501Booklet 13/10/08 12:09 Page 1 Also AVAILABLE on signumclassics The Dream of Herod The Path of Miracles Allegri Miserere Music for Advent & Christmas Joby Talbot Tenebrae / Nigel Short Tenebrae / Nigel Short Tenebrae / Nigel Short SIGCD085 SIGCD078 SIGCD046 “...more polished choral singing would be “ I t ’s an interesting musical journey for “I really think we’re in a choral golden age at hard to find anywhere.” c o m p o s e r, perf o rmers and listeners alike.” the moment ... It’s beautifully sung, a BBC Music Magazine Classic FM w o n d e rful disc.” BBC Music Magazine Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 501Booklet 13/10/08 12:09 Page 3 Tenebrae has, in its short existence, made a fondness for strong pulse and vivacious rhythm Mother and child considerable impact with fresh and vital re - (which pervades his work generally) has also interpretations of classic works in the choral made him a natural and successful musical re p e rt o i re. On this new re c o rding, however, collaborator in dance. Seek him that maketh the innovatory and lesser-known repertoire is drawn seven stars is a setting of words from the book of 1. Seek him that maketh the seven stars Jonathan Dove [6.28] f rom contemporary sources, reflecting an Amos and from Psalm 139. The use of ostinati in e x p l o r a t o ry approach which places the gro u p the organ part, traversing sinuous vocal lines 2. The souls of the righteous* Francis Pott [9.34] artistically at more of a cutting edge. This is a marked often by ‘pleading’ (‘Seek him’) figures Tenor soloist: William Kendall distinctive collection of works by a number of evokes both the starry firmament and the 3. Magnificat Giles Swayne [4.05] living composers, many of whom have established ‘searching’ nature of the prophet’s invocation. The themselves at the creative forefront of the choral later portion (an ‘Alleluia’) is more affirmative and 4. Mother and child* Sir John Tavener [12.44] scene in recent times. triumphant before an ending of confident calm. 5. Lute-book lullaby* Alexander L’Estrange [4.17] The work was commissioned in 1995 by the Royal Jonathan Dove (b. 1959) has become known for Academy of Arts and received its premiere in June 6. O be joyful in the Lord* Jeremy Filsell [2.16] his work in a variety of musical media including that year at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, conducted 7. The seasons of his mercies Richard Rodney Bennett [6.23] orchestral, chamber, theatre and film music. As by Adrian Peacock, a member of Tenebrae, with Tenor soloist: Andrew Busher an instinctively dramatic composer, his operas J e remy Filsell, Te n e b r a e ’s accompanist, at the organ. have arguably attracted the greatest critical 8. My song is love unknown* Francis Pott [17.31] attention. In his ten-year association with Francis Pott (b. 1957) was a chorister at New Soprano soloist: Carys Lane Glyndebourne, Dove has written three large-scale College, Oxford, and a Music Scholar at * first recordings community operas of which Flight, premiered by Winchester College. Following underg r a d u a t e Glyndebourne Touring Opera in 1998, and met by studies, he gained a BMus at Cambridge Total Timings [63.22] enthusiasm from audiences and critics alike, is University whilst studying composition under possibly his best known. His individual voice as a Hugh Wood and Robin Holloway. Since 2002 writer of music for the church has led to a number Francis Pott has served as Head of Research Tenebrae of commissions including those for the Development for the Faculty of the Arts at Thames Directed by Nigel Short Spitalfields Festival, Eton College Chapel Choir Valley University in West London and Head of Jeremy Filsell - organ and for the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge Composition within its Music depart m e n t , (Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in 2000). His otherwise known as London College of Music. In www.signumrecords.com www.tenebrae-choir.com - 3 - 501Booklet 13/10/08 12:09 Page 5 February 2007 he became the University's first only upon the memory of his own parents but also zulu warrior chant interwoven between Mother and child was commissioned by Tenebrae P rofessor of Composition and his lifelong on the atmosphere of William Byrd’s setting (as ‘Stravinskian’ ostinati-dominated polyphony. in 2003 and premiered at the Salisbury Festival of association with church music has generated a Justorum animae) of these words, a motet which Swayne’s distanced approach to specific textual that year. The universal aspect of motherhood string of significant commissions for a number of has held an especially profound significance for nuance shares a similarity with the gre a t and, more specifically, that of Mary the mother of cathedrals, colleges and churches. As a him ever since he was a chorister at New College. Magnificat settings of the sixteenth century Christ (as co-redeemer) is an idea to which formidable pianist, his writing for this instrument Pott has always tried to recreate something of the (Victoria, Palestrina, Vivanco, Ortiz, etc.), but the Tavener has returned again and again in his has formed a considerable oeuvre but it is his sensibility of English sixteenth-rather than pointillist dabs of colour, the ostinati and music. However, behind this concept lies that of organ works which have become established as nineteenth-century sacred music in his own choral increasingly wide-leaping lines place this very infinite theophanic light, an idea common to all some of the most important writing for the writing, and in this case the feeling was firmly in its contemporary milieu. religious traditions. Ta v e n e r’s music here instrument of the later 20th century. Christus (a particularly strong. The souls of the righteous interpolates a poem by Brian Keeble with Greek two and a half hour five-movement symphony for received its first perf o rmance in Wi n c h e s t e r Sir John Tavener’s (b. 1944) originality of concept and Sanskrit quotations, the latter in a climactic organ) is a seminal contribution to the recitalist’s Cathedral in 2000. and development of a very personal musical idiom outburst (of ‘ATMA’, representative in Tavener’s canon and its profound subject matter links it have brought him wide recognition for a w o rds of ‘the supreme re a l i t y, the true self, indelibly with Pott’s own large-scale oratorio Giles Swayne was born in 1946 and began contemporary composer of classical music. His shining and infinite, the one single God’). The commission for the 1999 Three Choirs Festival, A composing as a teenager through encouragement interest in the Russian Orthodox Church (of which music, having grown in crescendo, is joined by song on the end of the world. His musical style is from his illustrious cousin, Elizabeth Maconchy. he became a member in 1977) marks a massive organ chords and develops to become an derived from a number of influential sources: the Influential musical figures for Swayne at compositional style which looks back to ancient overwhelming pulsating texture at the climax, Renaissance polyphony of Italy, Spain and Cambridge included Nicholas Maw and Raymond traditions and communicates a reflective spirit with awesome strokes sounded on a large Hindu (perhaps most importantly) England, the piano Leppard and later, at London’s Royal Academy of which has successfully chimed with the spiritual temple gong. The clamour dissipates at the final writing of Medtner and Rachmaninov and, Music, Alan Bush and Harrison Birtwistle. The thirsts of our modern age. Tavener has always invocation, ‘Hail Maria’, which is prayerful and fundamentally, the formal and harmonic style of Magnificat was commissioned by Francis Grier for worked towards the creation of what he has contemplative. Danish symphonist Carl Nielsen. the choir of Christchurch, Oxford, in 1982 with termed an ‘icon’ in sound, and the extraordinary funds provided by the Southern Arts Association. It popularity of his music has been reflected in the Alexander L’Estrange (b. 1974) is a singer, The souls of the righteous was commissioned by is a unique setting of very familiar words and has number of arts festivals which have featured his composer, arranger and jazz bassist who moves David Bushnell in memory of his late wife Sheila. become a classic work in the choral catalogue. works. In October 2000 London’s South Bank happily between differing styles of musical media. Both had been associated with Wi n c h e s t e r The Magnificat canticle forms a central part of Centre staged Ikons of light, a major three-week He was a chorister at New College, Oxford, and Cathedral for some thirty years and Sheila’s ashes both Vespers and the Anglican office of Evensong festival dedicated to his music. In the New Year’s sang in the choir at Magdalen College whilst an were scattered within the cathedral precincts. In and this setting for double choir in Latin delights Honours list 2000, Tavener received a knighthood u n d e rgraduate at Merton College. His arr a n g e m e n t s writing the piece, Pott felt it natural to draw not in the daringly unconventional interpolation of for ‘services to music’. for a number of groups have been published by - 4 - - 5 - 501Booklet 13/10/08 12:09 Page 7 Faber and his award-winning one-woman musical broadcast by the choir on BBC Radio 3 in May central portion for tenor solo.