CHRISTMASTIDE

Oct 24, 2022 | CD reviews

Traditional Christmas Carols arranged for Harp Harriet Adie  MIKE PURTON RECORDINGS MPR113 Here is a Christmas disc that is just that little bit different. True, it is the sort of thing you can put on in the background whilst having your Christmas morning...

REED: String Quartets

Oct 23, 2022 | CD reviews

String Quartets 4, 5 and Légende Cirrus String Quartet MIKE PURTON RECORDINGS MPR114  ‘Billy’ Reed is mostly remembered now as the friend and adviser to Elgar; but as this valuable release demonstrates he was also a composer, who seems to have enjoyed some...

LSF special BMS members’ offer

Oct 23, 2022 | News

London Song Festival is offering tickets to three of its November concerts featuring British music to BMS members at the concessionary rate of £15. The theme of this year’s London Song Festival is ‘Friends and Lovers’. Each  concert paints an intimate and...

BARRY MILLS: Portraits / Caledonia

Oct 22, 2022 | CD reviews

Volume 7: PORTRAITS  Ensemble RezaBrighton Chamber Ensemble CLAUDIO CC6050-2 Volume 8: CALEDONIA The Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra CLAUDIO CC6051-2 The first of these two CDs, Portraits contains seven chamber works. The second, Caledonia, offers four works for...

EDWARD COWIE: Streams and Particles

Oct 22, 2022 | CD reviews

Peter Sheppard Skærved violinMihailo Trandafilovski violinMiyabi DuoSpectrum Guitar QuartetChristopher Redgate oboe métier  msv 28612 Edward Cowie (b.1943) is very much a Renaissance Man. In addition to being a composer of talent, he has expertise in physics,...

New release from Cappella Records

Oct 18, 2022 | News

Cappella Records has announced the two-disc release of Heaven and Earth which includes John Tavener’s masterpiece for choir and string trio, Ikon of Light. Ikon of Light explores the inner, mystical illumination of the soul as described by the medieval...

British music at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

Sep 26, 2022 | Features

Many of us who watched the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September will have been moved by the thoughtful choice of music old and new. Highlights included new settings by the Master of the Queen’s (now King’s) music, Judith Weir and Scottish composer...

CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD: Children’s Songs

Sep 22, 2022 | CD reviews

Kitty Whately mezzo-sopranoGareth Brynmor John baritoneSusie Allan piano SOMM Recordings SOMMCD 0655 I still remember as a small child in midsummer, being reluctantly forced into bed in the early evening. Sunlight was still streaming through closed curtains, and I...

From Sheffield orphan to distinguished musician

Sep 22, 2022 | Features

The early years of William Sterndale Bennett On a recent visit to the city of Sheffield – the city of Steel – my attention was struck by an impressive monument in the Cathedral commemorating Sir William Sterndale Bennett which led to some interesting local...

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Serenade

Sep 21, 2022 | CD reviews

Tredegar Town Band Ian Porthouse conductorChapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea  ALBION RECORDS  ALBCD053 Serenade is due for release on 12 October 2022, the 150th birthday of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Here are 19 tracks, some of them, though by no means all,...