Tarik O'Regan's title work A Celestial Map of the Sky, here performed by a children's and youth choir with the Hallé, is a vibrant composition with propulsive, syncopated rhythms contrasting darker moments of reflection. The piece is inspired by two woodcuts engraved by German polymath Albrecht Dürer in 1515, which are amongst the oldest known printed European star charts of the northern and southern celestial hemispheres.
A deep-rooted interest in North African traditional music, shaped in part by Tarik’s Algerian heritage, is integrated into two of the orchestral works on this album, which are influenced by and named after Algerian folk music forms: Raï and Chaâbi.
First heard at the BBC Proms, Latent Manifest is an ingenious expansion of a single gesture from a Bach violin sonata, magnified to create an entire universe of orchestral colour. To close the album, Fragments from Heart of Darkness is a compelling orchestral reworking of thematic material from O'Regan's chamber opera Heart of Darkness, and is based on the novel of the same name by Joseph Conrad.
The bonus download-only track, Now fatal change, for countertenor and violin, is a reworking of material found in Chaâbi and is set to the same text by Nahum Tate that Purcell used for Tell me, some pitying angel.
This is Tarik's first album dedicated to his orchestral works.
Watch Tarik's interview with Jamie Phillips here.
Watch Dirty Robber's music video for 'A Celestial Map of the Sky' here.
Hallé
Hallé Youth Choir
The Manchester Grammar School Choir
Jamie Phillips conductor
Sir Mark Elder conductor
AUDIO
REVIEWS
‘[A] splendid and highly recommended programme of music.’ Composition Today
'Luminous beauty ... glows with jewel-like warmth' The Guardian ★★★★
'A Celestial Map of the Sky marks itself as a special project in O'Regan's catalog ... Recommended.' Sequenza 21
'This is a good sampling that shows the range of O'Regan's work; performed by the venerable Hallé Orchestra, these would seem pieces that are soon to enter a great many orchestral and choral repertories. Highly recommended' Allmusic.com
‘Illuminating with passion and precision the bright colours of O’Regan’s immensely enjoyable and refreshing sound world.’ Gramophone Magazine
'A whorl of vivid orchestral colour and sizzling rhythms’ Limelight Magazine
‘An engaging introduction to O’Regan’s open-hearted Britten-meets-Copland idiom’ BBC Music Magazine
‘Performances and sonics are outstanding’ American Record Guide
‘The lively, dancing energy that sooner or later erupts in all these works is infectious and appealing.’ Records International
FUNDERS
With thanks to The Hinrichsen Foundation for supporting NMC’s Hallé Series through its New Initiatives programme.
NMC is grateful for the support of the Hallé in making this recording.
This recording has been supported by a grant from the RVW Trust made in memory of the Trust’s former Chairman, the late Michael Kennedy CBE – a life-long supporter of the Hallé, becoming its historian and Vice-President.
RECORDING CREDITS
Latent Manifest, Raï, Chaâbi and Fragments from Heart of Darkness were recorded on 23 & 24 July 2015 at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, Manchester.
Recording Engineer & Producer: DAVID LEFEBER
Celestial Map of the Sky was recorded on 16 April 2015 at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.
Recording Engineer & Producer: STEVE PORTNOI
(P) 2017 NMC Recordings Ltd
© 2017 NMC Recordings Ltd
Catalogue number: NMC D220
Release Date: 24 February 2017