Welcome to the Rayfield Allied Advent Calendar 2018.
Rayfield Allied artists have released many great recordings over the past year - join us as we celebrate some of the highlights in this year's advent calendar, showcasing one recording per day in the run up to Christmas.
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Havergal Brian: The Vision of Cleopatra with Peter Auty
In the role of Antony, performed with English National Opera and conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
Released September 2018 on Dutton.
Find out more about the release here.
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Fratres: Pärt & Bach by Jörgen van Rijen
Performed by Jörgen van Rijen and Camerata RCO.
Released November 2018 on BIS Records.
Sensing a special relationship between Arvo Pärt and J.S. Bach, Jörgen van Rijen on his first recording for BIS Records brings together music by the two composers.
Listen to Vater Unser arranged by J. van Rijen for trombone and string ensemble on Spotify
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Motherland with David Parry
'Seascapes' by Alexey Shor, performed by David Aaron Carpenter and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by David Parry.
Released April 2018 on Warner Classics.
"Maltese composer Alexey Shor's The Well-Tempered Chanson is great fun, riffing on popular Soviet songs of the 1920s with klezmer-ish abandon." - Presto Classical
Listen to the recording session on Youtube.
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Arminio by Laurence Cummings
Performed by Laurence Cummings and the FestspielOrchester Göttingen, recorded live at the Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen 2018.
Released November 2018 on Accent.
“Both principals draw inspiration from conductor Laurence Cummings, whose brilliant manoeuvring through the score shows why he’s a world-renowned Handel interpreter” – Berta Joncus, BBC Music Magazine
Listen to the Overture from Arminio on Spotify.
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Schubert and Brahms: the Complete Duos by Pieter Wispelwey
Performed by Pieter Wispelwey and Paolo Giacometti.
"Wispelwey is again an amazing master of his instrument, both in the roaring, low, neck-breaking runs and the heat in the high notes at the end. The two musicians are perfectly matched in their enthusiasm and musicality " - Luister
Listen to the recording on Spotify.
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Shostakovich: The Complete String Quartets by the Borodin Quartet
Performed by the Borodin Quartet, Alexei Volodin and Sergei Nakariakov.
This highly anticipated box set, including the complete string quartets, the Piano Quintet Op. 57 and Podrugi (“The Girlfriends”) Op. 41, was released in September 2018 for DECCA.
“There can be no greater experience in chamber music than the Borodin Quartet playing Shostakovich” – The Australian
Listen to the Allegretto from Shostakovich’s Podrugi (“The Girlfriends”) Op. 41 on Spotify.
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Pulse / Quartet by Steve Reich
Performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble (Pulse) and Colin Currie Group (Quartet).
Released February 2018 on Nonesuch.
“Pulse exudes a restrained, valedictory quality that partly stems from the way in which it briefly journeys through the main elements of Reich’s language – pulse combined with interlocking and interweaving patterns, melodies that kaleidoscopically reflect each other through canon and imitation, lines that stretch and contract through augmentation and diminution – yet remains at its core a brilliantly conceived and organically self-sufficient work: Reich at his imperious best” – Pwyll ap Siôn, Gramophone
Listen to an excerpt of Pulse here.
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Matthew Locke: For Lovers of Consort Music by Phantasm
Performed by Phantasm and Elizabeth Kenny.
Released October 2018 on Linn Records.
“Indisputably superb. Phantasm's performances are compelling, their immaculate ensemble always internally balanced to best effect, their near-miraculous transparent textures brilliantly captured by the engineer. Dreyfus’s choices of tempo and application of rubato are both refreshing and nuanced. It is recordings of this calibre that will attract new listeners to the English consort repertoire. – Julie Anne Sadie, Gramophone
Listen to an excerpt of Locke’s ‘Canon ‘4 in 2’ on a plain song’ here.
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Telemann: Das Seliges Erwägen with Peter Harvey
Performed by the Freiburger Barockorchester & Choräle Chorals.
Released April 2018 on Aparté
“Baritone Peter Harvey played his umpteenth Christ and does so with gusto” - Maarten Jan Delahaye, de Gelderlander
Listen to the recording on Spotify.
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A Rose Magnificat with Paul McCreesh
Performed by the Gabrieli Consort, conducted by Paul McCreesh.
Released May 2018 on Signum Classics.
"This exquisitely crafted recital of English Marian motets and Magnificats from the Gabrieli Consort and Paul McCreesh. Performances are pristine: carefully balanced and always cleanly tuned, and a more muscular, characterful top line offers a welcome contrast to some of the ensemble’s English rivals. McCreesh’s ear for a contemporary classic is unerring." – Alexandra Coghlan, Gramophone
Listen to the recording on Spotify.
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Rossini: Le comte Ory with Tobias Ringborg
Performed with Malmö Opera, conducted by Tobias Ringborg.
Released July 2018 on Naxos DVD.
“At the helm, Tobias Ringborg ensures tension, tempi and intelligently shaped finales.” - Ingrid Wanja, Operalounge
Watch the trailer on Youtube.
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Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich: Celebrating 150 Years box set featuring Pierre-André Valade
Morton Feldman's 'Coptic Light', performed by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich conducted by Pierre-André Valade.
Released April 2018 on Sony Classics.
"A successful performance in every respect of Feldman's 'Coptic Light' with Pierre-André Valade" - Pizzicato.
Watch Pierre-André Valade talk about his work with the orchestra on Youtube.
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Patrick Hawes: The Great War Symphony with Joshua Ellicott
Performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Released September 2018 by Classic FM.
“An immensely moving evening” - Miranda Sawyer, The Guardian on the premiere performance at Classic FM Live on October 4th at the Royal Albert Hall
Listen to extracts of the piece on Spotify.
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Fidelio with Wojtek Gierlach
DVD of Theater St. Gallen performance of Fidelio, Wojtek Gierlach as Rocco.
Released October 2018 on EuroArts DVD.
“Wojtek Gierlach with his velvety, beautiful bass sound portrays Rocco as an empathetic, compassionate character. A great singer of whom we will no doubt hear much more in the future.“ - Dr. Ingobert Waltenberger, Online Merker
Watch the trailer on Youtube.
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Legacy by Sergio Tiempo
Solo recital disc performed by Sergio Tiempo.
Released January 2018 on Avanti! Classics.
"Tiempo is at his most irrepressively original... [his]enormous resources of touch create textures that seem truly liquid." - Patrick Rucker, Gramophone.
Listen to Ginastera's 'Malambo' on Spotify.
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Le Temple de la Gloire by Nicholas McGegan
Performed by Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale and Nicholas McGegan. World Premiere recording of the original 1745 version.
Released July 2018 for Philharmonia Baroque Productions.
“The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra under Nicholas McGegan play beautifully” – Richard Lawrence, Gramophone
Listen to the Overture from ‘Le Temple de la Gloire’ on Spotify.
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The Dufay Spectacle by Gothic Voices
Performed by Gothic Voices, Andrew Lawrence-King, Jane Achtman, Emily White and Keith McGowan.
Released April 2018 on Linn Records.
"My treat of the year was definitely the return of Gothic Voices with a new recording of songs and motets by Dufay. Not just beautifully presented and assembled with originality and intelligence, this recording features performances that throw new light on this music." Critics' Choice 2018: David Fallows, Gramophone
Listen to an excerpt of 'Vergene bella' here.
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Buene: Violin Concerto by Peter Herresthal
Performed by Peter Herresthal and the Arctic Philharmonic.
Released January 2018 on BIS.
"it is Peter Herresthal, whose disc of the Nørgård concertos (6/12) was such a revelation, that commands attention on this finely recorded and informatively annotated release. Warmly recommended.” – Richard Whitehouse, Gramophone
Listen to extracts from the recording here.
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SoftLOUD by Sean Shibe
Performed by Sean Shibe, featuring Steve Reich's 'Electric Counterpoint'.
Released September 2018 on Delphian Records.
"An artist blessed with grace to spare, and a roar that is fearsome" - BBC Music Magazine - Instrumental Choice *****
Listen to 'Electric Counterpoint: I. Fast', praised by the composer himself as "one of the best recordings of the piece ever", on Spotify.
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Fauré: The Complete Songs, Vol. 3 with John Chest
Performed by Malcolm Martineau, featuring John Chest.
Released February 2018 on Signum Records.
"This latest installment of Martineau's Fauré cycle contains riches in plenty. He is the most poised collaborator, and his 10 illustrious singers do full justice to a carefully chosen selection" The Sunday Times
Listen to 'Tristesse d'Olympio' here.
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Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal Live Vol. 2: Works by Richard Wagner and Hector Berlioz by Julia Jones
Performed by the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal, conducted by Julia Jones.
Released July 2018 on HD-Klassik.
"The admirable Julia Jones brings out the dignity of the Overture much as Stokowski does in his classic RCA recording from the early 1960s." - Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International.
Listen to the Overture from Tannhäuser here.
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Palestrina: Missa Confitebor tibi Domine & other works by David Hill
Performed by the Yale Schola Cantorum and principal conductor David Hill.
Released February 2018 on Hyperion.
"David Hill produces a marvellous sound from his choir, beautifully tuned, beautifully balanced and with many truly exciting moments... These tracks are an unalloyed pleasure." - David Fallows, Gramophone.
Listen to excerpts from the album on Youtube.
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The Passinge Mesures by Mahan Esfahani
Released November 2018 on Hyperion.
"The Passinge Mesures takes its title from a Byrd pavan and galliard — ancient dance forms bustled into dizzying, sometimes dissonant new shapes... I suspect that Esfahani would make magic even if playing a penny whistle. This is definitely one of my albums of the year.” - Geoff Brown, The Times
Listen to excerpts from the album here.
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Momento Immobile by Venera Gimadieva and Gianluca Marcianò
Released October 2018 on Rubicon Classics.
Hailed as "the new voice of Russia", Venera Gimadieva's first solo album Momento Immobile is a collection of bel canto arias from operas by Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini. The album was recorded at Manchester’s Stoller Hall with The Hallé orchestra, conducted by Gianluca Marcianò.
Listen to Qui la voce from I Puritani on Spotify.
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Winter Fragments: Chamber Music by Michael Berkeley
Performed by the Berkeley Ensemble with Fleur Barron, conducted by Dominic Grier.
Released September 2018 on Resonus Classics, in honour of the ensemble's 10th anniversary, and Michael Berkeley's 70th birthday.
“Stylistically ranging from the plainchant-inspired Clarinet Quintet (1983) to the sensuous and Satie-like Seven (2007), to the jostling intensity of Catch Me If You Can (1994), it shows Berkeley at his exploratory and individualistic best, free to follow his instinct, tonal or expressionistic.” – Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian
Listen to Three Rilke Sonnets: Sonnet for Orpheus on Spotify.
