THE ART OF DANCING INTRODUCTION phase in my journey: new music for the forces of By Simon Desbruslais , piano and string , where the 21ST-CENTURY CONCERTOS FOR TRUMPET, PIANO & STRINGS soloists are treated as equal partners. It has been almost three years since the launch The Art of Dancing Toby Young of my debut concerto disc, Psalm: Contemporary I initially suggested the idea Suite for trumpet, piano and strings British Trumpet Concertos. During that time to Geoffrey Gordon, who was inspired to write 1 Prelude [2.41] 5 Trance [5.12] I have been fortunate to work with two of its a vivid and powerful new work based on two 2 Garage [2.39] 6 Breakbeat [2.53] composers again on new commissions – John paintings by Wassily Kandinsky entitled Saint 3 Acid House [3.17] 7 Postlude [1.42] McCabe, who tragically passed away in 2015, Blue. It is particularly noteworthy for its central, 4 Drum & Bass [3.28] wrote the tremendous Sonata after William extended cadenza section which moulds the Byrd’s ‘Haec Dies’ for Trumpet and Piano (2014), forces of muted trumpet and piano with double 8 Saint Blue Geoffrey Gordon [9.41] while Deborah Pritchard evocatively showcased bass. True to providing equal concerto roles, Double concerto for trumpet, piano and strings, after Kandinsky the trumpet in Benedicite (2014) with and Geoffrey writes dense, often aggressive piano Seven Halts on the Somme (2014) with piano. textures which form a balanced counterpart Seven Halts on the Somme Concerto for piano, trumpet and I also enjoyed meeting and working with many to his dynamic, bold trumpet writing. This work Deborah Pritchard string orchestra, Op. 74 other composers, plotting new projects and was partnered in the first recording session For solo trumpet in C, harp and Nimrod Borenstein bringing their new music to life. by Toby Young’s The Art of Dancing after which string orchestra y I. Allegro [5.57] 9 I. The Grand Mine [1.57] u II. Adagio [5.17] this album is named. I first encountered Toby 0 II. Trônes Wood [0.53] i III. Allegro [7.51] This new disc, the second in my mission to through connections at the – q III. Pozières: The Moulin [2.03] expand the solo trumpet repertoire, is inspired he was completing his doctorate at the time – and w IV. Warlencourt Ridge [1.42] Total timings: [63.02] by Dmitri Shostakovich, who originally conceived I was struck by his wide-ranging musical tastes e V. The Sucrerie: Longueval [1.12] his First as a trumpet concerto. and infectious positivity towards new projects. r VI. Flatiron Copse [1.45] What an important work to us trumpeters it It was a particular joy, therefore, when he chose t VII. Guillemont to Ginch [2.49] would have been! Eventually he arrived at a to write a double concerto that merged classical feat. Rita Schindler Harp final work that is not, strictly speaking, a double concepts with modern dance forms. In our various concerto, but a piano concerto with trumpet conversations I also encouraged the use of the obbligato. It was by reflecting upon this seminal trumpet, which receives novel treatment SIMON DESBRUSLAIS TRUMPET • CLARE HAMMOND PIANO composition in conversations with conductor in the ‘Garage’ and ‘Acid House’ movements. ENGLISH STRING ORCHESTRA • KENNETH WOODS CONDUCTOR Kenneth Woods that I began to develop the next In an almost exact reverse of Shostakovich,

www.signumrecords.com - 3 - Toby had originally conceived of writing a piano the role of Director of Performance and have “You must have chaos within you to give birth quality of trance music and ’s famous concerto, which after our conversations, became been relishing involvement with UK City of to a dancing star” Nietzsche Adagietto from his fifth symphony. The sixth a double concerto! Culture 2017. movement is an earthy Totentanz, beginning The Art of Dancing stately but gradually speeding up into a mad, I first metNimrod Borenstein by wonderful I am grateful to Kenneth Woods for his Toby Young possessed St Vitus’ dance to the death. A coincidence following a performance of Deborah unswerving support and belief in my work, to 1 Prelude final postlude recalls the opening one last time. Pritchard’s Concerto Wall of Water at my manager Matthew Peters, to Clare Hammond 2 Garage In spite (or perhaps because of) this piece’s Gallery in January 2015. Nimrod’s who is quite simply one of the most incredible 3 Acid House electronic influences, the orchestration reflects double concerto is particularly noteworthy for people I have ever met, to the recording 4 Drum & Bass the baroque concerto da camera, with musical its extensive treatment of articulation – in fact, team at Signum Classics including Tim Oldham 5 Trance material being playfully passed between the the various rapid quintuplet groupings were and Mike Hatch who showed exemplary 6 Breakbeat two soloists against the body of ripieno strings. a new challenge that I had not faced to the professionalism, inhuman aural skills and 7 Postlude same extent in existing trumpet music. I would unshakeably cheerful temperament during the As the piece unfolds, there is a suggestion visit his house to rehearse these sections, and intensity of the recording sessions, and finally The Art of Dancing is a modern homage to that the trumpet is trying to tempt the piano, I was struck by the expert precision and clarity to all four composers involved in this recording the baroque dance suite. The piece is a set leading it astray through a set of elaborate of Nimrod’s musical ideas. I also find a for producing instant classics for the trumpet of loose variations or embellishments on the music games. The trumpet often steals the tremendous beauty to the soaring, extended and orchestral repertoire. I would like to opening prelude – a short arioso based on a piano’s melodies, becoming more and more melodies of the central movement, laced with dedicate the CD to the memory of three pop-song I wrote for a Japanese boy band – with dominant – indeed, the trumpet is metaphorically melancholy. Deborah’s solo trumpet concerto, important musical figures in my life, who died each movement hinting at a different style of ‘masked’ (i.e. muted) through most of the after the same paintings by artists Hughie in close proximity – Nick Gale, John McCabe electronic dance music. The first movement work, only becoming unmasked to reveal his true O’Donoghue that inspired her duo work for and David Trendell. reflects UK Garage, a quirky dance style based identity at the very end of the sixth movement. trumpet and piano, atmospherically contrasts on syncopation and rhythmic instability. The © Toby Young the trumpet with strings and obbligato harp. second, Acid House, showcases the psychedelic 8 Saint Blue It reminds me of when I was fortunate to aspect of this drug-fuelled genre, moving Double concerto for trumpet, piano and strings, visit the studios of Hughie, and to improvise into a short interlude recalling the opening after Kandinsky in front of the paintings alongside Deborah. prelude, acting as a type of refrain. Drum Geoffrey Gordon I performed and recorded both of these and Bass presents a fast, virtuosic movement concertos in the newly-renovated Middleton Hall for both soloists, before a hypnotic central Inspired by the works of Russian visual artist at the University of Hull, where I have assumed nocturne, inspired simultaneously by the hypnotic and visionary, Wassily Kandinsky, Saint Blue

- 4 - - 5 - (a double concerto for trumpet, piano and 9 - t Seven Halts on the Somme of the woods. The trumpet then re-enters and stopping points is shown stretching out into strings) is divided into two contrasting for solo trumpet in C, harp and string orchestra the music moves to the next painting: III. the distance. The road becomes symbolic of sections, with the second essentially embedded Deborah Pritchard ‘Pozières: The Moulin’, a place where many a journey away from the conflict of the past in the first – a kind of sonic exploration of the Australian soldiers lost their lives, as fast moving towards hope of a peaceful future. sacred and profane – in a fairly straight-forward I. The Grand Mine strings and an elegiac muted solo trumpet © Deborah Pritchard A-B-A design. The first section is a reaction II. Trônes Wood depict the moving sails of the windmill. The to Kandinsky’s 1911 All Saints I (part of the III. Pozières: The Moulin music then descends and slows down before y - i Concerto for piano, trumpet and string Stadtische Galerie’s permanent collection in IV. Warlencourt Ridge the next painting: IV. ‘Warlencourt Ridge’ is orchestra, Op. 74 Munich), and features the soloists and full V. The Sucrerie: Longueval marked by the return of the opening solo Nimrod Borenstein string orchestra in a shared expression of this VI. Flatiron Copse trumpet idea, transformed and placed against colourful masterpiece. The contrasting B section VII. Guillemont to Ginchy a richer texture. It is also a moment of sadness, I. Allegro draws the orchestra’s principal remembering all those who lost their lives. The II. Adagio into a trio with the trumpet and piano soloists, Seven Halts on the Somme responds to the upper strings then heighten in intensity as the III. Allegro creating a kind of extended, jazz-infused series of oil paintings by artist Hughie next image: V. ‘The Sucrerie: Longueval’ is cadenza, after Kandinsky’s In Blue (1925; part O’Donoghue that mark seven stopping points introduced and the lower strings play an The concerto for piano, trumpet and string of the Kunstsammlung Museum’s collection for British troops during the Battle of the aggressive passage that suggests both the orchestra was composed during 2016 and in Dusseldorf). An animated return to the tutti Somme. It was written for the 2016 Lichfield battle that took place there and the fiery reds premiered at the University of Hull’s Middleton string orchestra and some (evolved) thematic Festival as part of the Sound and Music of the sky in the painting. The solo trumpet Hall (UK) on the 28th of October 2016. It is music from All Saints I, concludes Saint Blue. Embedded programme. The concerto begins and ensemble eventually becomes as one in dedicated to Simon Desbruslais who gave the © Geoffrey Gordon with a solo trumpet playing expressive, and an expressive, homophonic statement before premiere with Clare Hammond and The English sometimes explosive, music over a bass pedal moving to the penultimate painting: VI. String Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Woods. This work was commissioned by Arts Council to resonate with the first painting: ‘Flatiron Copse’. This is depicted by a gentle, England, on behalf of the English Symphony flowing harp that emerges out of the darkness, I am fascinated and inspired by the concerto Orchestra. I. ‘The Grand Mine’, a place where several illuminating the rich golden colours of the form and this double concerto was my fifth visit to this great genre. It is in three First performance given by the English explosions took place, leaving a vast crater. painting and the peace of the military cemetery. contrasting movements (Allegro – Adagio – Symphony Orchestra, soloists Simon Desbruslais As the harp and upper strings enter the music The movement towards the light continues Allegro) lasting around 20 minutes in total. (trumpet) and Clare Hammond (piano), with transforms into II. ‘Trônes Wood’ through a strong as the trumpet leads the ensemble in the The first movement, which is essentially conductor Kenneth Woods; Elgar Hall, and vigorous passage for strings to remember final section of the work: VII. ‘Guillemont to highly dynamic and rhythmical, also contains , England, 13 May 2015 the fierce battles that took place in the darkness Ginchy’, where the road between these two

- 6 - - 7 - contrasted moments of profound lyricism and I am interested in the idea of using complex at the Ryedale, Wymondham, Bangor New others of almost mystical contemplation. The juxtaposition of rhythms to create a multiplicity Music, North York Moors, Deal, and Rheine second movement could be called Mozartian of different atmospheres. It is my strong Vokal festivals, and appeared as a concerto as it is both at times light and pure and at belief that the creation of contrasts is one soloist on the natural trumpet at the other times tragic. The third concluding movement of the most powerful, profound aspects of Wigmore Hall. Simon is fortunate to maintain is fast and playful with an almost cheeky Music, and Art in general. active duo partnerships with pianist Clare character – but still, as with the earlier © Nimrod Borenstein Hammond and organist Stephen Farr, among movements, there is that contrast, with moments many other fine musicians. of great tension. Simon was educated at King’s College and the Royal College of Music, winning numerous prizes and scholarships. He was Simon Desbruslais and German Radio SWR2 to millions of viewers subsequently a private student of Eric Aubier Trumpet and listeners worldwide. in the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Rueil-Malmaison. Keen to expand on Simon Desbruslais is a British trumpet soloist, A crucial element of Simon’s career involves the relationship between performance and whose performances have been critically working with composers to create and champion musicology, Simon holds a doctorate from acclaimed as “steel-lipped”, “musically new works involving the trumpet. This has © Sophie Cheng Christ Church, Oxford, on the music theory of compelling” and possessing “supreme confidence ranged from chamber works, such as trumpet Since his breakthrough season in 2012/13, Paul Hindemith, which will soon be published and flair”. Equally active in baroque and and piano, to full-scale concertos and more Simon has given concerto performances in in monograph form. He is Lecturer in Music contemporary music, Simon has recorded unusual combinations such as trumpet with China and Brazil, appeared as soloist with at the University of Hull, where he is also extensively for Signum Classics, including choir, or with string . Simon has a Royal Northern Sinfonia, English Symphony Director of Performance, and he has lectured Psalm: Contemporary British Trumpet Concertos, particular commitment to British music – Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of , at the universities of Bristol, Nottingham, King’s an album of trumpet works written for him composers who have written with his sound Orchestra of the Swan, Charivari Agréable, College London and Surrey. by John McCabe, Robert Saxton and Deborah and technique in mind include, among others, Brook Street Band, Ensemble Diderot and Pritchard. Radio and Television broadcasts Edwin Roxburgh, John McCabe, John Traill, London Concertante, and as a guest chamber Simon acknowledges the generous support form an integral output to Simon’s work Deborah Pritchard, Lola Perrin, Luke Bedford, Toby musician with the Ligeti Quartet, Austral of Arts Council England, Ralph Vaughan and over the last four years he has performed Young, Tomas Yardley and Tom Armstrong. Harmony, Little Venice Ensemble and Ensemble Williams Trust, Britten Pears Foundation and live on BBC 1 Television, BBC Radio 3 & 4 Perpetuo. He has given solo performances Help Musicians UK.

- 8 - - 9 - Clare Hammond Geoffrey Gordon Piano Composer

Acclaimed as a pianist of “amazing power Geoffrey Gordon has been described as a “rising and panache” (The Telegraph), Clare star in contemporary music” (Le Monde). His Hammond is recognised for the virtuosity list of works includes orchestral and chamber and authority of her performances and music-vocal and instrumental-as well as scores has developed a “reputation for brilliantly for theater, dance and film. Recipient of a imaginative concert programmes” (BBC Music host of awards and accolades, his music has Magazine, ‘Rising Star’). She won the Royal been called “darkly seductive” ( Philharmonic Society’s ‘Young Artist Award’, Times), “brilliant” (Boston Globe), “stunning” in recognition of outstanding achievements (Milwaukee Journal), “wonderfully idiomatic” (Salt in 2015. Highlights in 2016 included a Lake Tribune), “haunting” (Strings Magazine) performance at the Royal Festival Hall with and “remarkable” (Fanfare). The Chicago the Philharmonia, and a concerto tour of Tribune hailed Gordon’s lux solis aeterna, “a Poland, with a newly discovered work by Josef cosmic beauty... of acutely crafted music.” And Myslivecek, a mentor of Mozart. Clare also Classical Review described his Tiger Psalms curated three for the BBC at the as “a very impressive and significant world at La Napoule Arts Foundation in Cannes, and Belfast International Arts Festival, which premiere... the composer makes the music at the historic Cliff Dweller Club in Chicago. were broadcast as part of the BBC Radio 3 sing magnificently.” Nominated for the Society Lunchtime Concerts series. of Lincoln Center’s Elise Stoeger Prize, and version of ’s character, ‘Miss A winner of the Aaron Award, Mr. Gordon recognized by the Academy of Arts and Letters, Clare has released three discs with BIS Shepherd’, in the , has twice served as composer-in-residence he has received academic fellowship support which have been widely praised. The Observer The Lady in the Van, directed by Nick Hytner. at the House. He has received from Boston University, New York University described her as a “star interpreter of Contemporary music forms an important awards from numerous foundations including and the Guildhall in London, and was shortlisted contemporary music” while Gramophone part of Clare’s work and she has given 35 the American Composers Forum, the MacArthur for the 2016 Mario Merz Prize for music noted her “unfaltering bravura and conviction”. world premieres to date, including those of Foundation, the Barlow Endowment, Concert composition. His works are performed by some of In 2015 Clare performed at the Barbican major works by composers Robert Saxton, Artists Guild, the Cheswatyr Foundation and the best ensembles in the world, including The Hall and made her film debut as the younger Michael Berkeley, John McCabe and Arlene Sierra. Arts Council England. He has been in residence Philharmonia, Munich Philharmonic, Copenhagen

- 10 - - 11 - Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Malmö at the Clavier) and earlier song cycle Sonnets Toby Young Symfoniorkester, Britten Sinfonia, Cleveland from Neruda premiere at the Composer Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra, Center, Vienna, March 2018. His choral work, Milwaukee Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, the CRUClFIXUS, for double choir and solo , Toby Young is a composer whose work explores Boston Modern Orchestra Project, JACK Quartet, written for the Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir, the boundaries between pop and classical Zeitfluss, Ensemble Meitar, San Francisco premiered in Copenhagen in April 2017, and music. After winning /BBC Contemporary Music Players and the International was broadcast worldwide by Danish Radio. Proms Young Composer of the Year (2006 and Contemporary Ensemble. Gordon has served as an advocate on behalf 2008) and International ABRSM Composition of ASCAP in support of digital rights in Competition (2009), Toby’s music has been He received the 2015 commission award from Washington, D.e., and worked extensively in much in demand, with works being performed the American Music Project with a major new classical radio broadcasting. He currently by renowned ensembles and chamber work for clarinet and divides his time between the United States and including the London Symphony Orchestra, (the JACK Quartet and Anthony McGill, principal the . Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Academy of clarinet of ) which Ancient Music, Fretwork, London Mozart Players, premiered in and Chicago. In Britten Sinfonia and CHROMA. He has also December 2015, cellist Toke Møldrup premiered formed close relationships with several FM, and he has been the featured composer Gordon’s , FATHOMS, after instrumentalists and chamber groups, including at the Kings Lynn and Stratford Festivals. He Shakespeare’s Tempest, at Carnegie Hall in pianist Melvyn Tan, clarinettist Julian Bliss, is currently Composer-in-Residence with the New York. His chamber vocal work Winterleben Sacconi Quartet, Navarra Quartet, cellist Guy Armonico Consort, following past residencies setting of texts by German poet Friedrich Johnston, and mezzo-soprano Clare McCaldin. with the London Oriana Choir and Reverie. Ruckert for horn, mezzo-soprano and piano was commissioned for Los Angeles Philharmonic Toby’s music is particularly popular amongst Toby is also active as a researcher, exploring Orchestra’s principal horn, Andrew Bain, and . He has been commissioned by numerous the relationship between creative practice premiered in August 2015 in Los Angeles as groups, including the choirs of King’s College and philosophy in his work as the inaugural part of the 47th International Horn Symposium. , New College Oxford, Queens College Gianturco Junior Research Fellow at Linacre Gordon’s ROCKS involved a commission Oxford, Westminster Abbey, the Choir of Royal College, Oxford. He frequently gives public consortium of more than 20 university wind Holloway, the Joyful Company of Singers, and talks about this work, including a recent TEDx orchestras in US and UK. His song cycle for the BBC Singers. Many of Toby’s works have talk entitled ‘Why Do We Warble?’ the baritone Tobias Greenhalgh (Peter Quince been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Classic

- 12 - - 13 - Nimrod Borenstein Every composer needs artists to perform A full-orchestra recording of Suspended Composer their music. One of the most important for launched the Berlin-based Solaire label. Among Borenstein has been Vladimir Ashkenazy, who the excellent reviews, The Arts Desk wrote, With many world premieres, scores of took an interest early on. A first opportunity “Borenstein’s transparent, athletic string performances and multiple recordings of to work together arose when Ashkenazy writing is stunningly realised…glorious, singing his music, British-French-Israeli composer conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra for a lines…Borenstein’s sense of fun is infectious”. Nimrod Borenstein is much in demand. Leading performance of The Big Bang and Creation of artists and orchestras who champion his the Universe to great acclaim. This was quickly Nimrod’s substantial catalogue continues to work include Vladimir Ashkenazy, the followed by a Philharmonia premiere, again develop and currently numbers more than seventy Philharmonia Orchestra, Roberto Prosseda, with Ashkenazy, If you will it, it is no dream. works including ballet, concertos, orchestral Dmitry Sitkovetsky, the Oxford Philharmonic The collaboration has continued, culminating and chamber music as well as vocal and solo and many others. in 2017 with the release on the Chandos instrumental pieces. label of a major album conducted by The son of a renowned artist, Nimrod’s first Ashkenazy, entirely devoted to Borenstein’s music. musical experience came as a child on holiday in France, when on a family walk through a Borenstein’s music continues to rise in forest they came across an outdoors concert. © Nataliya Gorbovskaya popularity, with his Suspended Op. 69 in “I just stopped and refused to move until pleased with myself, until someone told me particular proving a huge international success the concert was finished two hours later. And that someone called Schoenberg had got there with more than 100 performances (from the I told my parents then and there that I first,” laughs Borenstein. Edinburgh International Festival to the Taipei wanted to learn violin and be a musician.” Arts Festival) since its premiere in January recalls Borenstein. A love affair with music In 1984 he won the competition of the 2015 at the Royal House, Covent Garden. started, with the young Borenstein challenging Cziffra Foundation and became one of its The music was commissioned especially himself by listening to classical works on Laureats. He moved to London in 1986, to pursue by Sean Gandini and Gandini Juggling for the radio, then turning the sound down halfway his studies as a violinist with Itzhak Rashkovsky their ballet for jugglers and dancers 4 x 4 through and himself scoring the way he at the Royal College of Music. He was then Ephemeral Architectures. The piece continues felt the next 30 seconds would continue (he awarded the highest scholarship from the Leverhulme to tour the world. was often more or less correct)! Aged eight he Trust to study composition at the Royal developed a twelve-tone system. “I was very Academy of Music (where he is now an Associate).

- 14 - - 15 - Deborah Pritchard Kenneth Woods Composer Conductor

Deborah Pritchard has been broadcast by BBC Hailed by Gramophone as a “symphonic Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, released commercially conductor of stature”, conductor, cellist, by NMC, Signum and Nimbus and performed composer and author Kenneth Woods has by the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC worked with the National Symphony Orchestra National Orchestra of Wales, London , (USA), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Cincinnati Royal Northern Sinfonia, Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra English String Orchestra, Orchestra of the of Wales, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Royal Swan, The Hermes Experiment, Chroma, Allegri Northern Sinfonia and English Chamber

String Quartet, BBC Singers and the Christ © Kayleigh Allenby Orchestra. He has also appeared on the Church Cathedral Choir. She studied composition the National Gallery in 2015. It was held stages of some of the world’s leading music Robert Schumann, among the most widely with Simon Bainbridge for her MMus Degree to critical acclaim by Gramophone as a festivals, including Aspen, Scotia and Lucerne. praised classical recording projects in recent at the , subsequently “work that will take ones breath away”. Her In 2013, he took up a new position as Artistic years, highlighted in National Public Radio’s holding the post of Junior Manson Fellow, and orchestral piece “The Angel Standing in Director and Principal Conductor of the ‘All Things Considered’, Performance Today, was awarded her DPhil from Worcester College, ”, inspired by the painting by English Symphony Orchestra. In 2015 he BBC Radio 3, the Sunday New York Times, the Oxford where she studied with Robert Saxton. She J.M.W. Turner, was first performed by became the second Artistic Director of the Sunday Telegraph, Washington Post and was teaches composition at the University of Oxford François-Xavier Roth and the London Symphony Colorado MahlerFest, the only American an ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone. Among his and Leeds College of Music. She was composer in Orchestra at LSO St Luke’s in 2016 (Panufnik organization other than the New York other recordings are Schoenberg’s chamber residence at the Lichfield Festival, 2016 through Scheme) then again the same year by Martyn Philharmonic to receive the Gold Medal of the ensemble versions of and the Sound and Music Embedded scheme. Brabbins and the BBC National Orchestra International Society. Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (for Somm) of Wales at the Lichfield Festival, broadcast on by Gustav Mahler, which won the coveted IRR She is a synaesthetic composer and her violin BBC Radio 3. She has also been commissioned Woods was appointed Principal Guest Conductor Outstanding rosette from International Record concerto Wall of Water, after the paintings by to paint a series of ‘music maps’ for the London of the Orchestra of the Swan in 2010 and Review, and Spring Sounds, Spring Seas, a Maggi Hambling, was commissioned and first Sinfonietta, reviewed in as “beautifully during his tenure lifted that orchestra to a MusicWeb ‘Record of the Year’. His recordings performed by the English String Orchestra with illustrated...showing graphically how the music new level of international renown. With them, with the English Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist Harriet Mackenzie, conducted by develops, while also paying visual homage he recorded the first complete cycle of the English String Orchestra include the Elgar Kenneth Woods at LSO St Luke’s in 2014 and to those wonderful medieval maps of the world.” symphonies of Hans Gál paired with those of Piano as orchestrated by Donald Fraser,

- 16 - - 17 - and the complete piano concertos of Ernst the 2015 Magazine “Premiere Krenek, a Sunday Times ‘Best of 2016’. of the Year”, and releasing a triumphant series of recordings including Donald Fraser’s A widely read writer and frequent broadcaster, orchestration of the Elgar Woods’ blog, A View from the Podium, is one (Classic FM Disc of the Week) and the of the 25 most popular classical blogs in the Complete Piano Concertos of world. He has spoken on Mahler on NPR’s ‘All (Sunday Times Essential New Release). Things Considered’ and BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today Programme’ and is a frequent commentator on Founded in 1980 by William Boughton, the BBC Radio 3. ESO have a long and distinguished history of collaboration with legendary figures of British English String Orchestra music making. Vernon “Tod” Handley became the orchestra’s second Principal Conductor ESO discography also highlights a commitment endeavour to date- The 21st C. Symphony The Worcestershire-based ESO, the International in 2007, and led the orchestra until his to the music of our time; in addition to Project, which will involve commissioning, Orchestra of Elgar Country, is an ensemble death. Over the years, the ESO has worked the notable recordings which grew out of the premiering and recording nine new symphonies which in recent years has become synonymous with a distinguished list of instrumentalists, orchestra’s affiliation with , by leading composers. The 21st C. Project with artistic excellence, innovative and composers and conductors, including Nigel are recordings of music by John Metcalfe, John was launched with the premiere of Philip visionary programming, distinctive commissioning, Kennedy, Stephen Isserlis, Daniel Hope, Michael Joubert, and Michael and . Sawyers’ Third Symphony in February 2017 and ground-breaking recording, a welcoming and Tippett, Nicholas Maw and Yehudi Menuhin, John McCabe served as the orchestra’s continues with the premiere of David Matthews’ immersive concert experience, transformative who was appointed the ESO’s Principal Guest Composer-in-Association from 2013 until his Ninth in 2018. youth programmes and service to the Conductor in 1991, and led the orchestra on a death in 2015. Following this, the ESO appointed community. Since the appointment of Kenneth number of international tours. British music Philip Sawyers as “John McCabe Composer- Established in 1980 as the English String Woods as the orchestra’s new Artistic Director has always been a central part of the in-Association” in 2015. Works being written Orchestra, the orchestra’s repertoire expanded and Principal Conductor in 2013, the orchestra’s mission. Appropriately for an as part of Sawyers’ association with the ESO to include the full breadth of orchestral music, orchestra has re-emerged as a major force orchestra based in Elgar’s home town, the ESO include a , a Trumpet Concerto a and the ESO grew to also become the in British musical life, presenting and has made many acclaimed recordings of that Song Cycle and a Third Symphony. English Symphony Orchestra. Ever since recording the orchestra’s first full-length opera composer’s music, and that of major 20th- then, “ESO” has served as an acronym with a (the world premiere of John Joubert’s Jane Eyre) century British composers including Vaughan In 2016-7, the ESO embarked on their dual meaning. to overwhelming critical acclaim, presenting Williams, Britten, Butterworth and . The most ambitious commissioning and recording

- 18 - - 19 - ENGLISH STRING ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

Matthew Peters Double Bass General Manager Helen Roberts 1 2 Ben Griffiths 1 2 Isobel Adams 1 2 Jeremy Gordon 1 2 Violin 1 Julian Robinson 1 2 Stephen Warner 3 4 Sara Trickey 1 2 Carl Hill 3 4 Tijmen Huisingh 3 4 James Drummond 3 4 Harp Carl Darby 1 2 3 4 Julian Robinson 3 4 Rita Schindler 3 Jacqui Allen 1 2 3 4 Fran Higgins 3 4 Noriko Tsuzaki 1 2 3 4 Jeremy Sampson 1 2 Cello Peter Adams 1 2 Violin II Corinne Frost 1 2 3 4 Angus Gibbon 1 2 Anna Joubert 1 2 Eleanor Cooke 1 2 3 4 Alice McVeigh 3 4 Emily Adams 1 2 Julian Metzger 3 4 Shulah Oliver 1 2 Esther King Smith 3 4 Richard Laing 3 4 Jess Townsend 3 4

Key: Numbers indicate which works the perfomer appears on 1 – The Art of Dancing / Toby Young 2 – Saint Blue / Geoffrey Gordon Simon Desbruslais, Clare Hammond, Kenneth Woods & the ESO during recording sessions for this CD. 3 – Seven Halts on the Somme / Deborah Pritchard 4 – Concerto for piano, trumpet and string orchestra, Op. 74 / Nimrod Borenstein

- 20 - - 21 - This recording would not have been possible without the generous support of the following organistions:

The Art of Dancing and Saint Blue recorded in the Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham, UK on 18th September 2015.

Seven Halts on the Somme and Concerto for piano, trumpet and string orchestra recorded in Middletone Hall, University of Hull, UK on 29th October 2016.

Producer & Editor – Tim Oldham Recording Engineer – Mike Hatch

Cover Image – Interlacing 3 © Vadim Stein Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk

P 2017 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd © 2017 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd

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SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] www.signumrecords.com

- 22 - - 23 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

David Bednall: Welcome All Wonders PSALM A Christmas Cantata Contemporary British Trumpet Concertos Choir of the Queen’s College, Oxford McCabe • Pritchard • Saxon Simon Desbruslais trumpet Simon Desbruslais trumpet Owen Rees conductor Orchestra of the Swan SIGCD335 Kenneth Woods & David Curtis conductors SIGCD403

“ ... an original and very rewarding addition to the Christmas “Four vibrant, attractive concertos … performed with dazzling choral repertoire.” virtuosity and musicianship by Simon Desbruslais and the Musicweb International Orchestra of the Swan …. A hugely enjoyable disc, strongly recommended.” Gramophone, February 2015

Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000

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