This collection of premiere recordings from David Matthews features the Nash Ensemble, conducted by Lionel Friend.
The ravishing Terrible Beauty, for mezzo-soprano and seven players, was composed in 2007 and sets both Homer and Shakespeare in a dramatic depiction of Cleopatra; its soloist is mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley; Winter Passions - which sets Pushkin's poems of love and absence - and Marina, a setting of TS Eliot's brooding monologue - both feature baritone Stephan Loges. The disc is completed with the Clarinet Quartet and two String Trios.
Susan Bickley mezzo soprano
Stephan Loges baritone
The Nash Ensemble
Lionel Friend conductor
Ian Brown piano
Marianne Thorsen violin
Malin Broman violin
Lawrence Power viola
Paul Watkins cello
Lucy Wakeford harp
Philippa Davies
Richard Hosford clarinet/ basset horn
Artistic Director: Amelia Freedman CBE FRAM
AUDIO
REVIEWS
GRAMOPHONE AWARD FINALIST 2011 - CONTEMPORARY CATEGORY
GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE
'Matthews' ability to write music which is not merely upbeat' but expressively wide-ranging and emotionally exuberant is heard here at its best... Performance values are of the highest throughout this disc.' Gramophone
'It is hard to imagine this music played, sung or recorded better' BBC Music Magazine
'Powerfully eloquent' The Sunday Times
FUNDERS
This recording has been generously supported by the Friends of the Nash Ensemble.
RECORDING CREDITS
All works on this disc were recorded on 17-19 April 2009 at Coombehurst Studio, University of Kingston, Kingston-upon-Thames, with the exception of String Trio No.2 which was recorded at the Menuhin Hall, Cobham, Surrey on 15 November 2009.
Recording Engineer and Producer: DAVID LEFEBER
Digital Editing and Mastering: DAVID LEFEBER
Executive Producer: COLIN MATTHEWS
(P) & ©2010 NMC Recordings Ltd