Obituary: Sir Andrew Davis CBE
1944 – 2024 The British Music Society says farewell to one of our much-loved Vice-Presidents following the death of Sir Andrew Davis, aged 80. Recognised as one of Britain’s greatest conductors, he was described by music critic Alan Blyth as ‘a conductor whose...
HOWARD SKEMPTON: 50 Preludes and Fugues for Organ
Two CDs, First Recordings Matthew Owens organ RESONANCE CLASSICS RES10336 The composer’s note to this recording of Howard Skempton’s ‘50 Preludes and Fugues for Organ’ begins by expressing the likely reaction of many people when first encountering this project....
GENESIS AND HOPE
Concert review: music by Kraus, Coult, Sibelius and Arnold St Paul’s SinfoniaPhilippa Boyle soprano Andrew Morley conductor Friday 17 May, St Margaret’s Church, Blackheath The St Paul’s Sinfonia, who celebrate their 20th anniversary next year, are a...
Series unearths scores from the past
The English Heritage Music Series, an initiative presented by the University of Minnesota’s Library Publishing Services, now offers free access to musical compositions previously out of reach or long out of print. More than 160 performance scores for music by...
GODS, GHOSTS AND MONSTERS
Songs by Collins, Butterworth, Warlock, Holst, Bridge Scott Robert Shaw tenorConceptus DIVINE ART DDX 21133 Australian-born Scott Robert Shaw is a former member of (among many others) the Holst Singers. His debut disc The English Tenor explored early C20th English...
GREG CAFFREY: Environments
Ulster OrchestraSinead Hayes ConductorCraig Ogden guitar Daniel Browell piano DIVINE ART DDX 21131 The Ulster composer Greg Caffrey is a new name to me, though I have been aware of the Hard Rain Ensemble that he founded a decade ago. Aingeal is a tribute to a loved...
NEXUS
Twenty compositions by seven contemporary composers Oscar Whight trumpetZeynep Özsuca piano Willowhayne Records WHR093 It was trumpet-player Oscar Whight who, in 2020 during the pandemic, when musicians were being forced apart from one another, decided to bring...
THE PRE-RAPHAELITE CELLO
Adrian Bradbury celloAndrew West piano SOMM SOMMCD 0685 It might be thought perverse to choose the shortest piece here as the defining example of the distinguished artistry epitomised within. Grainger’s Variations on Handel’s ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’, which later...