★★★★ Rousing renditions - The Times
A must for early music devotees - Gramophone
A delight... I cannot recommend it too highly - Classic FM
The outstanding young tenor [John Beard] fulfils his early promise - The Sunday Times
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Classical Opera explore a wealth of arias by Handel and his contemporaries William Boyce, John Christopher Smith and Thomas Arne, all of which were composed for the celebrated 18th-century tenor John Beard (1716-1791). For this recording Allan Clayton steps ably into this role, performing alongside the Orchestra of Classical Opera under Ian Page. The disc also features a duet with Mary Bevan, from Handel’s L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. -
O/Modernt, Swedish for ‘Un/Modern’, is the concept devised by violinist Hugo Ticciati that explores vital connections between artistic and intellectual creations, old and new. At the heart of White Light is a dialectic between contemplation and ecstatic joy: a journey that leads within and without. The ensō (Japanese for ‘circle’) drawn by Antony Gormley on the front cover invites us into the prismatic now of listening. ensō: a continuous brushstroke that expresses a moment in time when the mind is released, leaving the body free to listen and create. Looking inwards, we embrace that which we find outside ourselves before finally returning to inner peace and silence. The sound worlds of Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, Pēteris Vasks, The Beatles, and the rhythms and melodies of India are woven together through improvisation to invite a two-way sense of reflection and surprise. The music roams from the weird to the wonderful - Cross Rhythms Here it is the combination of material that matters, and I found the programme both seductive and thought provoking - Planet Hugill -
Centred around Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel, this collection of English song brings together three now influential figures in the world of British music – Vaughan Williams, his contemporary (in age rather than compositional approach) Roger Quilter, and the younger Gerald Finzi (whose work Let us Garlands Bring was composed to mark Vaughan Williams' 70th birthday). The texts used are drawn from a variety of source: from traditional 'Dorset' songs, through settings of Shakespere, to the central song-cycle of poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson.Baritone David John Pike has a widely varied repertoire covering early music, oratorio, symphonic, opera and commissioned works. In his native Canada, in the UK and across Europe, he has worked with leading ensembles including Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London Philharmonic and the Schweizerkammerchor under the direction of Christophers, Dutoit, Jurowski, Marriner, Mehta, Rattle and Zinman. He now has a growing reputation as an operatic and concert soloist.
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The first release from the restored organ of the famed Temple Church, London. Performed by associate Organist of the church Greg Morris, the programme includes several highlights of the organ repertoire, centered around Percy Whitlock’s stunning Organ Sonata.
Arthur Harrison's instrument, originally built for Lord Glentanar's ballroom, epitomizes the opulent 1920s with all the grandeur of a fine Rolls Royce. This new recording follows a sensitive rebuild helping the instrument to speak more convincingly into the fine acoustics of the Temple Church, and it has never sounded better - Choir and Organ A singularly impressive release -Gramophone -
Volume 1 in a new collection of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L'église de la Madeleine, Paris. Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain - his ‘Organ Symphonies’ were genre-defining in their influence. Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues - including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom (SIGCD114) and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris (SIGCD167). The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief-organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.This looks like shaping up to be the Widor Organ Symphonies cycle of the decade - MusicWeb InternationalNolan’s interpretations are musically first-class ... organ enthusiasts should certainly acquire this disc for the sake of Nolan’s admirable musical intelligence - International Record Review
Nolan hovers over all like some musical demiurge, fleet of feet and fingers as he negotiates the massive chords and filigree passagework of faster movements such as the closing Vivace of Symphony No 6; thoughtful and sensitive yet smouldering with creative tension in slower movements - Limelight Magazine Gothic music meets Gothic organ here in performances that encompass a broad expressive spectrum from quiet meditation to dramatic thunder and lightning - The Times -
Volume 2 in a new collection of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris.
Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain - his ‘Organ Symphonies’ were genre-defining in their influence.
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues – including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom (SIGCD114) and the Organ of Saint-Sulpice in Paris (SIGCD167). The Cavaillé-Coll Organ of La Madeleine, Paris is a similarly renowned instrument, with former chief-organists including Camille Saint-Säens and Gabriel Fauré.
The recording clarity is remarkable, only final chords revealing that we have been enjoying the fruits of some six seconds of reverberation. Joseph Nolan … is an utterly persuasive executant at the console. Thoroughly enjoyable - Organists Review Just consider the wonderful contrast as Joseph Nolan moves from the gentle, floating phrases of the Allegretto to the skittish playfulness and power of the Intermezzo. The Marche pontificale (like the Toccata from the 5th symphony) is certainly more familiar and here given a rousing, full-blooded romp which fires the blood - Lark Reviews This looks like shaping up to be the Widor Organ Symphonies cycle of the decade - MusicWeb International -
The third volume in our series of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris. Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain - his ‘Organ Symphonies’ were genre-defining in their influence
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues – including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom and the Organ of Saint- Sulpice in Paris.
Gothic music meets Gothic organ here in performances that encompass a broad expressive spectrum from quiet meditation to dramatic thunder and lightning - The Times
This looks like shaping up to be the Widor Organ Symphonies cycle of the decade - MusicWeb International This is proving to be a highly impressive series, and one which you can return to with confidence, knowing that the performances will come up fresh on each hearing - Lark Reviews -
The fourth volume in our series of Charles-Marie Widor’s Organ Symphonies, performed by Joseph Nolan on the magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ of L’église de la Madeleine, Paris. Bridging the generations from Mendelssohn to Messiaen, Empire to Republic, Widor was born to the organ. His Lyonnaise kinsfolk were organ-builders, he showed early talent for the instrument, and for decades was the embodiment of its might and splendour across the Gallic domain – his ‘Organ Symphonies’ were genre-defining in their influence
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed as ‘brilliant and such an astute musician’ (Gramophone UK). He was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace in 2004, and has since been invited to perform and record in some of the world’s premiere venues – including the refurbished Organ of Buckingham Palace Ballroom (SIGCD114) and the Organ of Saint- Sulpice in Paris (SIGCD167).
Recordings of the Year 2014: Joseph Nolan’s cycle of the Widor organ symphonies has certainly been a continuing highlight in the past couple of years, blowing away some of the cobwebs of tradition with a completely individual and often remarkably revealing attitude to tempi. Performer, instrument and recording achieve superlative synergy in every volume - MusicWeb International The latest volume in Joseph Nolan's swirling, swashbuckling Widor series showcases the tangy palette and earthy roar of the fabulous Cavaille-Coll organ at La Madeleine, Paris. In a word - glorious! - BBC Music Magazine Those who have been following the series will know by now what to expect and need have no reservations about adding Volume 4 to their collection, and both Nolan and Signum can only be commended for their continued commitment - International Record Review -
Wiegenlied by Johannes Brahms is one of the most beloved lullabies ever written. The beautiful, gentle melody is so natural to sing and has always been one of my favourites, so I wanted to record my own version in time for release this World Sleep Day. -
11-year-old Alice lives in the not terribly exciting town of Grimthorpe. On a boring Wednesday in the summer holidays Alice’s family, wandering around town, gets caught in a downpour. They rush into the nearest shelter, which turns out to be a pet shop – much to Alice’s parents’ delight. Alice is lost in a daydream of exotic holidays... Suddenly she is jolted out of her reverie by one of the animals – a white rabbit – who starts talking to her... Opera Holland Park’s production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a family opera by composer Will Todd and librettist Maggie Gottlieb, comes to CD for the first time after two critically praised runs in 2013 and 2014.The cast sing with impeccable diction, the players never drowning out the voices - Arts Desk The cast, headed by Fflur Wun as Alice, and orchestra, conducted by Matthew Waldren, put on a good show - Gramophone Will Todd's Lewis Carroll-inspired opera has proved a huge success both on stage and on disc - BBC Music Magazine The recorded sound is excellent...a release of many pleasures - Opera Magazine -
Lux et Veritas (Light and Truth) is the new album from Will Todd with the professional chamber choir Tenebrae. Todd’s music has a universal appeal and he has been hailed as “one of the UK’s most sought-after, versatile composers” (Tempo Magazine). For this collection of sumptuous new choral works Tenebrae are accompanied by the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the choir’s director Nigel Short. This new release follows Will Todd’s last choral album The Call of Wisdom, featuring music commissioned for HRH The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee service in St Paul’s Cathedral in 2012. Throughout, the excellent Tenebrae under Nigel Short's sensitive direction deliver the sequence of 14 short pieces with commitment and great beauty of tone - Choir & Organ One of this year's finest releases - Classic FM Don't miss this movingly accessible and genuinely sensitive choral collection - MusicWeb International Sumptuous, soothing and reflective music for all occasions - Northern Echo -
Winchester Cathedral celebrate 50 years since the release of Geoff Stephen’s Winchester Cathedral – a 1966 release for the New Vaudeville Band that reached No.1 in the charts in the USA and Canada, selling over 3 million copies and subsequently winning a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Recording. For this new disc Geoff Stephens has allowed the words of his tune to be adapted by the Choristers of Winchester Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Andrew Lumsden, “to celebrate the forthcoming 50th Anniversary of the original recording and to present the Cathedral as “a beacon of light” in the dark days through which we live”.This special EP release also includes arrangements of Somewhere over the Rainbow and Climb Every Mountain alongside Andrew Lumsden’s new arrangement of Geoff Stephen’s Winchester Cathedral. -
'Winged Dreams' will be able to download and stream on 19 May 2023. Winged Dreams is a sonic exploration of the full spectrum of emotions. Ranging from cinematic to intimate, powerful to understated — the project leaves no stone of the human experience unturned as it seeks to be a source of peace and hope in the midst of the certain challenges of life. It takes its name and inspiration from the poem “Weep No More” by John Fletcher. Each of the pieces in the suite can be found within the poem. Abilene’s signature sound shines throughout the recording as the ensemble marries classical elements with modern production in an unashamed pursuit of the beautiful. "We’re thrilled for the world to finally hear these pieces which are dear to our musical hearts. This project demonstrates our firm belief that relevance is often found through reinvention and music should serve, inspire, and elevate the soul" - Abilene -
The UCI Chamber Singers, under the direction of Irene Messoloras, proudly present Winter Night, a heartwarming holiday compilation that beautifully weaves together timeless seasonal favourites and innovative new arrangements. Featuring composers such as Sir John Rutter (Wexford Carol), Cecilia McDowall (Now May We Singen), and Ola Gjeilo (The First Nowell), Winter Night Winter offers radiant and reflective holiday music that captures the spirit of the season. -
Wonderland is full of magic and myth. Containing exclusively works commissioned by The King’s Singers across their 55 years, the album celebrates their trademark musical storytelling, with no shortage of comedy. György Ligeti’s six Nonsense Madrigals, each setting playful children’s poetry or extracts from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, provide a musical spine to the album, commemorating 100 years since the composer’s birth in 1923. From just over 50 years ago, the fairytale The Musicians of Bremen (1972) - set to music by the Australian composer and Master of the Queen’s Music Malcolm Williamson sits alongside Time Piece (1972) by Paul Patterson, which tells an eccentric alternative creation story. These myth-based works have recent companions such as Judith Bingham’s extended work Tricksters (2019), which unearths what could happen if miscreants from different world mythologies could come together for the first time, and Ola Gjeilo’s A Dream within a Dream which questions the very nature of perception and reality. The album also features the legendary Japanese film and game composer Joe Hisaishi’s first ever choral work, I was there (2022), focussing on the cultural memory of tragic events such as 9/11 and the 2011 Japan Earthquake. Themes of hope and positivity, centred on the natural world, emerge in Makiko Kinoshita’s Ashita no uta (Song for tomorrow) (2020) and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers’ Alive (2022). "It’s an eclectic line-up, showing off the group's stylistic range, as well as their technique…all the madrigals are crisp and right in the groove- a pretty flawless set of sonic experiments and wisecracks" - Gramophone "The recorded sound of the voices is flawless...The King’s Singers are a world-class vocal ensemble, and Signum has done a remarkable job in putting this thoughtfully crafted package together. A remarkable release" - Classical Candor "The performers relish the challenge, revelling in the astringency of the harmonic language and nailing Ligeti’s wry humour by avoiding silliness or pantomime. Ligeti rules" - The Arts Desk