Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683 - 1764) was born in Dijon two years before the births of Bach, Scarlatti and Handel. He is probably best known for his operas, but also wrote chamber music and over 60 works for harpsichord. These keyboard compositions, which he wrote between 1706 and 1728 and spread over three volumes, differ greatly from the style of his contemporaries. Rameau's intellectualism and technical brilliance of composition, allied with passion and tenderness combine, in his words, to produce 'true music... The language of the heart'. This release features pieces from three of the four suites Rameau wrote for the harpsichord. Virginia Black has selected these to illustrate Rameau's extraordinary talent in descriptive, innovative and often virtuosic writing, and to show how the piano can enhance the works through singing tone and tonal nuance.

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In this unique sequence of music for the Christmas season, the choir of Keble College presents a captivating selection of twenty- and twenty-first century choral music, arrangements and well-known carols. The programme, which features several world premiere recordings, reflects the present tradition of grand liturgy at Keble with inflections of plainchant and kaleidoscopic organ accompaniment. The disc was recorded in the great Benedictine monastery of Buckfast Abbey, showcasing it's stunning acoustic and magnificent Ruffatti organ. The Choir of Keble College, Oxford is one of the city's most distinctive mixed-voice ensembles and comprises around eighteen choral scholars, some volunteers, plus up to three lay clerks. The choir regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. Matthew Martin is Precentor and Director of Music at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge and was Director of Music at Keble College, Oxford from 2015-2020 where he was also Artistic Director of the annual Keble Early Music Festival. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford and at the Royal Academy of Music, and was an organ student of Marie-Claire Alain in Paris.

Classical Music