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Santtu conducts Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring is the third digital release by Philharmonia Records. Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall in 2021, the Philharmonia Orchestra delivers an explosive performance of Stravinsky’s score under the baton of Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali. "Rarely has [the bassoon solo] sounded more songlike ... Rouvali is balletic" - Gramophone -
‘Rêverie in London Rain’ is the first solo piano piece I've released, beginning its life as a theme in a film which I then expanded. The channel-crossing title is a nod to both the French composers who influence this style, and the experience of being lost in thought as you wander along the banks of the Thames on a grey, drizzling day. I think within the music you can hear the raindrops' - Rebecca Dale -
The second volume in a ground-breaking seven-part series, The Mozartists and director Ian Page’s ‘Sturm und Drang’ recordings incorporate iconic compositions by Mozart, Gluck and, above all, Joseph Haydn, but it also includes largely forgotten or neglected works by less familiar names. All of the music featured on this second recording was composed between 1765 and 1770, with three turbulent minor-key symphonies alternating with sacred and operatic arias. The ‘Sturm und Drang’ movement swept through all art forms in between the early 1760s and 1780s, with the general objective to frighten and perturb through the use of wildly subjective and emotional means of expression, envoking ground-breaking extremes of passion and sentimentality. "The fierce agitation of the outer movements of Haydn’s Symphony No. 39 certainly exemplify such qualities [Sturm und Drang], just as the dynamic sweep and hair-trigger precision of Ian Page’s players demonstrate their skill and commitment in articulating them" - BBC Music Magazine "Page and his players once again demonstrate their total identification with this music in playing of dizzying drive and accuracy...Once again, high artistry conspires with scholarship and strength of concept to create a programme that scintillates from start to finish" - Gramophone “This disc will give much pleasure and confirms that within the Sturm und Drang style there is great diversity. It’s a satisfying debut recording for Ränslöv and continues Page’s sterling work with The Mozartists and Classical Opera” - Opera Today -
Like the first two releases in The Mozartists’ ongoing ‘Sturm und Drang’ series, this recording comprises three highly dramatic and turbulent orchestral works interspersed with similarly highly-charged vocal items. The repertoire dates from between 1771 and 1788, and again includes one of Haydn’s great minor-key symphonies – this time arguably the greatest of them all, the ‘Trauer’. For the first time in the series Mozart is also represented, in the form of his extraordinarily visceral and darkly chromatic Adagio and Fugue in C minor, and the disc opens with an outstanding G minor symphony by the Czech composer Leopold Kozeluch, whose quality, sweep and lyricism will surprise many listeners. The two vocal works are genuine rarities. Schweitzer’s Alceste was one of the earliest attempts to create German tragic opera in the vernacular, and it launches with an aria of searing intensity. The scene from Paisiello’s Annibale in Torino – the twenty-third of his eighty-seven operas –features an exquisite but brief arioso before leading into a stormy G minor aria. The soloist is the exciting young American soprano Emily Pogorelc, and Ian Page again conducts his award-winning period-instrument ensemble. "Overall...this makes for another exceptionally satisfying addition to a series that is special not just for the thought and scholarship that goes into it, but Page’s direction of his fine players. It is throughout beautifully balanced and paced, while at the same time musically highly insightful" - Early Music Review "...exceptional disc from Signum Classics...Ian Page and his Mozartists deliver performances of the highest artistic standards mixed with a profound knowledge of a musical period that overflowed with emotional fervour and groundbreaking extremes. The vocal pieces sung by American soprano Emily Pogorel are despatched with scintillating virtuosity and sparkling elan. This is a disc that will give much pleasure to many in general, and especially to those interested in discovering more about this period of transition between the baroque and classical eras. I unreservedly recommend not only this issue, but the whole cycle" - Classical Music Daily “With a stellar performance by American soprano Emily Pogorelc [she] fascinates the listener with exquisite but brief arios. [Leopold Koželuch’s Symphony in G minor is] performed with a superb quality by Mozartist musicians, who highlight its beautiful tonal modulations and expressive energy. In the joyous fourth movement [of “Mourning”], Page infuses a precise, tight sense of rhythm into his musicians and confers delightfully engaging emanations of tenderness” – Sonograma Magazine “The bomb-proof technical standard of the [Mozartists’] playing would surely have delighted Mozart. And winsome justice is done to the beautiful slow movements of Kozeluch’s and Haydn’s symphonies. The stand-out feature here is the sensational contribution of American soprano Emily Pogorelc. Her singing here has superb technical sureness, state-of-the-art command of the music’s wild emotional switchbacks, and firework-display virtuosity to match." Performance **** Recording **** - BBC Music Magazine "Ian Page and his orchestra are wonderful advocates for this powerful music" - Gramophone -
This is the first project in a seven-volume series exploring the ‘Sturm und Drang’ movement, which swept through all art forms in the between the early 1760s and 1780s. The purpose of this movement were to frighten and perturb through the use of wild and subjective emotional means of expression. This series of ‘Sturm und Drang’ recordings incorporates iconic compositions by Mozart, Gluck and, above all, Joseph Haydn, but it also includes largely forgotten or neglected works by less familiar names. The music featured on this disc was all composed in the 1760s. It includes ballet and opera as well as symphonies, but is drawn together by the hallmarks of the remarkably visceral and dynamic style of music that we now call ‘Sturm und Drang’. All downloads include booklets. “Well they seize on the contrasts there, don’t they? The ensemble really does make an impact.” - BBC Radio 3 Record Review "The Sturm und Drang movement is all about high drama, something Ian Page and the Mozartists, playing with scintillating edginess, offer in abundance here…The evocative orchestral final scene from Gluck's Don Juan serves as an arresting opener" - The Sunday Times ★★★★ Performance ★★★★ Recording "[Don Juan] played with fantastic attack and vigour…A genuinely fascinating start to what will doubtless be an illuminating, if emotionally harrowing series" - BBC Music Magazine "This is a splendid collection that whets the appetite for further exploration of this intriguing repertoire" - Opera Magazine "Page’s projects with The Mozartists are distinguished not only by exemplary standards of performance but also by the ambition and imagination that underpin them…[Skerath] is suitably dramatic in first recordings of arias from operas by Jommelli and Traetta…What horns (Gavin Edwards and Nick Benz), and with what freedom they are encouraged to make their mark!...The playing throughout is excellent and the programme is as deeply satisfying as the project’s entire conception" - Gramophone -
Subito: suddenly, or immediately. And something else besides – a moment of revelation or transformation, charged with surprise. When Witold Lutosławski gave this title to the showpiece that he wrote for a violin competition in Indianapolis in 1994, he evoked all these qualities, and more – that delighted astonishment; the brilliant, piercing moment of musical communion between performer and listener that comes with true virtuosity. On her debut disc, Julia Hwang has taken that idea – of virtuosity as communication – and embraced it from four very different directions. Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 3 blends virtuosity with traditions both local and international, to say something unambiguously personal. Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending refines violin technique into expression as pure as the song of a skylark. Lutosławski’s Subito creates a brief, dazzling moment whose very brilliance is its own meaning; and Henryk Wieniawski, entertainer par excellence, spins fantasy from another man’s tunes in his Fantaisie brillante sur des motifs de l’Opéra Faust de Gounod – enriching them in the process. This disc continues Signum’s series of discs with St John’s College Cambridge, following their two critically-praised Choral CDs of 2016. -
The last album with the current line-up, The King’s Singers present a new album of choral music from the early 20th century, with a feature from sopranos Grace Davidson and Victoria Meteyard. “Such stuff as dreams are made on is an exploration of European choral music from the early 20th century (and a bit either side), much of it shaped and scarred by the spectre of conflicts that dominated the continent in that period. For us, the album has been a chance to develop and exercise new and different colours in our singing, to dive deeply into text-centric interpretations and historical context, to savour and cherish the four languages in which we sing here, and – in one instance – even to expand our forces a little.” - The King’s Singers 4★★★★ - "This is a beautifully balanced programme without so much as a momentary lapse. Thank heavens for the King’s." - TheCritic.co.uk 5★★★★★ - “The overall impression is of a single organism, comfortable in its skin, moving and breathing as one” - BBC Music Magazine "Singing in small groups is the ultimate challenge, and few groups have mastered this so marvellously well as the King’s Singers. That this disc is a further feather in their already well-adorned caps, I am sure their many admirers will agree." - MusicWeb International "This release is both aesthetically and intellectually entirely successful and satisfying, performed by a vocal ensemble at the top of its game." - Musicweb International -
Their second album for Signum Classics, Christopher Gabbitas and the Phoenix Chorale present ‘Sun Moon Stars Rain’ – a new album of vocal works all linking how these pivotal elements shape our cultures, beliefs, and understanding of the world. “This enduring fascination speaks to something fundamental in the human experience – a mix of awe at the natural world, a quest for understanding our place within it, and a recognition of our dependence on forces far greater than ourselves. This is nothing new: Shakespeare, Lord Byron, and Octavio Paz are amongst the literary greats who have brought this awe to bear in their poetry and prose and inspired composers Sir John Rutter, Toby Hession and Eric Whitacre in their contributions to this programme”’ – Christopher Gabbitas -
Supersize Polyphony is a celebration of large-scale choral works from the 16th century, performed here by the Armonico Consort and the Choir of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, under their musical directors Christopher Monks and Geoffrey Webber. The unique programme features epic motets, such as Thomas Tallis’ Spemin Alium and Alessandro Striggio’s Ecce Beatam Lucem, alongside his rarely performed 60 part Missa sopra Ecco Si Beato Giorno. Interspersed with the serene beauty of ethereal chants by Hildegard of Bingen, this new recording presents works of magnitude and polyphonic drama in stellar performances by two of the UK’s leading choral ensembles. The direction is clear and the results are exciting - MusicWeb International -
Ranked among Opera Now’s ‘Top 10 High Flyers – a new generation of sopranos destined to have impressive careers in 2014’, rising operatic soprano Ilona Domnich releases her debut Signum album. Comprising arias and songs from her operatic heroines, including Gilda from Verdi’s Rigoletto; Magda from Puccini’s La Rondine; and Rosina from Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Domnich is joined by Italian baritone Leo Nucci and Southbank Sinfonia conducted by Simon Over.
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In the 2019/20 season Santtu-Matias Rouvali continued as Chief Conductor of Gothenburg Symphony and as Principal Conductor Designate of the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he succeeds Esa-Pekka Salonen as Principal Conductor in 2021/22. Alongside these posts he retains his longstanding position as Chief Conductor with Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, close to his home in Finland. His international profile continues to flourish. He debuted the season with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw orchestras in wide-ranging repertoire. He conducted the New York premiere of Bryce Dessner’s Wires, and at the Concertgebouw he conducted the world premiere of Ariadne by Theo Verbey, as well as Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. He has built a loyal following internationally after successful tour concerts last season with Gothenburg Symphony in Vienna, where he returned in December to conduct the Wiener Symphoniker and Nicola Benedetti. In 2019/20 he returned to several orchestras across Europe, including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. A self-critical composer, Tchaikovsky once said “‘I listened to the Delibes ballet Sylvia... what charm, what elegance, what wealth of melody, rhythm, and harmony. I was ashamed, for if I had known of this music then, I would not have written Swan Lake.” It's ironic that Tchaikovsky's words apply also to Swan Lake itself; “what charm, what elegance, what wealth of melody, rhythm, and harmony.” All downloads include booklets. -
Signum’s fourth disc with the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra continues their series of the great core Russian repertoire. Featuring the Orchestral suite of one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous ballets Swan Lake, complemented with Rachmaniov’s final composition Symphonic Dances. -
Composer, musician and broadcaster John Brunning is perhaps best known for his choral work Pie Jesu. The piece was initially recorded by the vocal group ‘All Angels’, and there has since been around a dozen recordings including an acapella arrangement by The King’s Singers.
In his introduction to the disc, John Brunning writes: There are probably more euphemisms employed when speaking of death than any other subject. Take a walk around a graveyard and you will see any number of headstones bearing inscriptions such as ‘passed away’, ‘fell asleep’, ‘called to rest’, and so on. Yet death is the one inescapable certainty that each of us must ultimately confront. I have sought to address this issue in as positive a way as possible with my cycle, ‘Swansongs’.Elin Manahan Thomas is one of the most versatile sopranos of her generation. Since releasing her début album Eternal Light in 2007 with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, she has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues, festivals and events, including the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. On this recording she is accompanied by pianist Daniel Grimwood, a performer of international renown who combines an exceptional talent with rare versatility and refinement.
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Tenebrae return to disc on Signum in performances exploring the Psalms in Music. With trumpets and well-tuned cymbals, the musical and prayerful richness of the Book of Psalms inspires vastly differing offerings from composers with a myriad of approaches to combining the two worlds of the symphonic and the choral. The results are works which defy categorisation and stand the test of time with audiences and performers alike. Joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the choirs director Nigel Short, they perform iconic works by Stravinsky (Symphony of Psalms), Bernstein (Chichester Psalms), Zemlinsky (Psalm 23), as well as Schoenberg’s final significant tonal work Freide auf Erden. Described as “phenomenal” ( The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine), award-winning choir Tenebrae, under the direction of Nigel Short, is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles renowned for its passion and precision. ★★★★★ These contrasting views of how composers responded to psalm settings in the last century…add up to a highly desirable disc - Financial Times The parallel third harmonies at 'In wie mancher heil'gen Nacht' are as remotely beautiful as they are hard to achieve - Gramophone It lives up to Tenebrae’s stated core values of passion and precision - Classical Source An excellent disc full of admirable singing and playing - Cathedral Music Magazine You don‘t normally hear [Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms] traversed with a vocal group with the power, accuracy and security of Tenebrae - BBC Radio 3 Record Review The musical and prayerful richness of the Psalms inspires vastly different offerings from composers - Northern Echo This is a most interesting programme, superbly performed - Music Web International Tenebrae and the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s Symphonic Psalms is the most brilliant thing about 2018 so far - Thoroughly Good Blog -
Guitarist Christoph Denoth returns to disc on Signum with a new disc of works inspired by South America, centred on the iconic tango.
The continent of South America, with its diverse countries and various lines of historical development, has stimulated the creation of many musical traditions. But throughout the heterogeneous patterns of culture, the guitar has a central part to play as a national instrument in all South American countries. This selection (titled tanguero, describing one who sings or dances the tango) brings together many of the styles and genres of that vast continent in a colourful blend of melodies, rhythms, and harmonies.
★★★★ The imagination and intensity of the original music shines - Planet Hugill What makes Denoth’s offering a must-have is a musical sensitivity exemplified as much by his curation as by his playing - GramophoneDenoth brings lyricism and fire to his performances - BBC Music Magazine
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Owen Rees leads early-music consort Contrapunctus alongside The Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford in performances of John Taverner’s masterwork, the Missa Gloria tibi trinitas. A virtuosic work, it has pride of place in the Forrest-Heyther partbooks (in the Bodleian Library in Oxford), which it has been variously argued originated at Cardinal College or at the Chapel Royal. It might well have been heard on Trinity Sunday in the chapel of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s palace at Hampton Court. The work is accompanied by other sacred choral works by Taverner, including his Ave Maria composed for Wolsey’s Cardinal College, Oxford, and one of his most widely copied works, Gaude plurimum – a dramatic work where Taverner exploits the power of his full forces to evoke Christ’s harrowing of hell and the breaking of ‘the bloody powers of the prince of eternal death.’ Contrapunctus is an early-music vocal ensemble dedicated to passionate interpretations informed by authoritative insight and understanding. Directed by Owen Rees, a specialist in music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the group presents imaginative programmes revealing previously undiscovered musical treasures and throwing new light on familiar works. Performance ★★★★ Recording ★★★★★ Rees brings together both of his crack ensembles [and] the 40-strong collective recreates [Taverner's] lavish sound - BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★ Rees has a natural affinity for this music, whether underlining differences of mood, allowing phrases to bloom or deftly judging cadential arrivals, his touch is instinctive - Classical Source ★★★★★ [A] thrilling new recording - Planet Hugill 9/10 Between them the music of John Taverner comes alive and whether your interest is in Tudor polyphony of acappella choral singing this release will bring much pleasure - Cross Rhythms This glorious programme of polyphony by John Taverner offers much opportunity for contrast as delicate, sinuous passages of vocal chamber music open up into densely populated choral vistas - Choir & Organ The full ensemble brings an undeniable grandeur - Gramophone A must for early music devotees - The Northern Echo A very fine album - MusicWeb International Beautifully recorded by Signum, this is a novel and beautiful Tudor choral release - AllMusic