London Choral Sinfonia - Green Shadows: The Music of Richard Pantcheff - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A focused portrait of Britten alongside a little-known but significant British contemporary, marking both the 50th anniversary of Britten's death and the centenary year of Arthur Oldham's birth. Under Michael Waldron, the London Choral Sinfonia pairs Britten with the one composer he privately mentored Arthur Oldham. The program brings together familiar works by Britten with a substantial selection of Oldham's choral music, placing the two composers in direct conversation. At the center is Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, a cycle of nocturnal poetry (Tennyson, Blake, Keats and others) framed by the horn's natural harmonics in the Prologue and Epilogue. Horn soloist Annemarie Federle and Tenor Nick Pritchard trace it's shifting atmosphere, with string accompaniment from the London Choral Sinfonia. Britten's Te Deum in C appears in the rarely heard orchestrated version for strings and harp, presented here as a world premiere recording. Oldham's music completes the program the cantata Laudes Creaturarum on the text of St Francis of Assisi (with Carolyn Sampson), the carol Remember, O thou man, and the ceremonial Sacerdos et Pontifex for chorus and organ - also recorded here for the first time.

Orchid Classics presents it's third volume of choral music by Richard Pantcheff in world-premiere recordings performed by the London Choral Sinfonia directed by Michael Waldron, with organist James Orford. This again offers a wide range of interconnected works, centered around the genres for which Pantcheff has achieved the most notable success music for organ, instrumental ensembles and choirs. Book-ending the disc are two Fantasias, originally composed for organ solo, here specially arranged by the composer for string orchestra and trumpets. At the heart of the album is Pantcheff's Concerto for Organ, String Orchestra and Trumpets, a major new work commissioned by the London Choral Sinfonia and Michael Waldron. The Music of Richard Pantcheff, Volume 2 went straight to number five in the Classical Charts and received a 5-star from Choir and Organ magazine.

A stunning album of world-premiere recordings showcasing the choral music of British composer Richard Pantcheff, in mesmerising performances by the London Choral Sinfonia directed by Michael Waldron, with pianist Matthew Fletcher and organist Jeremy Cole. The music of Richard Pantcheff, who was mentored by Britten in the last year of that composer's life, has a broad appeal, encompassing the intensity of his Four Poems of Stephen Crane, the intimacy of Turn again unto thy rest, the breadth of his St. Paul's Service, and the melodic brilliance of Spirit of Mercy and Veni Sancte Spiritus. Alongside many of his sacred works we hear the secular King Henry VIII's Apologia, a work of electrifying virtuosity. As conductor Michael Waldron puts it, Pantcheff's music is steeped in the choral tradition but never slips into pastiche InchI find it original, inspired and at all times profound. There is music on the album to suit all tastes, and I hope people hearing Richard's music for the first time will develop the same love for it as I have.Inch