Goehr’s orchestral evocation of Goya’s terrifying painting, Colossos, is coupled with the premiere recording of his early cantata The Deluge, inspired by Eisenstein’s notes for a film based on writings by Leonardo da Vinci (the film was never completed). The neo-classical Little Symphony, which uses the chordal structure of Mussorgsky’s ‘Catacombs’ from Pictures at an Exhibition as a harmonic backbone, is performed by the Dutch chamber orchestra, ASKO Ensemble.
Claire Booth soprano
Hilary Summers contralto
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
BBC Symphony Orchestra
ASKO I Schönberg Ensemble
Oliver Knussen conductor
AUDIO
REVIEWS
'… a force to be reckoned with in British music…an impressive musical span, which Knussen energises quite wonderfully' The Guardian
'… profound and original…' The Times
‘Colossos or Panic was inspired by the famous Goya paining of a giant bestriding a landscape peopled by terrified Lilliputian humans below. Goehr’s incisive and lucid post-Schoenbergian idiom here delivers a highly dramatic study in the interplay of musical stasis and movement.' BBC Music Magazine
FUNDERS
Supported by the RVW Trust
Produced in association with BBC Radio 3
RECORDING CREDITS
The Deluge was recorded at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham on 31 January 2010.
Recording Engineer ANDREW MELLOR
Recording Producer ANDREW KEENER
Little Symphony was recorded on 22 April 2008 in the Grote Zaal, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.
Recording Engineer WILLEM MULLER
Recording Producer ALEXANDER GOEHR
Colossos or Panic was recorded in Studio 1, BBC Maida Vale, London on 23 April 2007.
Recording Engineer NEIL PEMBERTON
Recording Producer ANN McKAY
Post-production Producer OLIVER KNUSSEN
Digital Editing /Mastering ANDREW MELLOR
The Deluge (P) 2012 NMC Recordings Ltd
Colossos or Panic (P) 2012 BBC
Little Symphony (P) 2012 VPRO
(C) 2012 NMC Recordings Ltd
Catalogue number: NMC D165
Release Date: 14 May 2012