Both a celebration of life and a deeply spiritual reflection, The Breath of Life is Matthew Coleridge's radiant follow-up to his acclaimed Requiem. "I wanted to write something full of life and positivity," Coleridge explains, "something that would scream joy, vitality, and rhythm - quite the opposite of a Requiem." Though inspired by sacred traditions, The Breath of Life is a vibrant cantata for choir and orchestra that explores human wonder, nature, and the divine across a tapestry of texts from psalms and hymns to the writings of mystics and scientists.

Astro Cats is a virtuosic and colourful piano cycle in which each movement is inspired by a different breed of cat (domestic, wild, and even one imaginary). Given that the world often seems divided between dog and cat lovers, following the release of Carbon's work Astro Dogs, many people suggested the idea of a cat cycle. The composer has had both dogs and cats over the years, and as with the previous work, the pairing of each breed with a zodiac sign meant that the composer took inspiration from close friends and family who shared the sign. The moods of the pieces vary widely, and John Carbon has taken strong inspiration from the kinetic behaviour of cats, with their pouncing, crouching, sprinting, as well as elements of the hunt and their mysterious, crafty nature. The result is a rich musical exploration of the feline world, projected through the full possibilities of the piano.

Marking Oriel College's 700th anniversary, this unique collection explores the diverse musical traditions connected with Oriel College. Drawing on sources from medieval Marian devotion to the Oxford Movement, and from the work of distinguished fellows to contemporary commissions for the chapel choir, it explores the influence and inspiration of the college's scholars, poets, and musicians over seven centuries, charting an evolving relationship between the college and it's cultural life.

The New Winter Songbook is a collection of twenty-one songs by a diverse range of composers, featuring contemporary musical settings and lyrical responses to the winter season. Whilst more traditional winter themes do recur within the songs - those of cold, loss, stillness, grief and darkness - those of belief, faith, and hope, offer an emotional counterbalance. Each individual composer approaches and explores these themes from their own perspective, lending their voice to a musical tapestry, expressing what it means to reflect upon and celebrate the season of winter today.

A sense of expectancy, along with images of stillness in nature, are recurrent in depictions of the story of Christmas. This collection of contemporary carols, alongside well-known favourites, seeks to draw the listener deeper into the remarkable story of the Christ Child.

Lux Stellarum (Light of the Stars) is a short requiem for choir and organ, written for Zach Ullery, Andrew Dewar, and the choir of the American Cathedral, Paris. Along with texts by Marjorie Pickthall and John Donne, Lux Stellarum interpolates a number of biblical passages about stars and the universe.

This first recording of the Eule Organ of Magdalen College, Oxford (opened in January 2023) features a wide range of music performed by Alexander Pott. From Wagner to Delius, the repertoire showcases the instrument's German Romantic heritage as well as it's suitability for English 20th-Century transcription, thanks to it's distinctive voice, colour, breadth and sensitivity.

From Haydn in the early 1770s to Ligeti in the late 1960s and beyond, the string quartet has been recognised by composers, performers and audiences alike as the bedrock of the chamber music genre. The format had it's origins in private settings for amateur players who revelled in it's intimate, conversational and witty aesthetic. It progressed into a medium of public concerts for Beethoven's essays in expressive profundity and further contemporary approaches have seen it adapted into almost infinite possibilities. These two works by Lawrence Rose take inspiration from some past musical traditions which he has adapted into new and different guises.

An enchanting and engaging anthology of Christmas music by Clive Osgood, giving a contemporary twist to ancient and well-loved festive texts, including carols from the 16th century collection Piae Cantiones. Performed by the critically acclaimed professional choir Polyphony and leading chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia under the direction of the celebrated choirmaster Stephen Layton

This collection of music inspired by English folksongs by Clive Osgood continues a centuries-old tradition of music handed down through the generations, each one beautifully reimagined in a fresh and modern realisation. Holding a vital part in our cultural heritage, these English folksongs are rooted in the nation's maritime history, and also explore the melodies that have been adopted by the church and become timeless favourites as part of the rich repertoire of sacred hymnody.

This project was conceived to provide the choir with new contemporary music which would be singable, appropriate to various seasons of the church year, and, above all, be highly usable as part of the choir's daily offerings of music in Christ Church Cathedral. Funding was generously provided by the Friends of Christ Church Cathedral, and it was elected to adopt a hybrid approach to commissioning.

This setting of the Stabat Mater, a 13th century hymn to the Virgin Mary, is written for soprano, tenor and bass soloists as well as chorus, strings and piano. The work was composed in 2009 and divides the original twenty stanzas of the text into ten movements. It describes the grief-stricken Mother of Jesus standing at the foot of cross, on which he is suffering an agonising death. The overall shape of these movements provides something of an arch structure, with similar music at the beginning and end. Similarly, a slower variation of the second movement is used for the penultimate movement.

From the sixteenth century to the present day, fantasias have developed from improvisatory and virtuosic works for lute, to extended and elaborate works for ensembles, solo keyboard instruments and full orchestra. The dazzling array of works featured in this album showcases how composers have delighted in allowing their creativity and imagination to take precedence over conventional styles and forms.

Under the direction of David Bray, luminatus vocal ensemble performs a beautiful selection of Renaissance choral music, together with contemporary works by female composers. In common with their previous album, O Beata Virgo Maria, the choir shines a light on new and previously unrecorded repertoire, performed with clarity, precision and sensitivity.

Imagine you are going on an imaginary journey with stops amid a series of soundscapes - landscapes in sound. This collection by Bulgarian pianist Marija Jankova Noller packs 26 tracks from around Europe across two magnificent CDs.

These pieces, based largely on the compositional frameworks of great 18th-century chamber music including the string quartet and piano trio, have also been inspired by my love of more recent musical ideas and styles. My ideal is a fusion of old and new, where the music is both grounded in a definable structure and given the melodic, rhythmic and harmonic freedom to appeal to a broad spectrum of performers and listeners - I enjoy the challenge of fusing ideas and styles together into something that is both approachable and accessible. It's not about creating something entirely new, but about finding and sharing a voice that has become so much a part of me, and of my musical journey. Clive Osgood

Everyone involved in Jervaulx Singers has a passion for vocal music in all it's forms. The varied repertoire of Les chansons des roses encompasses all that this choir is about - giving singers the freedom to sincerely express themselves through choral music, song and opera. This repertoire, all connected to earth and nature, reminds us to cherish the world around us. Charlie Gower-Smith, Director, Jervaulx Singers

The original 1971 Merry-Go-Down LP on Unicorn Records was the brainchild of the late Fred Tomlinson, former chairman of the Peter Warlock Society, to showcase Peter Warlock's extraordinary range of musical and literary knowledge and achievements. The Peter Warlock Society and Convivium Records consider the content and performances of the pioneering LP to be of such a high standard as to require re-release, and have facilitated it's reproduction on this delightful CD. Michael Graves, Chairman, Peter Warlock Society

This collection by Hugh Shrapnel brings together works written between 2005 and 2022 for wind and piano. The varied influences give rise to music that ranges from pensive and slow, to rhythmically taut and harmonically astringent, all showing Hugh's characteristically expressive style.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music