Presteigne Premieres: New Music for String Orchestra - RES10279

Presteigne Premieres: New Music for String Orchestra

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Total playing time [80:37]

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Amy Dickson (saxophone)
Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (mezzo-soprano)
Katherine Baker (flute)
Suzy Willison-Kawalec (harp)
Presteigne Festival Orchestra
George Vass (conductor)

Founded in 1982 in the former county town of Radnorshire, the Presteigne Festival has become a significant part of the Welsh cultural calendar and is internationally renowned for its commissioning of new work, support of living composers and with a long tradition for the encouragement of young artists.

The festival’s orchestra, conducted by Artistic Director George Vass, explores a selection of the many new works premiered by the festival in this volume of recent music for string orchestra, including: the collaborative Variations on ‘Lovely Joan’ for strings (composers Thomas Hyde, Adrian Williams, David Matthews, Michael Berkeley, Christopher Gunning, Huw Watkins, Sally Beamish and Matthew Taylor); Martin Butler’s Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Strings performed by Amy Dickson; Joe Duddell’s Mnemonic for flute, harp and strings; and Beginnings (Three Early Songs), Op. 54, and Divertimento, Op. 51, by Hugh Wood.

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist

Variations on ‘Lovely Joan’
Thomas Hyde (b.1978)
1. Prelude – Tema – Tema elaborata

David Matthews (b.1943)
2. Variation I: Molto vivace

Adrian Williams (b.1956)
3. Variation II: Adagio molto

Michael Berkeley (b.1948)
4. Variation III: A Frolic for Lovely Joan

Christopher Gunning (b.1944)
5. Variation IV: Andante

Huw Watkins (b.1976)
6. Variation V: Allegretto

Sally Beamish (b.1956)
7. Variation VI: Adagio; very still

Matthew Taylor (b.1964)
8. Variation VII: Finale: Prestissimo

Martin Butler (b.1960)
Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Strings
9. Lively, but heavy and grounded –
10. Cantilena –
11. Presto

Hugh Wood (b.1932)
Beginnings: Three Early Songs, for mezzo-soprano and string orchestra, Op. 54
12. Tom O’Bedlam’s Song
13. Why East Wind chills
14. O Unicorn among the Cedars

Joe Duddell (b.1972)
15. Mnemonic, for flute, harp and
string orchestra

Hugh Wood
Divertimento, Op. 51
16. Maestoso – Andante, calmo ma con moto
17. Adagietto
18. Allegro molto, feroce

“

‘Beginnings, his late reworking of three early songs, exquisitely handled by the mezzo Rebecca Afonwy-Jones, and Divertimento. There are striking essays by Martin Butler and Joe Duddell, and a most felicitous set of variations on the folk song Lovely Joan.’

- The Sunday Times

Credits
© 2021 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2021 Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts Ltd
Catalogue No. RES10279
Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793046
Cover image: Presteigne landscape by Alex Ramsay – www.alexramsayphotography.net
Release date: 28 May 2021