British composer Lydia Kakabadse (with roots in Greece, Austria, Russia and Georgia) reflects her cultural heritage in music that has western and mediterranean elements – while this is strongest in her choral music, it is heard to good effect in her chamber works, which are often written in modal intonation; her previous recorded collections have been very positively reviewed. This album is in two parts – first the stunning choral work ‘Odyssey’ – absolutely traditional in its rich harmony but carrying one or two surprises, a work commissioned by the Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway University of London and premiered in2018; and a set of songs written in 2018 and 2019 spanning a range of styles from ballad, to arioso to folk jazz, Romantic, antiphonal and minimalistic!
The performers are all top rate: Clare McCaldin is an outstanding mezzo-soprano with a significant recorded legacy already. Paul Turner specializes in chamber music and has accompanied eminent singers and instrumentalists. Sara Trickey is well known as a fine violinist and Cecily Beer is in demand as both singer and harpist. The Choir of Royal Holloway is considered to be one of the finest mixed-voice collegiate choirs in Britain.
Odyssey: Choir of Royal Holloway, Cecily Beer (harp), directed by Rupert Gough
I Remember: Choir of Royal Holloway, Sara Trickey (violin), Cecily Beer (harp), directed by Rupert Gough
Other songs: Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
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Lydia Kakabadse (b.1955):
- Odyssey – I. Archaic (6:56)
- Odyssey – II. Classical (5:51)
- Odyssey – III. Hellenistic (4:09)
- Odyssey – IV. Roman (4:29)
- Odyssey – V. Byzantine (4:49)
- Odyssey – VI. Post-Byzantine (3:40)
- Odyssey – VII. Modern (6:15)
- The House Where I was Born (2:30)
- As I Sat at the Café (3:01)
- Haunted Houses (4:05)
- Courage (1:58)
- Recitativo Arioso (5:15)
- I Remember (3:01)
- The Ruined Maid (3:25)
- A Vision (2:29)
- The Way through the Woods (1:45)
- Sancte Ioseph (4:01)
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01
Odyssey – I. Archaic (6:56)
02
Odyssey – II. Classical (5:51)
03
Odyssey – III. Hellenistic (4:09)
04
Odyssey – IV. Roman (4:29)
05
Odyssey – V. Byzantine (4:49)
06
Odyssey – VI. Post-Byzantine (3:40)
07
Odyssey – VII. Modern (6:15)
08
The House Where I was Born (2:30)
09
As I Sat at the Café (3:01)
10
Haunted Houses (4:05)
11
Courage (1:58)
12
Recitativo Arioso (5:15)
13
I Remember (3:01)
14
The Ruined Maid (3:25)
15
A Vision (2:29)
16
The Way through the Woods (1:45)
17
Sancte Ioseph (4:01)







