Coming Soon,
Howard Skempton's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
In the wake of Roderick Williams's triumph at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards on Tuesday evening, we can now confirm that he will be recording Howard Skempton's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (written for him and for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group) for NMC in the autumn.
Commissioned by Presto's founder, Maurice Millward, and scored for baritone and an ensemble of seven players, the work sets around two-thirds of Coleridge's epic poem and received its premiere at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham in December, with The Guardian praising the 'economy and lucidity' of Skempton's setting and Opera Today lauding Williams's 'gift for natural, direct communication' when reviewing the Wigmore Hall performance which took place the following evening.
The composer writes: '“Thanks to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the task of setting ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ has made unusual demands. The narrative thrust of the poem suggested a pace of delivery beyond the comfort zone of a well-established technique. Composing is always an adventure, and I have occasionally imagined myself alongside the Mariner – in the same boat! Writing the piece has been sometimes a “breeze”, and sometimes not!’'
The disc will be released in 2017, as part of the composer's 70th birthday celebrations; more details to follow.
Selected recordings of works by Howard Skempton
(You can view his complete available discography here.)
This 2005 collection of choral and chamber works centres around the titular work for double bass and small ensemble, also written for BCMG, and was praised by Gramophone as 'a release that confirms Skempton's move to the centre of British new music as complete'.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
A disc of world premiere recordings of Skempton's sacred and secular choral music, released back in 2008 when the composer was primarily known as a miniaturist writing for piano and accordion; the Gramophone Guide described his setting of the eponymous Yeats' poem as 'a miniature masterpiece to be sure'.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Featuring the pianist Daniel Becker and Skempton's frequent collaborators Exaudi, 'Bolt from the Blue' prompted The Guardian to hail the composer as 'the master of the unassuming miniature' and Gramophone to remark that 'Skempton sounds like the future'.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
Chris O'Reilly - Chief Executive
