Simon Mold | Divine Art Recordings

Following several well-received albums of Simon Mold’s vocal and choral music in recent years, a recording of his Lenten cantata Passiontide for soloists, choir and organ is currently underway in the UK. Premiered in Kent in 2009, Passiontide was conceived as an alternative to Stainer’s Crucifixion, telling the story of Holy Week in the manner of a small oratorio and including several hymns for choir and audience in a nod to the earlier composer’s well-known choral work. Simon Mold has compiled an eclectic libretto that combines some quirky 17^th-century metrical Gospel narrative with a variety of choral and solo reflections; the result is a strikingly accessible work that explores a range of emotions with a sure feel for word-setting and an irrepressible tunefulness, while nonetheless capable of many passages of gravitas, poignancy and lingering beauty.

Highlights include dramatic moments in the Garden of Gethsemane and before Pilate, a searching setting of the Reproaches for choir and soloist, the heart-rending farewell duet for Mary and Jesus and a final scene that taps into the feelings of believer and non-believer alike.

The Gospel Narrator is Philip Leech, tenor (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Jesus is sung by experienced song recitalist Stephen Cooper (Southwell Minster) and the soprano soloist is Helen Bailey (Royal Academy Opera), along with bass-baritone Jeremy Leaman (Loughborough University) as a taunting Pilate. Roxanne Gull (Christ’s College, Cambridge and Lincoln Cathedral) conducts The Knighton Consort made up of choral specialists. The organist is David Cowen (Oxford, Paris and currently Organist of Leicester Cathedral).

Passiontide (duration around 75 minutes is scheduled for worldwide release in February 2023 in time for the Passiontide and Easter season. It consists of 24 sections.

Simon Mold – author and composer

Simon Mold was born in Buxton, UK in 1957, and following success as a treble soloist in the North West of England became a chorister at Peterborough Cathedral under the legendary Dr Stanley Vann. After reading English Language and Medieval Literature at Durham University, where he was a cathedral choral scholar, Simon embarked upon a teaching career principally in the south of England, and sang in several cathedral choirs. Upon retirement from teaching he joined Leicester Cathedral Choir just in time to take part in the acclaimed Richard III reinterment ceremonies in 2015. His interest in composition began at Peterborough where he directed a performance of one of his own choral pieces in the cathedral whilst still a boy chorister. Subsequently Simon’s music has been widely published, performed, recorded and broadcast: for instance his anthem Come, praise the saints, for choir, organ and 3 trumpets was conducted by John Scott in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and his well-known Candlelight Carol featured in Lesley Garrett’s television series Christmas Voices. Three albums of Simon Mold’s vocal and choral music have been released in recent years, and his verse collection Poetry of the Peak was published in 2019. Simon has also been a regular contributor to various musical and literary magazines, and has written widely on diverse aspects of music, language and literature.

Simon Mold: Passiontide – a Lenten Cantata (DDA 25238)

Artists

Philip Leech (tenor)
Stephen Cooper (baritone)
Helen Bailey (soprano)
Jeremy Leaman (bass-baritone)
The Knighton Consort
Roxanne Gull (conductor)

Dates

Recording dates: April and June 2022 Venue: Mountsorrel Methodist Church, Leicestershire
Release date: scheduled for February 10, 2023

Reviews of previous Simon Mold recordings

“Hush Little Child” – Christmas carols by Simon Mold and Antony Baldwin: “Warmly recommended” – MusicWeb International. “Simon Mod;s writing frequently reveals a fresh creativity whilst his settings of the texts are very convincing.”
– Cathedral Music Review

“Simon Mold: Song Cycles: “Mold’s music is unashamedly conservative, finding stylistic parallels with folk-inspired composers such as Vaughan-Williams. Mold’s song settings keep the home fires burning for highly approachable lyrical expression and amply demonstrate an unerring ear for rhythmic stress and a sure sense of converting feeling into sounds.”
– Opera Today

“The Beatific Vision” – Choral Organ Music by Simon Mold and Charles Paterson: “Bravo. There is much to enjoy on this CD. The musical language (of the Mold pieces) is immediately accessible and serves the text admirably.”
– Organists’ Review