PSALM PSALM three new stunning trumpet concertos written for CONTEMPORARY BRITISH TRUMPET CONCERTOS Contemporary British Trumpet Concertos me by three of Britain’s finest composers.

From its inception, this recording has been Deborah Pritchard’s Skyspace is one of the first Skyspace (2012) Deborah Pritchard (b. 1977) entwined with my graduate studies. Fresh from modern concertos to be conceived solely for 1 I. Aurum [1.18] the Royal College of Music in 2007, I matriculated piccolo trumpet. Though a popular instrument, 2 II. Aurum Resonance [1.24] at the University of Oxford to begin a doctoral it has thus far been surprisingly restricted 3 III. Light Iridescent [0.50] thesis in musicology. During this time I to concerto performances of earlier baroque 4 IV. Opaque [0.49] encountered the music of Oxford professor concertos and transcriptions. This is despite its 5 V. Opaque Resonance [2.04] 6 VI. Dark Iridescent [1.07] Robert Saxton, who, it transpired, had written wonderful treatment in the symphony orchestra: 7 VII. Cerulean [2.22] a trumpet concerto Psalm: A Song of Ascents Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony or Britten’s in 1992. At this formative stage of my career, Four Sea Interludes, for example. Deborah’s 8 Psalm: A Song of Ascents (1992) Robert Saxton (b. 1953) [15.45] I was determined that I wanted to combine music maintains vivid and direct relationships solo performance with academia, and the with visual and conceptual art, placing her La Primavera (2012) John McCabe (b. 1939) 9 I. Allegro [5.23] opportunity to bring British music to life work within a fascinating, rich interdisciplinary 0 II. Andante [8.37] – by performing marginalised works and context. John McCabe’s La Primavera is a tour q III. Quick [5.08] commissioning new ones – was strongly appealing. de force of orchestral writing and thematic development, including one of the most beautiful Shakespeare Scenes* (2013) Robert Saxton It was following a performance of Psalm in and expressive flugelhorn parts in the repertoire. w I. The Magic Wood [2.32] 2008, with the Oxford Sinfonietta, that I first The combination of spring themes and pictorial e II. Falstaff [5.23] approached Robert with the idea to write a new references to sporting events (it was written r III. The Storm on the Heath [3.43] trumpet concerto. Why stop at one, I thought? in 2012, year of the London Olympics) makes t IV. Masque [4.42] Robert’s trumpet writing and musical language for a truly effervescent musical experience. y V. The Magic Island [4.40] immediately appealed to me. It had such raw Finally, Robert’s Shakespeare Scenes places the Total timings: [65.49] energy, complexity and yet cohesive structural trumpeter within an unusually explicit, dramatic identity. As a trumpeter, it gave me everything role: as Puck, Falstaff, King Lear and Prospero.

SIMON DESBRUSLAIS TRUMPET that I was looking for in a concerto, including The opportunity to engage with these characters ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF THE SWAN technical challenges in generous measure. The is a delight which is certain to reward KENNETH WOODS & DAVID CURTIS* CONDUCTORS following events surpassed my every expectation: trumpeters for countless generations. www.signumrecords.com - 3 - The trumpet is ideally suited to the concerto. board, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is 1. Aurum and 2. Aurum Resonance are both there are also moments of chamber-music Indeed, many orchestral works exploit its the piano with many strings. The artist is the inspired by the warm, golden colours of the writing as well. In the central slow section ability to dominate an entire body of musicians, hand which plays, touching one key or another, descending sun, whilst 3. Light Iridescent which follows without a break, there is at first such as Mahler’s Fifth Symphony or Scriabin’s to cause vibrations in the soul.” and 6. Dark Iridescent portray the flickering an almost static mood, inner life staying Poem of Ecstasy. Though it has much light found before dawn and dusk respectively. below the surface, until at length a complex unexplored potential in the field of chamber His words could not resonate any more 4. Opaque and 5. Opaque Resonance are theme rises, initially, from cellos and basses music, it is most dominant in the concerto. succinctly than with my own experiences of based on the darkness of the night, whilst and eventually provides a full string texture. Unfortunately, we are missing at least one colour, since I am highly sensitive to both colour 7. Cerulean is a reflection on the serene, blue This is linked to the final quick section by a hundred years of concertos, from the Hummel and light, and have a synaesthetic approach sky of the day. The musical material of the short “quasi cadenza” for the trumpet solo trumpet concerto of 1803, to the French trumpet to composition with much of my music written piccolo trumpet and ensemble resonate in and bongos, and in the finale the music is concertos of the early twentieth century. This in response to visual artworks. unison as the work opens, pull gradually apart rhythmic, once again accumulating through CD recording represents the beginning, not towards the centre and find resolution as the the juxtaposition of various overlapping the end, of my trumpet mission: to expand Skyspace draws its inspiration from the work concludes. strands. At the close, the trumpet solo has the the repertoire and make amends for those kaleidoscopic ‘celestial vaulting’ experienced last word (or the last note). lost years. I hope that it offers an insight into within a James Turrell skyspace, where temporal © 2014, Deborah Pritchard the wonderful array of contemporary music and methodical exposure to shifting sky colours Two aspects of the instrumentation should be making in the United Kingdom, and a window through an aperture engages the observer La Primavera (2012) mentioned. One is that for the slow section, onto some of the myriad possibilities the with the rotation of the earth, making both John McCabe (b. 1939) the soloist uses a Flugelhorn, that beautiful trumpet can offer. Welcome to the first chapter colour and light almost palpable. Whilst the instrument beloved of brass bands and of our journey together. perceived sky colour has provided the stimulus The Trumpet Concerto La Primavera is so-called treated symphonically with great respect and for my work, it was not my intention to portray because the initial impulse for the piece came sympathy by Vaughan Williams – it was also the © 2014, Simon Desbruslais physical colour, rather the imagined colour of from considering two aspects of the coming instrument employed by Miles Davis, another the mind’s eye – with the music being composed of Spring: the exuberance and vitality of musician whom I greatly admire. In the slow Skyspace (2012) and constructed in the manner of colours, burgeoning new growth, and the flowering section, the music pays what I hope is a Deborah Pritchard (b. 1977) through the delicate layering and juxtaposition (literally!) of the new or refreshed life as it discreet homage to his jazz style. The other of various textures and timbres. expands. So the opening quick movement’s music point concerns the percussion, which in a In his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art, is quicksilver and mercurial, with much celebratory note in the score is requested to be placed, Kandinsky writes: “…colour is a power that Skyspace is constructed in seven miniatures, material as well as overlapping patterns if possible, at the front of the platform next directly influences the soul. Colour is the key- with each one depicting a varying sky colour: and a gradual increase in density – though to, or near, the trumpet soloist, since the

- 4 - - 5 - percussion part is at times in the nature of Shakespeare Scenes by Simon Desbruslais for began the work. At the close, both solo and it was at once clear that I would pay tribute an obbligato. a concert with the Orchestra of the Swan, ensemble trumpets play the Lydian fourth simultaneously to both Simon and Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon. above A, the latter echoing the soloist; when and that the work would be a counter-pole The concerto was commissioned by the the latter has ceased, the note is therefore to the earlier one. In place of Psalm’s Orchestra of the Swan, and is dedicated to The title Psalm refers obliquely to the collection heard continuing in the temporal domain and, continuous, evolving structure, Shakespeare Simon Desbruslais, who initiated the of Hymns/Songs in the Hebrew Bible (150 in in terms of harmony, the Lydian fourth over Scenes consists of five character pieces, unified composition, and to Robert Saxton and Tessa the Western Judaeo-Christian tradition); in A divides the octave symmetrically, both by means of the musical letters of Shakespeare’s Cahill, whose encouragement provided the Biblical times, these were frequently parameters symbolically illustrate the circular name acting as pitch centres across the starting-point for this composition. The first instrumentally accompanied and range from (and therefore, eternal) nature of the journey. cycle. During the period between Psalm and performance was given by Simon Desbruslais songs of despair to those of spiritual fulfilment Shakespeare Scenes, my musical grammar/syntax and the Orchestra of the Swan, conducted and praise. The ancient natural trumpet Whereas Psalm (the earlier ‘marker’) emanates has (consciously) become more intentionally by Kenneth Woods, in the Civic Hall, (Shofar or ram’s horn) and silver/metal from my Jewish background, Shakespeare integrated regarding modal/tonal root movement Stratford-upon-Avon on 15 June 2012. trumpets are referred to in various books of Scenes illustrates my English up-bringing than previously and each of the five pieces in the Bible (Old and New Testaments) and were (my paternal grandmother was a ‘convert the later work is a closed ‘cadential’ structure, © 2014, John McCabe allotted a variety of (liturgical) functions. The of convenience’ from Anglican Christianity with one exception. The first and last pieces title is used for my piece to illustrate a spiritual to Judaism) and education and, indeed, my act as prelude and postlude, the first, The Psalm: A Song of Ascents (1992) journey through various states, the trumpet, profound love of, and respect for, the English Magic Wood, referring to A Midsummer Shakespeare Scenes (2013) as a Priest-like Master of Ceremonies, initiating empirical tradition (in the arts, philosophy, Night’s Dream, in particular the world of the Robert Saxton (b. 1953) the musical voyage accompanied by tubular and science) and, in particular, its visionary fairies and Puck’s line: ‘I’ll put a girdle round bells, its role that of both announcement qualities as manifest in, for example, late the earth in forty minutes’. The second piece, Twenty-one years separate Psalm (1992) and and warning (as in time of conflict). As the Shakespeare, the Metaphysical poets of the Falstaff, is a miniature tone poem in which Shakespeare Scenes (2013) and, in retrospect, ensemble gradually joins, the character of 17th century, Bunyan, Blake, late Turner, we hear Falstaff awakening from a drunken I think they may be considered to be ‘markers’ the music evolves from lyrical and mourning, Stanley Spencer, Vaughan Williams, Tippett and stupor (the musical commentary in the strings in my work, both being written for solo trumpet via a state of growing intensity and drama to a the finest (vocal) music of my teacher, Elisabeth being ironic in its pseudo-academic, fugal and small ensemble (mixed in the case of trumpet cadenza which heralds the final dance Lutyens. When Simon Desbruslais suggested manner), his defeat/humiliation at Gad’s Hill Psalm, strings in that of Shakespeare Scenes). of praise. After the tutti climax, the music that I write him a companion piece to Psalm, and his death. The Storm on the Heath is a Each work was commissioned, Psalm by the cadences twice, firstly into a slow, sustained knowing that he would premiere it in Stratford depiction of the physical and psychological for John Wallace as part of postlude which itself resolves onto (rather and being inspired by the extraordinary range, states of King Lear and his Fool in the driving the orchestra’s 25th anniversary concert series, than into) A major, whose Dominant note, E, technical brilliance and quality of his playing, rain and storm, the trumpet representing the

- 6 - - 7 - mad monarch, the solo violin his increasingly ROBERT SAXTON Robert Saxton was Head of Composition at the He is married to the soprano, Teresa Cahill. deranged jester; at the close, the conflict Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Head unresolved tonally, the final gesture being at Robert Saxton (b. 1953) studied with Elisabeth of Composition and Contemporary Music at Robert Saxton is published by Chester Music, odds with this. Masque makes general reference Lutyens, Robin Holloway, Robert Sherlaw the . He is currently UYMP and Ricordi. to the Jacobean tradition, masques occurring Johnson and following guidance Professor of Composition and Tutorial Fellow in several Shakespeare plays eg: (A Midsummer from . He won the Gaudeamus in Music at Worcester College at the University Night’s Dream, The Tempest); the solo trumpet International Composers prize in 1975 and a of Oxford. announces the masque, continuing with a Fulbright Arts Fellowship to the USA in 1986. Pavane and Galliard, accompanied in lute- He has directed the composers’ course at Robert Saxton’s Quartet No. 3 was commissioned like fashion by pizzicato cellos; there are no Dartington International Summer School by the Southbank Centre, London and premiered quotations of earlier music, as I wanted the and was artistic director of Opera Lab. He is by the . His radio opera, The challenge of writing stylistically and deriving a regular member of the BBC4 Proms Wandering Jew, was recorded and broadcast all material from this. The remainder of the broadcasting commentary team and was on BBC Radio 3’s Performance on 3 by the string ensemble represents those participating a member of the Southbank Centre board BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers in the masque and the audience, playing lively for nine years. He is Composer in Association and released on NMC in 2011. A major study canonic/imitative music reminiscent of that at the Purcell School. of his 1991 opera Caritas by Wyndham peculiarly English tradition of ‘dislocated’ dance Thomas was published by Ashgate Press in rhythms. With the closing piece, The Magic Robert Saxton has written major works for 2012. Recent commissions include Time and Island (counter-pole to The Magic Wood) we are orchestras, choirs and chamber groups including the Seasons, a song cycle for on Prospero’s island in The Tempest; Prospero’s the BBC (TV, Proms and Radio), LSO and and Andrew West at the Oxford Lieder Festival spell is broken and Caliban (solo viola) regains London Sinfonietta; festivals including 2013; Shakespeare Scenes, a Trumpet Concerto his freedom. The music is a Chaconne, with a Huddersfield, Three Choirs and Cheltenham; and for Simon Desbruslais and the Orchestra of modulating pitch centre for each repetition of soloists including Teresa Cahill, the Swan; Hortus Musicae, a piano cycle for the Ground, the trumpet (Prospero) and the and . Recordings have Clare Hammond at the City of London Festival; ensemble (the world, symbolically) are reconciled appeared on Sony Classical, Hyperion, Metier, and new works for the City of Cambridge in the E major resolution. EMI, NMC and Divine Art. Brass Band, Merton College, Oxford, and the Presteigne Festival. © 2014 by Robert Saxton © Katie Vandyck

- 8 - - 9 - JOHN MCCABE young, and later recorded a ground-breaking Other major works to be found in the Many CDs have been released in recent years complete set (now on 12 CDs) for Decca, which McCabe catalogue include Notturni ed Alba of a wide variety of his music, from the John McCabe was born in 1939 near Liverpool has never been out of the catalogue, and (with soprano soloist), The Chagall Windows complete Edward II, orchestral and chamber of Irish descent from his physicist father, and has provided a standard for pianists who for orchestra, Concerto for Orchestra, seven music, to piano and choral music. The Dutton German/Finnish from his mother, Elisabeth followed in his wake. symphonies and numerous concertos. Epoch recording of his Piano Concerto No. 1 Herlitzius, a keen amateur violinist. He decided Cloudcatcher Fells and Salamander have with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to become a composer at five-and-a-half, even John McCabe’s compositions, which have become classics in the Brass Band repertoire. and conductor was awarded before he began to study piano, with a pupil of been performed all over the world, cover every McCabe’s full-length ballet Arthur, Part 1: the accolade as Best New Piano Music the leading teacher Gordon Green. Following genre. Among his most successful works is the Arthur Pendragon, with choreography by David Recording of 2007 by International Piano studies at the then Royal Manchester College ballet Edward II, created and choreographed Bintley, was premiered by Birmingham Royal magazine. In the 2011/12 season there were of Music (now the Royal Northern) and in by David Bintley (Stuttgart Ballet 1995), and Ballet in 2000. It is the first half of a cycle five major CD releases, including his Farewell Munich, on a German Government scholarship, premiered to great acclaim, by the Birmingham of two full-evening ballets, the second of which, Piano Recital (Toccata Classics), and, featuring he began a career as both composer and Royal Ballet in the UK, winning among others, Arthur, Part 2: Mort d’Arthur received its world his own music, CDs of piano duos (Quartz), pianist. Early attracted to Haydn’s music, he the 1998 Barclays Theatre Award. premiere in 2001 at Sadler’s Wells, with the clarinet chamber works (Guild), string orchestral fell in love with the piano sonatas while Birmingham Royal Ballet. music (Dutton) and choral works (Naxos).

Of more recent work, Symphony on a Pavane Recent works include Psalm-Cantata (2012), (2006) was commissioned by the London commissioned by the English Baroque Choir Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony ‘Labyrinth’ and their music director Jeremy Jackman, who (2007) by the BBC for the Royal Liverpool gave the first performance on 16th March Philharmonic, Horn Concerto Rainforest IV 2013 at St. John’s, Smith Square, London and (2006) for David Pyatt and the BBC National Joybox (2013), which was commissioned by Orchestra of Wales, and the Cello Concerto the BBC for the 2013 Henry Wood Promenade Songline (2007) for Truls Mørk and the Hallé Concerts, premiered by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Further compositions include works Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall conducted for The King’s Singers, Stile Antico (Three by Juanjo Mena. Choirs Festival) and the Carducci String Quartet (Presteigne Festival). © Gareth Arnold

- 10 - - 11 - McCabe has also been active as a writer of Deborah holds a synaesthetic approach to Symphony Orchestra, cond. Kenneth Woods at music, and was appointed C.B.E. by HM The composition with many of her works written in LSO St Luke’s in October 2014 and the Queen in 1985 for his services to British response to visual artworks including Skyspace Sainsbury Wing Theatre at the National Gallery music. In 2004, the Incorporated Society of for solo piccolo trumpet and string orchestra, in January 2015. This project is supported by the Musicians honoured John McCabe with the inspired by the light art of James Turrell, Britten-Pears Foundation, the Arts Council of Distinguished Musician Award in recognition performed by Simon Desbruslais and the Great Britain and the Frieze Foundation. of his ‘outstanding contribution to British Orchestra of the Swan, cond. Kenneth Woods musical life’ and in 2006, Liverpool University in 2012 and Seven Halts on the Somme for Deborah is currently composition tutor at awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Music. trumpet and piano, written in response to the the University of Oxford and has recently paintings by Hughie O’Donoghue, performed attended a residency at the Leighton Artists’ John McCabe celebrates his 75th birthday in by Simon Desbruslais and Clare Hammond at Colony, Banff Centre, Canada with funds 2014. His music is published exclusively by the 2014 Ryedale Festival. Other significant provided by the PRS Bliss Composer Bursaries Novello and Company, London. premieres include Benedicite for SSAATTBB and the Finzi Trust. and trumpet performed by the Worcester DEBORAH PRITCHARD College Chapel Choir and Simon Desbruslais, SIMON DESBRUSLAIS cond. Nicholas Freestone to celebrate the Described as ‘Irrepressible in its vitality’ by Tercentenary of Worcester College, Oxford in Simon Desbruslais is a British trumpet soloist, the Classical Source, Deborah’s work has 2014, broadcast by BBC Radio 4. whose performances have been critically been broadcast by BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 acclaimed as ‘steel-lipped’ (Birmingham Post), and premiered by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Future commissions include a new work for ‘musically compelling’ (Musicweb International) Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBC Singers, Allegri the London Sinfonietta to be premiered at and possessing ‘supreme confidence and String Quartet, Christ Church Cathedral Choir the BFI in collaboration with Central Saint flair’ (composer James MacMillan). He came and Orchestra of the Swan. She was born in Martins in December 2014, a solo cello piece to international prominence with the first ever Kent and studied composition under Simon for Rebecca Herman to be performed at recording of Hertel’s Third Trumpet Concerto Bainbridge for her Master of Music Degree in Worcester College, Oxford, where she received the Purcell Room in January 2015 (PLG Young on the natural trumpet, followed by David Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, the John Lowell Osgood Memorial Prize for Artists New Year Series) and a new violin Bednall’s ground-breaking Christmas Cantata, where she subsequently held the post of Composition, the 2009 Orlando Prize and the concerto Wall of Water, written in response for solo trumpet, choir and organ. Simon has Junior Manson Fellow, and Robert Saxton for Provost’s Prize for the Anthem setting of the to the paintings by Maggi Hambling, to be given live broadcasts and recordings of her DPhil in composition and critical writing at Worcester College Grace. premiered by Harriet Mackenzie and the English contemporary British music for BBC 1

- 12 - - 13 - Sinfonia, Orchestra of the Swan, Charivari ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN Agréable, Ensemble ISIS and London Concertante. Continuing his pioneering work SKYSPACE Double Bass Timpani Violia with British composers, he premiered new PSALM AND Meherban Gillett Jan Bradley Adrian Turner compositions by Edwin Roxburgh, John McCabe, TRUMPET Vanessa Murby John Traill, Deborah Pritchard, Tomas Yardley CONCERTO Flute Kenneth Woods and Tom Armstrong, and organised many Jane Spiers Conductor Cello works in progress. He gave solo performances First Violin Jon Rogers Chris Allan at the Ryedale, Wymondham, Bangor New David Le Page Oboe Manager Leonie Adams Music and Deal festivals, and appeared as Amelia Jones Victoria Brawn a concerto soloist on the natural trumpet at Cathy Hamer SHAKESPEARE Double Bass the . Liz Hodson Clarinet SCENES Lucy Rundle Sally Harrop Imogen Fernando Simon was educated at King’s College London Second Violin First Violin and the Royal College of Music, winning Charlotte Skinner Bassoon David Le Page David Curtis numerous prizes and scholarships. He was also Shelley Van Loen Sarah Whibley Amelia Jones Conductor a private student of Eric Aubier in the Caroline Mitchell Liz Hodson Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Horn Cathy Hamer Zoe Haines Rueil-Malmaison. Keen to expand on the Viola David Garbutt Manager relationship between performance and Emma Sheppard Second Violin musicology, Simon holds a doctorate from Virginia Slater Trumpet Charlotte Skinner Charlotte Hunt Christ Church, Oxford, on the music theory

© ? Daisy Spiers Hugh Davies Amy Littlewood Orchestra Manager of Hindemith, which will soon be published Caroline Mitchell Television and BBC Radio 3 & 4 to millions as his first monograph. He has lectured at Cello Trombone Rebekah Allan of viewers and listeners worldwide. the universities of Bristol, Nottingham, Orlando Jopling Stephen Turton King’s College London and Surrey, and gives Matthew Forbes In the 2013-14 season, Simon gave concerto regular international performance workshops performances in China and Brazil, in addition and master classes. to appearing as soloist with Royal Northern

- 14 - - 15 - of the Week on Classic FM and Washington has led to numerous broadcasts on BBC Public Radio and the top 20 Classical Albums Radio 3, National Public Radio and the Canadian on Chicago Public Radio. OOTS is regularly Broadcasting Corporation. In 2013, he was featured on USA Performance Today networked appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic to 260 radio stations and numerous Canadian Director of the English Symphony Orchestra, Public Radio Stations. succeeding Vernon Handley.

OOTS is a major champion of new music and Kenneth Woods was appointed Principal Guest OOTS has commissioned work from Joe Cutler, Conductor of the Stratford-upon-Avon based Tansy Davies, Joe Duddell, Alexander Goehr, Orchestra of the Swan in 2010. He and the Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Patterson, Joseph orchestra have recorded the first complete cycle Phibbs, Julian Philips, Dobrinka Tabakova, Errollyn of the symphonies of Austrian composer Hans Wallen, John Woolrich and many others. Gál, paired with those of Robert Schumann Orchestra of the Swan is from Shakespeare’s Hans Gal, Ireland, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, for Avie Records. This series has been among Stratford-upon-Avon and is Associate Orchestra Schumann and Strauss and several world KENNETH WOODS the most widely praised classical recording at Town Hall Birmingham. In addition to its core premiere recordings including Philip Sawyers projects in recent years, highlighted in National programme of orchestral concerts recently OOTS symphonies. The complete recordings of the Hailed by Gramophone as a “symphonic Public Radio’s All Things Considered, Performance performed a series of sell-out concerts with Hans Gal symphonies has had considerable conductor of stature,” conductor, cellist, composer Today, BBC Radio3, the Sunday New York Times, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel in Symphony critical acclaim in the UK and USA. and author Kenneth Woods has worked with the Sunday Telegraph, Washington Post and Hall Birmingham, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, many orchestras of international distinction, was an Editor’s Choice in Gramophone. Among The Sage, Gateshead and the Royal Albert Hall. OOTS Associate Artists include Tasmin Little, including the National Symphony Orchestra, his other recordings are Schoenberg’s chamber Julian Lloyd Webber, Benjamin Grosvenor and English Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, ensemble versions of Das Lied von der Erde In 2013-14 OOTS undertook a highly successful Tamsin Waley-Cohen and Peter Donohoe will BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal and Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (for Somm) tour to China and now has plans to tour Mexico, be Associate Artist 2014-15. For 2014-16 OOTS Northern Sinfonia, New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, by Gustav Mahler, which won the coveted IRR Brazil, the USA and Turkey as well as a return will receive $60,000 from the Sorel Organisation, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has Outstanding rosette from International Record tour to China in 2016. New York – appointing the Grammy nominated also appeared on the stages of some of the Review, and Spring Sounds, Spring Seas (for composer Dobrinka Tabakova as Resident Composer. world’s leading music festivals, including Aspen, MSR), a MusicWeb ‘Record of the Year’. CD OOTS records for Avie, Naxos, Nimbus, Signum, Lucerne, Round Top and Scotia. His work on the releases in 2014 include a disc of new trumpet MSR and Somm including repertoire by Barber, TV appearances include the South Bank Show concert platform and in the recording studio concerti for Signum, orchestral music of Philip Bax, Berlioz, Brahms, Copland, Debussy, Finzi, and CDs have been Gramophone Choice, CD - 16 - - 17 - David working in , China, the Czech the Nordic Music Days Festival and gave the Republic, Finland, , , Greece, world premiere of a new work by Sampo Hungary, Iceland, , Romania, Singapore, Haapamäki with the Mikkeli City Orchestra. Slovakia, Sweden and the USA with orchestras ______such as the Academy of St Martin’s-in-the- Field, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, Prague This recording was made with the generous Radio Symphony Orchestra and North Hungarian support of the Britten-Pears Foundation and the Symphony Orchestra. RVW Trust

He appears as soloist and conductor in Finland with the Mikkeli City Orchestra, the Roveniemi Chamber and Yvaskyla Symphony Orchestras in the concert hall and on Finnish ______Radio and has conducted the North Hungarian Sawyers for Nimbus, music of Brahms and Gramophone, BBC Music and Listen magazines Symphony and Festival Chorus in the Skyspace, Psalm and Trumpet Concerto – Recorded in the Civic Hall, Stratford- upon-Avon, on 14th and 15th June 2012 Schoenberg for Somm and a disc of new works His blog, A View from the Podium, is one of the prestigious annual Olomouc Dvorak’s Festival Producer – Raphael Mouterde Recording Engineer – Mike Cox for violin, cello and narrator for Avie. 25 most popular classical music blogs in the world. and the Policka Martinu Festival. Recording Assistant – Brett Cox Shakespeare Scenes – Recorded in the Civic Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon, on 24th A cellist active as both chamber musician and www.kennethwoods.net David champions new work and has premiered May 2013. Producer – Raphael Mouterde soloist, Woods is a member of the string trio least 50 works by British, Bulgarian, Chinese, Recording Engineer – Mike Cox Ensemble Epomeo, whose debut CD on Avie DAVID CURTIS Nordic and American composers including Oscar Recording Assistant – George Pierson Cover Image – ? featuring the complete trios of Hans Gál and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR i Bosch, Douglas Cuomo, Joe Cutler, Tansy Davies, Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk

Hans Krása was a Gramophone Critic’s Choice PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Joseph Duddell, Daron Hagen, Peter Lieuwen, P 2014 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd and MusicWeb CD of the Month. Paul Patterson, Joe Phibbs, Julian Philips, Dobrinka © 2014 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd David Curtis is Artistic Director of Orchestra of Tabakova, Param Vir, Andrew Waggoner, Errollyn Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Woods is also a composer, writer and lecturer. the Swan, one of the most exciting, innovative Wallen, Shu Wang and John Woolrich. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance He was a featured speaker on Mahler at the Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or and accessible chamber orchestras in the UK. transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or other- 2013 BBC Proms, and commentates regularly For Icelandic Radio he conducted premieres wise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. for the BBC on music, conducting and His thought-provoking programming, infectious by Snorri Sigfús Birgisson, Lars-Petter Hagen, SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] performance, and has written features for enthusiasm and refreshing interpretations see Thuridur Jónsdottir and Marie Samuelsson in www.signumrecords.com

- 18 - - 19 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

Red Leaves David Bednall: Welcome All Wonders Works by Saxton, Lutyens A Christmas Cantata McCabe and Williamson Choir of the Queen’s College, Oxford The Brunel Ensemble Simon Desbruslais trumpet Christopher Austin conductor Owen Rees conductor SIGCD053 SIGCD328

“ ... an absorbing, even fascinating, collection ... A valuable and “ ... an original and very rewarding addition to the Christmas distinctive release.” choral repertoire.” BBC Music Magazine Musicweb International

Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 - 20 - CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN MAGENTA Customer SignumClassics YELLOW Catalogue No.SIGCD403 BLACK Job Title: PSALMS

SIGNUM CLASSICS

SIGCD403 PSALM CONTEMPORARY BRITISH TRUMPET CONCERTOS

Skyspace (2012) Deborah Pritchard (b. 1977)

1 I. Aurum [1.18] 2 II. Aurum Resonance [1.24] 3 III. Light Iridescent [0.50] 4 IV. Opaque [0.49] PSALM 5 V. Opaque Resonance [2.04] 6 VI. Dark Iridescent [1.07] 7 VII. Cerulean [2.22] DESBRUSLAIS / OOTS / WOODS / CURTIS CURTIS / WOODS / OOTS / DESBRUSLAIS 8 Psalm: A Song of Ascents (1992) Robert Saxton (b. 1953) [15.45]

La Primavera (2012) John McCabe (b. 1939) 9 I. Allegro [5.23] 0 II. Andante [8.37] q III. Quick [5.08]

Shakespeare Scenes* (2013) Robert Saxton w I. The Magic Wood [2.32] DESBRUSLAIS / OOTS / WOODS / CURTIS e II. Falstaff [5.23] r III. The Storm on the Heath [3.43] t IV. Masque [4.42] y V. The Magic Island [4.40] PSALM Total timings: [65.49]

LC15723

Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth SIGCD403 CLASSICS Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. P 2014 Signum Records DDD SIGCD403 © 2014 Signum Records www.signumrecords.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 04032 4 SIGNUM