University of York Music Press

The UYMP office was pleased to read Paul Conway's excellent review of the CD Apocalypse by Ex Corde Vocal Ensemble conducted by Paul Gameson in the Jul-Sep edition of Musical Opinion magazine. The disc was released on Resonus Classics and features three works by David Lancaster inspired by the stained glass and carvings in All Saints Church, York.

The effect of the "impeccably crafted" Apocalypse (2012), a work recounting the story of the end of the world as depicted in one of the church's windows, is said to be "spellbinding as the composer deftly explores the diverse layers of material, contrasting and co-ordinating the old with the new". The piece is described as "meticulously conceived, vividly picturesque", and with a "forbiddingly sombre, chillingly benumbed" close. Soprano soloist Anna Snow is said to bring "humanity to the cataclysmic spectacle", and the choir accompanying with "equally top-flight musicianship". Lancaster's "flawlessly interpreted" Magnificat (2021) stands out as a "serene, intensely devotional standalone piece".

The final work of the album, At the Edge of the World (2022) with poetry by Abi Curtis, tells the story of fourteenth-century anchoress Emma Raughton who took up isolated residence in the church. Lancaster's "mesmeric, multi layered and texturally variegated" textures perfectly complements the structures and reflections of Emma Raughton's introspective ecclesiastical life, as the "disparate sources are heard sequentially, jointly and asynchronously". Performed with "outstanding commitment and an unfailingly imaginative approach" by Ex Corde, the score is said to have "some of the spiritual focus, incantatory power and visionary breadth of a late score by John Tavener".

Conway ends by noting that this "well-recorded release offers music-making on the highest level", and highly recommends it to readers.

Beauty for Ashes (SIGCD797) is now available from Signum Records, containing music performed by The Elysian Singers (conducted by Sam Laughton) and Mark Brafield (organ). This CD features the work Feathers by David Lancaster, and Scala Radio has already described it as "a lovely disc to add to your collection".

UYMP is excited to announce that house composer Sadie Harrison has received a substantial ballet commission, as part of a USA project taking place in 2025-2026. 

Sadie writes: "Next April I will be working with Cuatro Puntos Ensemble, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet and choreographer Elisa Schroth in Connecticut USA on a year long project. 'Uncaged: IIluminating female Afghan Artists through music and dance' is inspired by artwork created by women working secretly within Afghanistan."

Robert Saxton’s new CD is released on Nimbus on Friday 5 July. Featuring Scenes from the Epic of Gilgamesh for full orchestra and The Resurrection of the Soldiers for strings with the English Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ken Woods. Please click here to listen. Full details may be found on the Nimbus website.

Robert’s music also features in NMC’s 35th birthday concert on Wednesday 3 July. Star baritone Roderick Williams and pianist Andrew West will perform Robert’s The Beach in Winter, Scratby, commissioned for NMC’s 20th anniversary CD in 2009. Please click here to purchase the CD

Thomas Simaku’s piece Lʼimage oubliée d’après Debussy was broadcast by VTR MAX radio in Belgium on 2 April 2024 in a programme by 20th and 21st century composers, including Takemitsu, Feldman, Thomas Adès, Lotta Wennäkoski and Toshio Hosokawa. Commissioned by the York Late Music Series to mark the centenary of Debussy’s death, Lʼimage oubliée d’après Debussy received its world premiere in York in September 2018 performed by James Wiltshire.

Composers were asked to choose a piece by Debussy, quote it for a minute or so, and continue in their own style. The piece stems from the first of a set of three piano pieces called Images (oubliées), which was not published until well after Debussy's death. As Simaku writes in his programme note ‘My idea was to bring this imagery to the doorstep of our time’.

Event this Saturday (8th June 2024), 1:00PM at The Mount School, Dalton Terrace, York, YO24 4DD.

"A Quaker Trilogy grew from a concept to inspire young composers at the beginning of their careers by offering funds for the commission of three pieces for the Micklegate Singers.

"The brief was simple: the composers could choose whichever words from a passage written by William Penn that is often read at Quaker memorial meetings they felt they wanted to work with. The fruits of their labours have proved to be a challenge for the choir, but the pieces are all remarkable, and each has been loved by the choir in rehearsal and by the audiences at their respective first performances."

Book tickets here (free admission).

Late Music York have three great final concerts of the season this weekend.   Late Music write: ‘We’re finishing off our season in style. First up (Fri 31st May @ 7:30) experience the next generation of performers, with a vocal quintet from the University of York singing a mix of early and modern music including Monteverdi and Gesualdo. There’s more vocal music on Saturday lunchtime (1st June @ 1:00) as Faye Robinson and Marianna Cortesi bring us songs by living composers including James MacMillan and new settings by local composers. The evening (1st June @ 7:30) sees our very own Late Music Ensemble celebrate the original musical maverick Erik Satie with combination of his work and new Satie inspired pieces.’  Tickets are available online from Late Music York. 

The first movement, Prologue, of Robert Saxton’s Scenes from the Epic of Gilgamesh, performed by the English Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Woods, has been released on Spotify.  To listen to the recording, please click here.  Scenes from the Epic of Gilgamesh was commissioned by Kenneth Woods for the English Symphony Orchestra, with funds provided by the RVW Trust.  We look forward to hearing the complete CD, which will also include Saxton’s The Resurrection of the Soldiers for string orchestra and will be released, on Nimbus, in July!  More news soon! 

Photo credit: Katie Vandyck

Following the release of the third volume of the Resonus series Elisabeth Lutyens: Piano Works performed by Martin Jones, The Guardian have featured a short review of the disc. Fiona Maddocks writes that the album is "engaging, serious, [and] stimulating", adding that Martin Jones "makes a persuasive case" for Lutyens' music. This comes after John Allison described the recording as "meticulously played" in BBC Music Magazine's Classical Music section. He particularly commends Martin Jones' "warmly enigmatic" performance of Berceuse.

Late Music Concerts York have two great concerts this Saturday, 4th May 2024. The programme includes David Lancaster's Long After Tonight is All Over, for solo flute.  Late Music write: ‘This Saturday we have a tremendous line up of exquisite music performed by fabulous performers - two concerts not to be missed!  Lunchtime Concert @1pm - Mikey Sluman (oboe) & Jenny Hobbins (piano) presenting a programme highlighting the full range of the oboe family, performing works by Louis Andriessen, Althea Talbot-Howard, Desmond Clarke and others featuring oboe, oboe d’amore, cor anglais and bass oboe alongside Poulenc’s popular Oboe Sonata.

Ed Hughes’ new opera States of Innocence, based on Milton’s Paradise Lost with a libretto by Peter Cant, premieres at the Brighton Festival on Sunday 19th May 2024 in a concert performance with video projection by Ian Winters, starring legendary bass Sir John Tomlinson as Milton with mezzo soprano Rozanna Madylus as Milton’s Wife / Eve and tenor Stuart Jackson as Milton’s Assistant / Satan. With New Music Players conducted by Andrew Gourlay.

On 3rd February 2024, a York Late Music recital took place at York Unitarian Chapel featuring texts from Walter de la Mere's Peacock Pie, a 1913 book of rhymes for children. Performed by baritone Robert Rice and pianist William Van, the programme consisted of songs by Herbert Howells and Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, alongside a series of nine new works by assorted composers including David Lancaster.