Drawing on the span of jazz history from stride to free improvisation, along with inspiration from hip-hop, funk, and Washington D.C.'s unique go-go sound, Gilchrist's music thrives on making surprising connections between styles and influences, boldly veering from pile-driver funk to piquant stride, vigorous swing to hip-hop swagger, contemplative abstraction to deep-bottom grooves. Gilchrist has toured extensively with David Murray, and his compositions have graced the soundtracks of David Simon's acclaimed series The Wire, The Deuce & Treme. Lafayette leads the genre-defying ensembles the New Volcanoes and the Sonic Trip Masters All Stars, and along with bassist Michael Formanek & drummer Eric Kennedy, is a member of the adventurous collective trio Inside Out. In 2017, Gilchrist was named a Local Legend by Baltimore Magazine, while Baltimore City Paper named Lafayette Gilchrist and the New Volcanoes as "Best Band." In 2018 he was chosen as a Baker Artist Award winner. Gilchrist has performed with Cassandra Wilson, Macy Gray, Oliver Lake, Andrew Cyrille, Orrin Evans, Paul Dunmall, Hamid Drake, William Parker, and many more. His previous album Dark Matter (2019), Gilchrist's second solo recording, muses on the elusive and mysterious matter that ties the universe together and landed on numerous critics' best of 2019 lists. The double album NOW features Herman Burney (bass) and Eric Kennedy (drums). "New Orleans barrelhouse piano, the Impressionism of Ravel, and Duke Ellington's jaggy solo-piano sound form the bedrock of Lafayette Gilchrist's style at the keyboard. But if there's one big influence on the way he thinks about rhythm, it's the deeply swinging 'pocket' of a classic go-go beat." - Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times "Lafayette Gilchrist has dug deep into [jazz piano] history... he's tapping into jazz's spiritual, historical and cultural roots. He's an old soul at ease in the modern world." -Kevin Whitehead, NPR's Fresh Air

Classical Music

Classical Music

On Wenlock Edge combines the best interpreter of English song with some of the most important pieces from the 20th century repertory. Upon release the album stayed in the UK classical charts for six weeks in a row and was a Finalist at the 2008 Gramophone Awards. Vaughan Williams, a tour de force of English song, set A.E. Housman's On Wenlock Edge following a visit with Ravel in Paris. The French influence can be clearly heard in the distinctive piano quintet accompaniment- an innovation in English song. This is the premiere recording of Gurney's masterpiece Ludlow & Teme using the composer's revised and corrected version which, after studying with Vaughan Williams, he declared to be his favorite: "the alterations are simple (and striking)." Peter Warlock's The Curlew and Arthur Bliss's Elegiac Sonnet, completes this beautiful collection. The Fitzwilliam String Quartet and pianist Ann Tilbrook display their substantial talents as accompanists providing flawless support and enhancing Gilchrist's interpretation.

An evergreen masterpiece, an under-appreciated jewel and a great 'what might have been' - pianist Mark Bebbington and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jan Latham Koenig explore the personal and musical connections between Edvard Grieg and Frederick Delius. Heard together on an album for the first time, the Piano Concertos by Grieg and Delius reveal the full extent of the composers' friendship and mutual admiration. Composed in 1868, Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor has become one of the cornerstones of the repertoire. It's famous opening timpani roll heralds a ravishing display of virtuosity lit up by the melting melody at the heart of an immediately recognizable masterpiece. Also in a minor key, Delius's C minor Piano Concerto was inspired by a performance of Grieg's Concerto in London in 1888. Grieg's gifting of a copy of the score to Delius spurred him on to write his own Concerto. A first draft in 1897 was followed by two further revisions over the next decade before the final version heard here in a rare appearance. Grieg's mooted Second Piano Concerto was never completed, but the 150 bars he did sketch hint at what might have been. Robert Matthew-Walker has fashioned the existing material - in various stages of completion and detail - into a coherent single movement to give, for the very first time, the clearest indication of what Grieg had in mind for a work left tantalizingly unfinished. Both this and the solo piano version - also arranged by Robert Matthew-Walker - receive their premiere recordings here.

James Gilchrist’s latest Linn recording encompasses three of the greatest examples of the song cycle genre, Robert Schumann’s Liederkreis, op. 24 and op. 39, and Dichterliebe, op. 48. James Gilchrist is sought after for operatic roles, ensemble performances and as a respected, and frequent, lieder recitalist. His musical partner Anna Tilbrook is one of Britain's most exciting pianists, with a considerable reputation in song recitals and chamber music. She made her debut at Wigmore Hall in 1999 and has since become a regular performer at Europe’s major concert halls and festivals.

David Dubery (b. 1948) has enjoyed a busy career as solo pianist, accompanist, composer, vocal coach, musical director and teacher of piano and voice. + His compositions are approachable, lyrical and generally tonal style; like many other post-modern composers his music would find masses of listeners if they knew about it, and aren’t put off by the 'contemporary' tag. + Although not 'traditional' in style, his work is nevertheless thoroughly modern in its own audience friendly way.

In-demand tenor James Gilchrist has been hailed as an unparalleled interpreter of English song. In this special three-disc set are gathered his finest recordings to date: song cycles by Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Gurney, Britten, Warlock, and Leighton. Indeed, Gilchrist's pure, golden tone and sensitive musicianship suit the works of the English masters of song to perfection.

One of the UK's leading choral directors for over 50 years, stephen Wilkinson, MBE has led both professional and amateur choirs across Europe, and is particularly renowned for his work with the BBC Northern Singers and the William Byrd Singerse of Manchester. Only retiring from conducting in 2009 at the age of 90, Stephen Wilkinson's songs span the breadth of his long career as a conductor and musician, and are best described by his daugher, Clare - an acclaimed mezzo-soprano herself who also performs on this recording - as being ''a unique voice, yet deeply rooted in the English song tradition of Finzi, Gurney and Quilter.'' Performed by British singers Mhairi Lawson, Clare Wilkinson, James Gilchrist and Matthew Brook, they draw on texts by a wealth of sources including Auden, Yates, Coleridge, Shakespeare and many more.

- This album continues Metier's work in recording contemporary British music by composers working in traditional harmonies and a lyrical style. - Nicholas Marshall (b. 1942) has a flair for catching the essence of poetry as shown by the several song cycles on this disc that also features his Concerto for Recorder and String Quartet. - Featuring the celebrated tenor James Gilchrist, the album also turns the spotlight on John Turner, the UK's foremost recorder player for whom Mr. Marshall has written much music, and the four members of the Manchester Chamber Ensemble, led by Richard Howarth.

The greatly sought-after tenor James Gilchrist pairs with pianist Anna Tilbrook to continue his highly acclaimed exploration of British song with a new recording of Benjamin Britten works. As stated by the times following his work with Finzi, Leighton, Vaughan Williams, Gurney, Bliss, and Herbert, "As an interpreter of English song, Gilchrist is often in a class by himself."

John Jeffreys is a British composer who specializes in music for solo voice and his songs, exemplified by this fine collection, are masterworks of the genre, directly in the tradition inherited from Moeran, Delius, Finzi, and especially Warlock. Beautifully performed by James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook these works are timeless and will have lasting appeal.

Antony Hopkins is a phenomenon - a fact which escapes much of the public and even press who still confuse him with the actor (Anthony). Composer, pianist, conductor, broadcaster, lecturer, author a true man of music. A livewire at the age of 91, (as we write in May 2012), his genius has suffered from fickle fashion, his 'serious' music being lyrical and tuneful though certainly deep and complex; his lighter music now seen as 'period' - and just ripe for re-discovery. This double album contains much fine music including eight pieces written by top British composers as tributes to Antony. For all interested in the evolution of 20th century music this album will be invaluable, and it's also made with wit and humor, to suit the character of Hopkins himself.

Beethoven began composing the Missa solemnis in 1819, when he learned that his patron (and pupil) Archduke Rudolph was going to be appointed Cardinal Archbishop of Olmütz. The plan was for the mass to be ready for performance at the enthronement celebrations in March 1820, but one year proved to be too little time. It wasn’t until almost three years later, in January 1823, that Beethoven was able to complete the work. As might be expected, it was unparalleled in every respect – although composed for use during church services, even Beethoven’s contemporaries found that it exceeded the bounds of the genre. Beethoven himself was quite aware of both the dimensions and the importance of the work: in a letter he described it as ‘my greatest work’. It is also a work which over its course encompasses great contrasts: from the solemnity of the Kyrie and the intense excitement at the opening of the Gloria to the disturbing intimations of war during the closing Dona nobis pacem.

Originally founded with the aim of performing the choral works of Bach, the Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki Suzuki are now taking another great leap, after their recent release of Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor. Described as ‘refreshingly open-hearted, spontaneous and natural’ their interpretation received a 2017 Gramophone Award. Joined by an eminent quartet of vocal soloists, the team now applies its expertise in period performance to Beethoven’s masterpiece.

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,/br> REVIEWS:

The performance has warmth, energy and an exact feeling for tempo. The Japanese chorus rise fearlessly to Beethoven’s demands. A memorable musical and emotional experience.

– Sunday Times (UK)

This recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Op. 123 offers a revelatory performance that is so clear in its textures, lively in its tempos, meticulous in its execution, and detailed in its parts that this monument of western choral music seems to have shaken off all the mossy accretions of nearly two centuries. Highly recommended.

– All Music Guide

Richard Hickox directs a star-studded cast in this fantastic new recording of two early operettas by Arthur Sullivan. 'Cox and Box' was first performed in 1866, when the composer was just twenty-four. It shared the bill with another operetta by writer W. S. Gilbert, and it is highly likely that this was how Arthur Sullivan and william Gilbert met. 'Trial by Jury', written as a commission for Richard D'Oyly Carte, was their second collaboration, and it was this project that Gilbert and Sullivan discovered their joint creative voice. New and exciting, it took British musical theatre by storm. Premiere recording of the original orchestration of 'Cox and Box' which Arthur Sullivan approved for use at the Savoy performance in 1894.