold its head high against starrier competition - Gramophone
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Julian Bliss and the Carducci Quartet pair two highly contrasting works – Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet and David Bruce’s Gumboots. -
A frequent collaborator with both the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Jac van Steen, David Matthews’ new recording explores both the natural world and the symphonic idea, the second of which has, in his words, “obsessed me since I started composing at the age of 16”. As well the Sinfonia and Symphony No. 8, the programme includes Toward Sunrise; inspired by the sound of the sun (a rising fourth of C-F), as recorded by scientists at Sheffield University, and A Vision of the Sea; drawn from the sights and sounds of English Channel near the composers’ home in Deal, Kent. With a singular body of work spanning almost 60 years, David Matthews has established an international reputation as one of the leading symphonists of our time. Born in London in 1943, he began composing at the age of sixteen. He read Classics at the University of Nottingham – where he has more recently been made an Honorary Doctor of Music – and afterwards studied composition privately with Anthony Milner. He was also helped by the advice and encouragement of Nicholas Maw and spent three years as an assistant to Benjamin Britten in the late 1960s. In the 1970s a friendship with the Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe (leading to collaboration and numerous trips to Sydney) helped Matthews find his own distinctive voice. "★★★★★ A deeply personal work of integrity and distinction, Matthew's Eighth Symphony is superbly rendered…Under van Steen's alert direction, the performers bring energy and polish to this dynamic score…Atmospheric recorded sound and high production values set the seal on an outstanding album. Warmly recommended" - Musical Opinion "★★★★★ Atmospheric recorded sound and high production values set the seal on an outstanding album. Warmly recommended." - Musical Opinion "With excellent presentation and sound…these finely- honed and dedicated performances by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Jac van Steen" - Colin's Column -
2018 Grammy Award nominees Tenebrae perform a new collection of choral works by Polish composer Paweł Łukaszewski.
Born in southern Poland in 1968 in the city of Częstochowa and described by Gramophone as writing “enchanting choral music…beautifully measured phrases, immaculately tailored textures and ingenious use of light and shade to invoke light shining in darkness”, Łukaszewski has secured a place in the forefront of European sacred music with performances throughout the world and his works featuring on over one hundred recordings. He studied at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music, where he still teaches, and is now the Artistic Director and Conductor of Musica Sacra Cathedral Choir in Warsaw.
This collection of sacred choral works bears an easily-discernible cultural link with his Polish predecessors such as Lutosławski and Penderecki, but the influence of Henryk Górecki and the Estonian Arvo Pärt is evident too in the fervent but restrained spiritual aspect of Łukaszewski’s music, and his individual voice never stoops to mere imitation.
There is always a sense of rhythmic and harmonic displacement about his work, which makes it not only difficult to deliver but curiously timeless - Choir and Organ Very effective - Gramophone I would strongly recommend this as a CD of great interest, wonderfully well sung - Cathedral Music Magazine Moving and uplifting - Cross Rhythms I offer plaudits to Nigel Short and Tenebrae for their quality of singing and commitment - iClassical -
The Choir of St John’s College Cambridge launch their new series of recordings with Signum by exploring the close connections between the college and celebrated British composer Jonathan Harvey (1939-2012), in a disc of works for choir and organ. Harvey’s music has influenced a generation of composers, described by The Guardian’s Tom Service as being “at once vividly contemporary and timeless”. The Choir’s director Andrew Nethsingha reflects on his own experiences and work with the Jonathan Harvey in CD’s programme note, in particular as the choir collaborated on what would be Jonathan Harvey’s final work for the choir, The Annunciation (2011). -
Divine Impresario is countertenor Randall Scotting’s portrait of the celebrated castrato Nicolò Grimaldi (“Nicolini”), performed with the Academy of Ancient Music and Laurence Cummings. Drawing on arias and duets written for Nicolini by Handel, Porpora, Gasparini, Mancini, Giaj, Broschi, and Ariosti, the album revives music closely tied to his stage career across Italy and London. Many pieces are recorded in new performing editions based on early sources. With contributions from soprano Mary Bevan, the programme highlights Nicolini’s influence as singer, actor, and collaborator, presenting repertoire that shaped early 18th-century opera. ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine “Scotting stands out for his refined vocal control and clear stylistic awareness” - Sonograma “a delightful portal into a world of baroque wonderment and a musical project that delivers on every level.” - Gramophone “A fascinating and enjoyable disc… Scotting carries us away with his vivid performance.” - PlanetHugill “Outstanding” - Cultural Attache -
“Inspirations and imaginings, evolving, changing English usage, landscapes, friendships and passings lie behind this album... Loosely, the songs we’ve selected embrace multiple interpre- tations and nuances of ‘divine’. As well as, I could argue, that sentiment of English song and English speaking composers embodying the [Blake/Parry] ‘Jerusalem-Builded-Here’ trope. The world I came from (singing in choir stalls), along with how countertenors are perceived generally, has been hard to escape. So here perhaps I’m taking on the challenge. As well as an opportunity to include songs written for me that for some while I’ve been needing to put down on disc.” - Iestyn Davies. ‘Divine Music’ marks Iestyn Davies’ third recital album on Signum Classics. The ‘Four Songs’ (Purcell/ Adès), Spoons Aria (Adès), Four Traditional Songs and Old Bones (Muhly) are world premiere recordings. Muhly’s Four Traditional Songs were also written dedicated to Iestyn Davies. Song of the Day "This is just gorgeous" - BBC Radio 3 Essential Classics "Beautiful" - Radio 4 "A characterful, unusual programme…[Davies] flexible instrument and impressive range" - Gramophone ★★★★ Performance ★★★★★ Recording "Little if anything phases Davies technically: he pins the setting’s wide intervals with laser accuracy, and easily encompasses the trickily embellished closing ‘Hallelujah’…The Lover in Winter is included, the ice-like angularities of the piano part contrasting vividly with Davies’s hovering, velvet-soft vocalism…[The Four Traditional Songs by Nico Muhly] Davies and Middleton slot together seamlessly, equal partners in the heartworn melancholy Muhly forefronts in these settings…taken whole this is a classy and interestingly varied recital, with unfailingly sensitive contributions from both performers." - BBC Music Magazine -
In September 2025 Fretwork return with an album of works for Viol by the John Jenkins. Jenkins was a highly active and productive composer who lived through a period of significant transformation in English music, with his lifetime spanning from the era of William Byrd to that of Henry Purcell. He is particularly known for his contributions to the viol consort fantasia, drawing inspiration in the 1630s from a previous generation of English composers such as Alfonso Ferrabosco the Younger, Thomas Lupo, and Orlando Gibbons. His work is distinguished by its rich lyricism, exceptional craftsmanship, and a unique approach to tonality and counterpoint.★★★★★ - “Fretwork harness the delicious interplay between dissonance and consonance” - BBC Music Magazine
“An aural experience of richness, clarity and elegant balance.” - Sonograma
"This repertory is Fretwork's core and they perform it with customary polish, ably supported by the organist Silas Wollston" - Gramophone "The Rolls-Royce among viol consorts" - The Strad "The result is absolutely lovely" - CD Hotlist -
A unique programme of works by father and daughter. Sir Andrzej Panufnik was a leading Polish composer of the 20th Century, and his daughter Roxanna has made a name for herself in her own right as a contemporary composer in the 21st. This disc, programmed by Roxanna to combine works by both her and her father, explores the parallels between their two musical languages and forms a touching tribute to Andrzej from his daughter.This is intensely personal music-making, beautifully performed - The Observer -
The choral works of Duruflé, like his organ works, are small in number but beautifully crafted. Frequently written and rewritten until he was completely satisfied, he was a composer who rethought and reconfigured his music right up to the moment he had to let go of it. Often described as a man out of step with his times, his pieces look back to Gregorian chant and plainsong at a time when the musical life of his home city of Paris was steeped in radical new compositional ideas – a testament perhaps to Duruflé’s enduring love of France’s choral heritage. In a new recording produced by Grammy® winning producer Blanton Alspaugh, the Houston Chamber Choir are led by artistic director Robert Simpson on their first release with Signum Records. ★★★★★ Houston Chamber Choir here offer beautifully presented accounts of all of Duruflé’s choral music - Choir & Organ ★★★★ No listener could fail to be impressed by both the quality of the compositions and performances - Cross Rhythms ★★★★ Beautifully crafted - Classical Source [Ken Cowan] certainly adds real distinction to this performance of the Requiem - Gramophone The Houston Chamber Choir, led by their artistic director Robert Simpson, present an immaculate account of these works- The Northern Echo Beautiful, artistic singing and thoughtful, sensitive music-making at every turn - Dale Warland A superb recording to be treasured - Simon Carrington All downloads include booklets. -
Formed in 2016, the Albion Quartet brings together four of the UK’s exceptional young string players who are establishing themselves rapidly on the international stage. This disc marks the first release in a new Dvořák cycle with Signum Records, as well as future releases of Walton and Britten plus the premiere recording of Richard Blackford’s Kalon with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra later in 2019. Having made their debuts last season at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, the 2018/19 season sees the Albion Quartet’s debuts at the Wigmore Hall and at Town Hall/Symphony Hall Birmingham. They also continue their residency at London’s Kings Place, become quartet-in residence at the Stratford Festival of Words and Music and perform at the Oxford Lieder Festival. Their attention to the smallest detail reaps dividends - Gramophone "These recordings make for a fascinating and enticing listen" - The Strad -
Formed in 2016, the Albion Quartet unites four outstanding young string players, brought together by a shared belief in the visceral power of the string quartet. The upcoming season sees the quartet returning to the Wigmore Hall and Aldeburgh Festival, as well as continuing residencies at Sainte-Mère Festival in France and RWCMD in Cardiff. They will be making a number of broadcasts for BBC Radio 3, whilst continuing their recording projects for Signum Records, for whom they are exclusive artists. Performances in the 2019-20 season include their US debut at the Phillips Collection in Washington, alongside appearances at several festivals including the Oxford Lieder, Stratford International, Belfast International, Cheltenham, Presteigne, and Lichfield, and participating in Beethoven cycles in the UK and Portugal. Here, the quartet continue their Dvořák series on Signum with spectacular renditions of his 8th and 10th quartets. All downloads include booklets. "Anyone who thinks that the new generation of super-quartets are merely about virtuoso brilliance should hear the myriad shades of russel and gold that the Albion Quartet find in these two enchanting works" - Gramophone Magazine “The playing, by the excellent Albion, is masterly in its vividness, freedom and sensitivity” - The Sunday Times "Sophisticated...appealing and...thrilling" - BBC Music Magazine -
Following their acclaimed mix-tape series on Signum Classics, Earthcycle is the fifth album from Orchestra of the Swan and David Le Page. Earthcycle is an innovative and timely project which finds a compelling way to engage with humanity’s most urgent threat. Through three initial performances, a recording and a film, Earthcycle contemplates our impact on Earth’s environment and the disruption of its natural rhythms. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons they have commissioned a new version from our Associate Artist, baroque/jazz musician and composer David Gordon which is interspersed with traditional folk songs related to the theme of the seasons and performed by singer Jackie Oates. Earthcycle highlights the 21st century’s greatest concern whilst celebrating nature and our place within it. "The entire album is replete with musical birdsong, rain showers, shafts of light, gusty autumn winds, swirling leaves, and many other delights, which create a compelling, engaging and intriguing whole. Earthcycle provides an important reflection on climate change while offering listeners chamber music of the highest order, imaginatively presented and beautifully performed." - ArtMuseLondon "Impossible not to shiver during Gordon's duet with Le Page in his own 'Feeling the Chill'. Superb recorded sound repays listening on headphones with some ravishing details. The curious-minded won't be disappointed." - Gramophone "Outstanding pieces are ones that bring out the versatile qualities of all the musicians... Its [performance of The Bright Phoebus] wassail-like qualities leave a smile on the face and it is a lovely example of the clear honesty of this project - refreshing in spirit." ★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording - BBC Music Magazine -
Completing their cycle of mixtape albums, ECHOES is Orchestra of Swan’s third album on Signum Classics. Featuring works by artists including JS Bach, Philip Glass, and Frank Zappa and some new arrangements by Artistic Director, David Le Page. “Although you can listen to each track in isolation Echoes is, first and foremost, a complete journey; the way a work ends and another begins is designed to create a frisson, a jolt of recognition or a feeling of surprise and satisfaction. Echoes explores landscape, light, water, dreams, birth, and the slowly changing rhythm of the seasons; it also represents a callback to the days of vinyl when the act of listening to recordings was necessarily more involved and required all of your attention... Despite the ongoing march of music technology and the death of various beloved formats the mixtape has somehow survived and adapted It is unaccountably more popular than it has ever been” - David Le Page ALBUM OF THE WEEKEND "This album is going to be huge..Timelapse and Labyrinth, have had 7.5 million audio streams since January 2021 …we know it’s probably going to be even bigger" - Scala Radio "Listen to it end to end for an eclectic mix of sophisticated sounds; favourite tracks include Philip Sheppard’s Buffalo Jump and a tender arrangement of Venus Furs…it’s another lovely collection. Roll on the next release" - Thoroughly Good Blog "It is the sheer eclecticism of the disc that is so appealing. from that re-imagined Vivaldi straight to the fierce energy of Phillip Shepherds Buffalo Jump in a performance ie magnificent, fiery energy from the Orchestra of the Swan; and then, the jarring contrast to the madcap Peaches en Regalia by Frank Zappa, a phenomenal four minutes of fun…Echoes is a vibrant journey, its contents perfectly considered, the superb performances beautifully delivered….It is the first recording I have heard that really works in Spatial Audio: the immersive spatial element to the Max Richter in particular elevates the experience" - Classical Explorer -
'Electric' contains many of the best works for cello and electronics written in the last 40 years. A delicious sonic feast that showcases the treasure of Barley's 18th century cello and the electronic wizardry and imagination of some of the most talented composers working today like Anna Meredith, Joby Talbot, Michael Gordon and John Metcalfe. From the machine-like rhythms of Motion Detector to the tenderness of Constant Filter that is a wide choice of style and mood. "Fiercely committed, immaculately delivered disc. There's plenty here to captivate…Barley is bright and energetic amid the frenetic electronic activity…It makes for an eclectic collection of pieces, but what brings them together is Barley's rich, supple playing, which he varies dramatically in tone and style as he allies himself with each composer's music across the disc's carefully considered emotional journey. Recorded sound is so rich and detailed that its something of a sonic marvel in itself" - The Strad "'Electric' is a timely album…it's the longer works that draw the best from Barley's warm tone and sensitive playing…moonmoons brilliantly blends legato Lydian-key phrasing and electronic accompaniment, the cello's expressive voice surrounded by halo of pitch-shifted pizzicato. [Honeyed Words] a simple, playful work, and has a winning charm" - Gramophone ★★★★ "As a collected work, Electric is haunting and otherworldly...beautifully raw…With electronic technology that is constantly in development, it’s important to see these works set down with strong recordings that reflect the landscape for and possibilities of contemporary performers and technology. Electric offers us just that." - BBC Music Magazine "Warm tone and sensitive playing" - Songlines -
Mary Bevan and Joseph Middleton’s new album Elegy grew out of their recital programme From Earth to Heaven, conceived during a time of deep personal loss. Shaped by Bevan’s experience of grieving her father, the recital explores the mystery of death and the solace music can offer. Featuring works by Schubert, Fauré, Mahler, Jeanne Landry, Errollyn Wallen, and Pauline Viardot amongst others, Elegy is a poignant journey through mourning and transcendence. Their previous album Voyages was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award, and the duo’s recitals across Europe have been met with widespread critical acclaim. ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★ - "The seduction starts with her very first notes." - The Times “Bevan extracts a luminous, almost visionary reading” - Sonograma "Bevan channels the longing for a last touch, the sweetness of the illusion, the heartache at waking" - The New York Times “It’s well nigh faultless, the whole thing, and the most moving recital I’ve heard for some time.” - Gramophone "A lovely sequence of songs of mourning, reflection on death and the comfort to be found in music" - The Arts Desk -
Elgar’s unjustly neglected ‘greatest choral masterpiece’ (Jeremy Dibble) is given an outstanding new recording by conductor David Temple, Crouch End Festival Chorus, London Mozart Players, and soloists Francesca Chiejina, Dame Sarah Connolly, Benjamin Hulett and Ashley Riches.
Composed in 1906 after The Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles, The Kingdom depicts the lives of Christ’s disciples and the community of the early church with a mixture of gentle conversational sections and astonishing dramatic passages. Recorded in the recently restored Victorian Theatre at Alexandra Palace, its fluid musical narrative is both arresting and profoundly moving.
Echoing Sir Adrian Boult, David Temple considers the oratorio to be Elgar’s pinnacle achievement. ‘I truly believe The Kingdom to be Elgar’s greatest choral work. It is a gem from the first note to the last.’
EDITORS CHOICE - GRAMOPHONE ★★★★★ - Choir and Organ ★★★★ - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★ - Mail on Sunday - "Everything about this recording is outstanding. The sound, under veteran Mike Hatch, is brilliantly vivid. The singing of the chorus that the self-taught Temple founded 40 years ago is truly exceptional." “A very fine large-scale piece, given a most persuasive and sympathetic recording ... Temple gets them to sing with passion and guts, but never at the expense of a very fine sound and the kind of flawless intonation that is hard to achieve with an ensemble of this size.” - The Arts Desk “The music, both solemn and triumphant, projects an aura of divinity over the mission of Christ, and elevates the listener to a dimension of sacredness and reverence.” - Sonograma "Indispensable" - The Elgar Society