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Roderick Elms

Roderick Elms studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and appears in concerts, recordings and broadcasts with most of Britain’s major orchestras, both as a principal keyboard player and soloist. He appears regularly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 as well as for Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Foreign tours have taken him round most of Europe as well as to South Africa, the United States and Canada, Israel and the Far East. His solo recordings with the RPO include Hubert Bath’s Cornish Rhapsody, the Spellbound and Warsaw concertos and da Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain. Other recordings include Frank Martin’s Ballade for Piano and Orchestra with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and The Dream of Olwen and other music of Charles Williams with the BBC Concert Orchestra on the Marco Polo label. In lighter vein, he has made contributions to albums by José Carreras (Pure Passion) and Tony Henry (Modern Arias). As organist, he has recorded an extensive list for EMI and Chandos which includes all the major oratorios of Elgar and the award- winning recording of Britten’s War Requiem with the London Photo: Joanna Smith Symphony Orchestra. He has contributed to many film soundtracks including Aliens, Dangerous Liaisons, Shadowlands, Philadelphia and the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He caused something of a stir in the 2003 Proms when, with friend and colleague Alistair Young, he appeared on live television for the solo piano duet part of Malcolm Arnold’s The Belles of St Trinian’s, dressed in schoolboy uniform, complete with cap and catapult! Roderick Elms is Composer in Association to the Elgar Chamber Orchestra and his compositions, which range in diversity from solo instrumental music to symphonic compositions, are now heard across the UK, the United States and Canada performed by such orchestras as the Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert, London Philharmonic, English Chamber, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Hallé, Scottish National, Ulster and Toronto Symphony. In addition to his Christmas and festive pieces, his other compositions are regularly broadcast by the BBC and Classic FM and much of his instrumental music has been recorded by the RPO for the Dutton label under the title A Little Fall-ish! This CD includes his popular Concertino for Celeste, Four Seasonal Nocturnes for horn (with Martin Owen as soloist), Cygncopations for cor anglais (with Victoria Walpole) and the Pæan for organ and strings (with organist, Stuart Nicholson). Music for solo piano includes a set of Twelve Astrological Preludes, one for each of the twelve major keys – each prelude alluding to certain character traits traditionally associated with that sign. Other chamber pieces include Burlesca for two horns and piano, and the quirky Funky Fugato for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano. His output also includes choral music for church use and includes the popular anthem The Lord is my Strength and Song, a setting of Psalm 118, and a set of Preces and Responses. Details of his music can be found at www.masterkeyboards.co.uk.

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1 Fanfare da Festa 1:31 THREE MORE CAROLS Stephen Bell Roderick Elms @ Coventry Carol 3:26 Stephen Bell was born in Bury, Lancashire, and won a place to study conducting 2 O Come, O Come Emmanuel 4:01 15th-century arr. Elms 15th-century French melody adapted and arr. Elms and French horn at the Royal College of Music. In addition to holding the post of # Silent Night 3:40 Principal Horn with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and solo horn of Mark Wilde, tenor Grüber arr. Elms the Haffner Wind Ensemble for several years, he is often asked to exchange his THREE CAROLS horn for the baton and now finds himself undertaking an increasingly demanding $ In Dulci Jubilo 1:57 3 Gabriel’s Message** 3:10 schedule working as guest conductor with orchestras such as the Royal 14th-century German arr. Elms Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Guildford Basque traditional arr. Elms Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, BBC Concert Orchestra, 4 Rocking 2:12 % Sheep May Safely Graze Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers Czech melody collected by Martin Shaw arr. Elms and London Gala Orchestra, and frequent collaborations with prominent artists 5 Angels from the Realms of Glory 3:40 (Cantata BWV208) 3:50 such as Guy Johnston, Stephen Hough, David Childs, Hayley Westenra, Murray Old French tune arr. Elms J.S. Bach arr. Elms McLachlan, Nicola-Jane Kemp, G4, Shan Cothi, Andy Abraham, Lynton Alistair Young, chamber organ Photo: Hanya Chlala Atkinson, Aled Jones, The Celtic Tenors, The OperaBabes, John Scott, Leland 6 Sleepers Wake! (Cantata BWV140) 4:12 Martin Owen and Andrew Fletcher, horns Chen, Camilla Roberts, Evelyn Chang, Bonaventura Bottone and Susan Bullock. J.S. Bach arr. Elms Stephen Bell also holds the post of Artistic Director with the Elgar Chamber Orchestra. It was with this orchestra that Alistair Young, chamber organ ^ Festive Frolic 3:13 he released his first disc as a conductor for Sanctuary Classics, of which critic Ivan March wrote in the international Martin Owen and Andrew Fletcher, horns magazine The Gramophone, “Stephen Bell’s accompaniments with the excellent Elgar Chamber Orchestra could not be Roderick Elms more polished ...”. He is a regular visitor to the RPO and has recorded an album with them of instrumental music by 7 Cherry Tree Carol 2:09 & Sleep, Sweet Babe! (Dormi Jesu) 3:03 Roderick Elms. Traditional English carol arr. Elms He regularly undertakes live broadcasts for BBC Radio 2 (including the well-loved Friday Night is Music Night) and Words tr. Samuel Taylor Coleridge 8 Away in a Manger 3:19 BBC Radio 3, and has subsequently been requested as conductor for several eminent occasions, including the Queen’s W.J. Kirkpatrick arr. Elms Music by Roderick Elms Golden Jubilee Concert at Chatsworth House, the Royal Festival Hall tribute concert for film music composer Stanley Mark Wilde, tenor Black, the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Alistair Cooke, Children in Need for BBC1 and a live television and Mark Wilde, tenor radio broadcast of the Last Night of the Proms in both 2005 and 2006 with the BBC Philharmonic. WASSAIL DOWN THE WIND * We Three Kings of Orient Are 3:37 Three Festive Drinking Songs J.H. Hopkins arr. Elms for Organist and Orchestra Simon Filsell, Garrod Stephen, Christopher Williams, kings Roderick Elms Stephen Quigley, military drum 9 The Boar’s Head, Coventry 5:24 0 Merry Gents 4:08 ( Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer 2:48 ! Wassailing in the Dark 3:01 Johnny Marks arr. Elms Stuart Nicholson, organ Mark Wilde, tenor Mark Wilde, tenor • Stuart Nicholson, organ Joyful Company of Singers (Peter Broadbent, music director**) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Clio Gould, leader) • Stephen Bell Session photos: Benjamin Ealovega Publishers: Camden Music (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 11-14, 18); Roderick Elms (tracks 2, 6, 8-10, 15-17); OUP (track 4); Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. (track 19) 8.570793 2 7 8.570793 570793 bk FF 9/18/07 11:22 AM Page 6

Peter Broadbent Festive Frolic A Celebration of Christmas Peter Broadbent is one of Britain’s most versatile choral conductors, known for his awareness of style, breadth of experience and commitment to contemporary music. In addition to his regular work with the Joyful Company of Music has been capturing the magic of Christmas for Music, starting with that most graceful of carols, Singers, he has also conducted professional choirs and orchestras in the United Kingdom, France, Hungary and centuries and some of the most beautiful texts and Gabriel’s Message, continuing with the gentle Rocking Ireland, and in 2006 conducted the World Youth Choir in a European Tour. An adjudicator at International Choral melodies have been written in celebration of this season. and concluding with a lively romp through as many Competitions all over Europe and in the United Kingdom, Broadbent also gives seminars and masterclasses at home This present selection contains arrangements of some of keys as feasible by way of Angels from the Realms of and in mainland Europe, South Africa, South-East Asia, the United States and Canada. He is director of Choral the best loved carols together with new, festive pieces Glory. Conducting Courses for the Association of British Choral Directors, having instigated and promoted the courses. for choir, orchestra and organ. I have the privilege of Ideas often come about as a result of chance Peter Broadbent was presented with the Pro Cultura Hungarica award by the Hungarian Ministry of Culture for his spending my working life making music — mostly from conversations and I remember a colleague suggesting services to Hungarian Music. within our London orchestras — and have enjoyed that it would be fun to arrange Bach’s Sleepers Wake! bringing together the combined brilliance and expertise (Cantata 140) as a feature for the horn. I have always of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Joyful been very much in sympathy with the French horn and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Company of Singers for this recording. have written a number of pieces for the instrument, so I Fanfare da Festa is a short celebratory fanfare for set about this arrangement with enthusiasm. I decided to Music Director: Daniele Gatti brass, percussion, harp, celeste and organ and was turn the traditional concept upside down, and in this and The story of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is colourful and dramatic with a reputation worldwide for music- written for the Hallé Orchestra’s 2001 Christmas its companion piece Sheep may safely graze (Cantata making of the highest quality. concerts in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, conducted 208), the strings are the continuo section, the chamber In 1946 Sir Thomas Beecham set out to create a world-class ensemble from the finest musicians in the country. by Stephen Bell. The fanfare uses snippets of nine well- organ plays the oboe and flute parts respectively and the Beecham envisioned an orchestra that would bring the greatest music to audiences across the world and, to this day, known Christmas tunes and was written to show off the horns play the tenor chorale. The charming Cherry Beecham’s legacy lives on through the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. hall’s splendid Marcussen pipe organ. I have always Tree Carol has always been a particular favourite and it Over the years the RPO has become a byword for exceptional quality and versatility, undertaking a diverse been captivated by the sound of the organ and the became the new flute-featured carol for 2003. The flute range of activities from traditional concerts in concert halls to classical spectaculars and ‘cross-over’ concerts in pop English church-music tradition, and certain hymns have part of all the carols remains important in their arenas. always been very special to me including O come, O orchestral versions and is played on this disc by Karen The orchestra is London-based and performs regularly at the Royal Albert Hall and Cadogan Hall. It uses its come Emmanuel, based on a magnificent tune which, Jones. One of the newest arrangements in this schedule in the capital as a springboard for a comprehensive regional touring programme. Internationally, the although first published in 1854, comes from a fifteenth- compilation, Away in a Manger, actually started life orchestra undertakes a busy schedule with regular performances in Europe and tours to destinations including the century Franciscan processional. The text, a series of back in the 1970s but has been reworked in a rather United States, Mexico and China. seven “O Antiphons”, is much older – possibly dating more contemporary style, incorporating a tenor solo for The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has also enjoyed a long partnership with the major record labels, recording back to the twelfth century. I have arranged five verses the middle verse. with some of the most well-known artists of our day. The orchestra also has its own record label, which includes the specially for the combined forces of this recording, It had always seemed a shame to me that the popular Here Come the Classics™ series. starting atmospherically with the solo tenor voice of organist is so often the work-horse of Christmas The orchestra’s concerts include a great choice of world-renowned artists and a wide variety of repertoire, Mark Wilde. concerts and rarely has a chance to contribute anything ranging from popular classics such as Holst’s The Planets Suite and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade to In the early 1990s I embarked upon writing a series seasonal with the orchestra that will really show off the Filmharmonic and Best of Broadway. To find out more about the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s performances and of carol arrangements with keyboard accompaniment many facets of the instrument. I therefore started work recordings, please visit our website: www.rpo.co.uk. and an obbligato flute part. As so often happens, on Wassail down the Wind – a suite of “Three Drinking circumstances present certain opportunities and being Songs for Organist & Orchestra”. The term fortunate to have a wonderful flautist, Carolyn “wassailing”, coming from the Anglo-Saxon meaning Wheadon, in my church choir, it became something of a “good health”, has been described as “a riotous festivity tradition that at each year’s Carol Service I would arrive characterized by much drinking”. In reality, however, it with a new carol arrangement. In this way the first set of was the practice of going from door to door singing Three Carols came to be published in 1995 by Camden carols and requesting wassail or some other form of

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refreshment in return. I have no idea whether there is a also the first occasion on which I played the mighty Mark Wilde Boar’s Head, (in) Coventry but the first movement, Willis organ with its (now) 9,999 pipes. In writing displaying the power of the organ from the opening Festive Frolic to mark the occasion, I was asked for a Mark Wilde was born in Scotland and studied at the University of East Anglia and the Royal College of Music. In bars, is based on a quirky transformation of the short celebratory piece to include the assembled forces 2000 he made his Glyndebourne début as Ferrando in Così fan tutte and appeared as second soldier in Stephen Coventry Carol which builds to a climax where the of symphony orchestra, junior and secondary choruses Pimlott’s Coronation of Poppea at the English National Opera. He has had rôles in Vivaldi’s Giustine and Ottone in opening of the Boar’s Head Carol is triumphantly and, of course, the organ. It was suggested that I avoid a La Serenissima for BBC Radio 3. Other appearances include Jacquino in Fidelio for Glyndebourne Touring Opera, sounded. The middle movement, Merry Gents, features religious text in view of the multi-faith make-up of the Ferrando in Così fan tutte for Welsh National Opera, Handel’s Saul with Opera North, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni a satirical reworking of God rest you merry, gentlemen, performers, so the text contains no real words. I for the Mostly Mozart Festival at the Barbican, Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia for the European Opera Centre beginning and ending, by way of a huge climax, in a consulted friends Brian Kay and Lindsay Benson and in St Petersburg and Riga, Giannetto in La gazza ladra at Garsington Opera, Rudolf in a new production of Euryanthe rather lugubrious manner as the “wassailers” struggle to came up with an underscore based on “scat” — for the Netherlands Opera, the title rôle in Candide at the City of Birmingham Opera, Adelaide de Borgogna at the find their next point of hospitality, realising all too soon essentially meaningless. Sections in the original which Edinburgh International Festival, Seven Deadly Sins for Welsh National Opera, Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in that the church clock is striking midnight. Revitalised by used hand-clapping from the junior choirs are replaced patria and the Madwoman in Britten’s Curlew River including a performance at the BBC Proms. He also took part in refreshment, they take on a new lease of life in here by the seasonal sound of massed jingles. Bird of Night at the Linbury Studio, Covent Garden. Wassailing in the Dark, a lively movement based on Sleep, sweet babe! (Dormi Jesu) is a gentle lullaby Mark Wilde makes regular appearances on the concert platform both in the United Kingdom and abroad, the carol tune Here we come a-wassailing. Despite some for tenor and orchestra. The text is set to a melody including the St Matthew Passion in Helsinki, The Creation at the Barbican and Royal Festival Halls and for the City flagging spirits in the middle, and a somewhat wayward derived from the slow movement of my Concertino for of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with the Aalborg Symphony organist who seems totally unable to find his place, they Celeste. I arranged We Three Kings in 2005 for a Orchestra, Acis and Galatea at St John’s, Smith Square, Messiah at Winchester Cathedral and Britten’s War Requiem all romp to a very merry conclusion! I wrote this performance in London’s Barbican Hall given by the in Ypres Cathedral. movement as a tribute to the BBC Concert Orchestra in choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the English He has recorded Handel’s Ode to St Cecilia’s Day for Naxos, Ancient Melodies, a recital CD of songs for tenor 2003, its fiftieth anniversary year. The first performance Chamber Orchestra. It seemed to me that all that and guitar on Docker Records, and Arthur Sullivan’s The Golden Legend and The Prodigal Son for Hyperion. was broadcast live from the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios present-giving must have led to a bit of a party so this with myself doing battle on the ageing Compton organ. new arrangement ends with something of a musical Following hot on the heels of Three Carols came knees-up! Stuart Nicholson Three More Carols, again featuring a solo flute in the My arrangement of Rudolph the Red-nosed non-orchestral versions. This set opens with The Reindeer was commissioned by Raymond Gubbay Ltd. Stuart Nicholson, an honours graduate of the Royal College of Music, is the Assistant Director of Music at Coventry Carol in more traditional guise, beginning for its annual, nationwide Christmas festival. My brief Birmingham Cathedral. He has toured the United States and Europe as accompanist for the mixed choir of St and ending with the distanced beauty of the sopranos of was for an orchestral arrangement with optional vocal Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, and was previously Organist and Director of Music at Waltham Abbey in the Joyful Company of Singers. The middle carol of this parts and it has become something of a showpiece for Essex, following an illustrious line of musicians dating back to Thomas Tallis. As a soloist and accompanist he has set, Silent Night, must surely be one of the best loved of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which gave the first performed in major venues across the United Kingdom, including the Royal Albert, Barbican and Symphony Halls, all Christmas carols and appears here in a version performance in the Royal Albert Hall in December Westminster Abbey and York Minster. affording the alto section the opportunity to shine in the 2004. It has an underlying Latin-American flavour and middle verse. The final carol, In Dulci Jubilo, is an romps to a boisterous conclusion by way of numerous upbeat arrangement which allows the flute to be jazz-based interjections. Joyful Company of Singers prominent even in its orchestral version. In 2006, the London Borough of Redbridge This album is dedicated to my mother with much love. One of Europe’s most prominent chamber choirs, the Joyful Company of Singers is renowned for its virtuosity and celebrated thirty years of its biennial choral festival at intensity of spirit, as well as for an astoundingly wide repertoire, ranging from the sixteenth century to the present London’s Royal Albert Hall — nostalgic for me as I was © Roderick Elms 2007 day, and particularly featuring contemporary a cappella works, including many first performances. Together with the organ soloist at the first festival in 1976, which was founder and conductor Peter Broadbent, the choir has won an impressive list of national and international competitions, and has a history of success in recordings, broadcasts and concerts. The choir makes regular appearances at all the main British festivals, as well as festivals in Europe, Russia and the United States. Their recordings include CDs of music by Poulenc, Samuel Barber, Malcolm Williamson, Roxanna Panufnik and Jonathan Harvey, as well as a regular collaboration with Richard Hickox and City of London Sinfonia in a series of recordings of music by English composers, including Holst, Vaughan Williams, Lennox Berkeley and Percy Grainger. 8.570793 45 8.570793 570793 bk FF 9/18/07 11:22 AM Page 4

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Roderick Elms

8.570793 8 NAXOS NAXOS Roderick Elms’ Christmas music ranges from charming and witty arrangements of well-loved traditional carols to new settings and festive orchestral pieces written for this very special season. The charm and immediate appeal of his music has been captivating audiences across the country for many years and this selection represents some of his most popular works, together with a few new ones such as the spectacular suite Wassail Down the Wind for organ and orchestra. 8.570793 ETV FROLIC: FESTIVE FROLIC: FESTIVE FESTIVE FROLIC DDD Playing Time Roderick Elms 62:20 1 Fanfare da Festa 1:31 0 Merry Gents 4:08 2 O Come, O Come Emmanuel* 4:01 ! Wassailing in the Dark 3:01 THREE CAROLS THREE MORE CAROLS 3 Gabriel’s Message** 3:10 @ Coventry Carol 3:26 Celebration of Christmas A Celebration of Christmas A 4 Rocking 2:12 # Silent Night 3:40 5 Angels from the Realms of Glory 3:40 $ In Dulci Jubilo 1:57 6 Sleepers Wake! 4:12 % Sheep May Safely Graze 3:50 7 Cherry Tree Carol 2:09 ^ Festive Frolic 3:13 www.naxos.com Made in Canada Booklet notes in English 8 Away in a Manger* 3:19 & Sleep, Sweet Babe!* 3:03 &

WASSAIL DOWN THE WIND† * We Three Kings of Orient Are 3:37

9 The Boar’s Head, Coventry 5:24 ( Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer* 2:48 2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Mark Wilde, tenor* • Stuart Nicholson, organ† Joyful Company of Singers (Peter Broadbent, music director)** Royal Philharmonic Orchestra • Stephen Bell A detailed track list and full recording details can be found on page 2 of the booklet Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8-11, 15 and 17-19 are World Première Recordings Recorded in St John’s, Smith Square, London on 31st July 2006 and on 11th and 12th February 2007 8.570793 Organ recordings made in The Temple Church on 29th May 2007 8.570793 Producer: Roderick Elms • Engineer: David Wright Assistant engineers: Graham Bunce and John Wallace • Post-production: Roderick Elms Cover: Wassailing the Apple Trees by Pauline Baynes (Private Collection/Bridgeman Art Library)