James MacMillan: Works for Chamber Orchestra with Soloists

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

[From Ayrshire] is played here with burnished lyricism by the German violinist Linus Roth, who scorches the brief, 'fast-reel', second movement with virtuosity...MacMillan elicits a magnificent... — BBC Music Magazine, September 2014, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 23rd Jun 2014
Catalogue No: CC72638
Label: Challenge Classics
Series: MacMillan Series
Length: 60 minutes

BBC Music Magazine

September 2014

Concerto Choice

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

MacMillan: From Ayrshire

Work length7:40

$2.00

$2.80

Julius Berger, Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer, Linus Roth
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
James MacMillan

I. Largo, Molto Rubato

Track length6:06

$1.00

$1.40

II. Like a Very Fast Reel

Track length1:34

$1.00

$1.40

MacMillan: Tuireadh

Work length20:25

Album only

Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer, Linus Roth, Julius Berger
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
James MacMillan

MacMillan: Kiss on Wood

Work length6:57

$1.00

$1.40

Linus Roth, Julius Berger, Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
James MacMillan

MacMillan: as others see us

Work length25:46

$6.00

$8.40

Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer, Linus Roth, Julius Berger
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic
James MacMillan

I. Henry Vlll

Track length3:42

$1.00

$1.40

II. John Wilmot

Track length5:17

$1.00

$1.40

III. John Churchill

Track length4:15

$1.00

$1.40

IV. George Byron and William Wordsworth

Track length3:44

$1.00

$1.40

V. T.S. Elliot

Track length4:22

$1.00

$1.40

VI. Dorothy Hodgkin

Track length4:26

$1.00

$1.40

About
Reviews
Explore

About

The third release from Challenge Classics on which the acclaimed Scottish composer James MacMillan conducts the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Choir, and leading instrumental soloists presents some of his most important works. This disc features four pieces, “From Ayrshire” for violin and orchestra, “Tuireadh” for clarinet and strings, “Kiss on Wood” for cello and chamber orchestra, and the series of seven pieces called “...as others see us...”, scored for chamber orchestra alone.

James MacMillan is one of today’s most prolific, communicative and successful living composers and is increasingly active internationally as a conductor. MacMillan’s musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience, and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.

“From Ayrshire”, scored for violin and orchestra, was written in 2005 for Nicola Benedetti. According to the composer its title arose from the fact that both composer and soloist have Ayrshire backgrounds. “Tuireadh” was written in 1991, and is a work for clarinet and string orchestra. It is an instrumental requiem for those who lost their lives in the Piper Alpha North Sea oil and gas rig disaster in 1988. The title is Gaelic for “lament”. “Kiss on Wood” is a paraphrase on a Good Friday versicle sung when the Cross is slowly unveiled and before the people are invited to kiss the wood of the Cross. The set of pieces called “...as others see us...” is a musical depiction for chamber orchestra of seven portraits in the National Portrait Gallery in London.

The soloists on this recording are the cellist Julius Berger, the violinist Linus Roth, and the clarinettist Lars Wouters van den Oudeweijer.

The two previous albums in this series are Veni, Veni, Emanuel (CC72540), which includes the title work, the violin concerto ‘A Deep But Dazzling Darkness’, and ‘Í (A Meditation on Iona)’, and Magnificat (CC72554), a disc devoted to MacMillan’s choral music.

Reviews

September 2014

[From Ayrshire] is played here with burnished lyricism by the German violinist Linus Roth, who scorches the brief, 'fast-reel', second movement with virtuosity...MacMillan elicits a magnificent response from the Netherlands string players, oscillating violently from hushed meditations to wild, slashing interjections and keening glissandos...Berger's solo cello is wonderfully rapt and concentrated.

September 2014

MacMillan at his most imaginative and inventive best exploring the limited resources of a chamber orchestra, these are compelling performances given particular impact under the composer's taut direction.

29th June 2014

piercing portraits and Scottish concerns

James MacMillan: Works for Chamber Orchestra with Soloists

CD

Downloads

Contents

Download queue