Arthur Sullivan: Macbeth, The Tempest & Marmion Overture

The BBC Concert Orchestra play with warmth and style, the BBC Singers go at it with spirit and Mary Bevan makes an enchanting Ariel. John Andrews does an excellent job of integrating the orchestra... — Gramophone Magazine, October 2016 More…

Release Date: 15th Jul 2016
Catalogue No: 2CDLX7331
Label: Dutton
Series: Epoch

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Sullivan, A: Macbeth

Mary Bevan (soprano), Fflur Wyn (soprano), Simon Callow (speaker)
BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers
John Andrews

Sullivan, A: The Tempest - incidental music (excerpts)

Mary Bevan (soprano), Fflur Wyn (soprano), Simon Callow (speaker)
BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers
John Andrews

Sullivan, A: Marmion

Mary Bevan (soprano), Fflur Wyn (soprano), Simon Callow (speaker)
BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers
John Andrews

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This 2-CD set brings together for the first time Arthur Sullivan’s complete incidental music to Shakespeare’s Macbeth and The Tempest with his concert overture, Marmion. The Tempest was Sullivan’s graduation work from the Leipzig Conservatoire, and its rapturous reception in London in 1862 launched his career. The Macbeth music comes from the other end of Sullivan’s creative life. Commissioned by Henry Irving for his famous production at the Lyceum Theatre, it includes sublime melodic writing, ravishing orchestration (including the atmospheric use of two harps) and a dark dramatic energy. For both plays, Sullivan interwove music and text seamlessly – most impressively in the scenes between Macbeth and the Witches. Simon Callow’s wonderful performance of Shakespeare’s text makes it possible to appreciate how truly theatrical this music is. Marmion was composed after the epic poem by Walter Scott, which culminates in the Battle of Flodden Field. Until now, it has been heard only in a heavily abbreviated version. This recording restores the composer’s original narrative structure, with sparkling playing from the BBC Concert Orchestra.

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2CDLX7331

Reviews

October 2016

The BBC Concert Orchestra play with warmth and style, the BBC Singers go at it with spirit and Mary Bevan makes an enchanting Ariel. John Andrews does an excellent job of integrating the orchestra with Simon Callow’s spoken chunks of Shakespeare

24th July 2016

the music is pure delight. Mary Bevan’s Ariel beguiles the ear.

Arthur Sullivan: Macbeth, The Tempest & Marmion Overture

2 SACDs

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