Reviews

A nicely balanced program of three vocal works interspersed with three instrumental pieces. What better way than this for a composer to celebrate her eightieth birthday – and a lifetime of creativity! This release is a long overdue recognition of Jennifer Fowler as a major contemporary composer.

All five performances are of top quality. What astonishes me however is that all of the music, and two of the trios in particular, are absolutely outstanding. Dazzling, sparkling, remarkably fine quality.

The musicality is superb and the interest level never drops. The standout participant for me was the narrator Bhasker Patel, whose reading truly brings the words to life and carries you off to the dusty plains and high mountains of northern India.

Schumann’s letter and spirit, amplified by the colors of Murail.

The playing by the Trio Anima Mundi is magnificent throughout. [I] was continually amazed at the brilliant interpretation of this music. Each one of these five ‘trios’ are special and deserve our attention. Outstanding recorded sound.

I imagine neither composer will be especially familiar to most readers/listeners, and this disc provides an intriguing introduction to their work. Unsurprisingly, Morgan and his colleagues perform with excellent conviction and character.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable programme. The musical language is not easy but is totally rewarding and ultimately satisfying. All the pieces are written in a modernist style that is always approachable, interesting and satisfying. All these works are written with skill, strong formal principles, sharp dissonance balancing lyricism, and a rigorous intellectual underpinning. Gemini’s playing of these four remarkable works is first-class. I think that special honours ought to go to Sophie Harris for her extraordinary performance of the Elegy for solo cello.

Grange writes music that is edgy but goes somewhere… what a wonderfully clear mind he has for structure and detail. He doesn’t have just one “voice,” but can vary his approach depending on his mood and what he’s trying to convey. This is an extraordinary CD and a composer to watch!

Amazing… an impeccable production and a masterpiece of interpretation of the magnificent “Odyssey” for choir and harp. I urge you to look for this album and get it as soon as possible.

This double CD of vocal music has an other-worldly feel, the second half of the programme being more traditional in sound. An interesting collection for fans of the human voice.

John McCabe plays some great piano pieces very well.

These world premiere recordings of rarely heard but masterful compositions are played with sensitivity and panache by the excellent Australian ensemble Trio Anima Mundi. [All five composers] wrote wonderful music in Romantic style.

This is a fabulously inventive score presented with real flair and performed with the utmost virtuosity.

Uniquely intriguing. The effect on the listener is immediate and pleasing. Kipling’s words are expertly narrated by Bhasker Patel. Rodgers’s music, which makes space for improvisation, is harmonically about the same as Holst, and the sitar sits comfortably beside the fairly basic but colorful clarinet and guitar parts. In essence The Roaring Whirl is accessible and appealing.

From time to time the tunes are quite lovely… there is an unassuming simplicity in the music… charming and uncomplicated. The composer is also the clarinetist in several of the compositions. She has a fine tone and is a very good player. All of the players do an excellent job.

Philip Grange realized in a moment of reflection that his music frequently took off from other creative artists and writers. From that reflection comes this new release titled Homage, which comprises four chamber works that pay homage to a painter, two writers and a fellow composer. By going into such enticing detail, Grange has found a hook, not just for his own imaginative process but also for the listener.

There is the most basic fact, that music is a code. Postmodern art embraces such codes in every medium, and Fowler’s music represents a sophisticated example of what can be done with the code of music. In many ways she is a conceptual artist. All the performers from the ensemble Lontano are expert, as are both singers.

Impressive technical aplomb, fine improvisatory skills and musical relish.

His Bach is nimble-footed. Zimmermann’s Sonata Heinen despatches with authority. Heinen shows lyricism, charm and humour, great control and narrative flair. The recording is clean and close.”

There can be no greater tribute to the artistry of John McCabe. When I hear his performances of Clementi (or Haydn, Ravel, or any number of other composers), I feel as if I am compelled to truly listen to the piece in question, noting all of its details. McCabe’s performance makes a serious case for the piece (Didone Abbandonata) as a worthy companion to Beethoven’s sonatas.. This is the mark of a great musician.