This album presents some of the music Liz Dilnot Johnson has composed for Ex Cathedra. Other works include the recent orchestral cantata I Stand At The Door, setting words by Greta Thunberg and Kurt Masur, described by Jeffrey Skidmore as 'Johnson's love-song for the planet', and two 'eco-carols' Generous Winter (2023) and Imagine A Winter (2023). These carols are inspired by Prof. Kate Raworth, whose book Doughnut Economics encourages a rethinking of global economics to ensure a "safe and just space for humanity to thrive in." The compser says, "I am now seeking ways of cultivating such a space through musical creativity, together with the Ex Cathedra team." The first half of the album presents some of Johnson's earliest works including O Vos with spirals of sopranos unfurling, defined by the Fibonacci Series, written as part of a collaboration with mathematician Prof. Ian Stewart. More recent pieces that have been commissioned and premiered by Ex Cathedra, with whom Liz is composer-in-residence, include Blake Reimagined, a lockdown work originally composed for remote choir (later released on Youtube) with soloists including Carnatic singer Debipriya Sircar with Jazz and Soul singers Margaret Lingas and Gabriella Liandu. Four of Johnson's carols include the playful eco-carol A Wild Midwinter Carol, the acerbic Magi (her earliest work), the eight-part advent motet Gentle Flame and the tender lullaby For This Babe. The Windhover, setting Gerard Manley Hopkins' extraordinary poemis a tour de force, scored for baritone solo for the expressively powerful voice of Lawrence White with 10-part choir, summoning up the wild kestrel at dawn. The range of choral works on this album spans the enormous output across the composer's life, performed with great flair by Ex Cathedra directed by Jeffrey Skidmore. The second half of the album presents one of Johnson's large-scale choral works, When A Child Is A Witness - Requiem for Refugees, winner of the Ivors Composer Award for community and participation (2022). Setting words from the traditional Requiem Mass, along with words from the English Prayer Book, these choral movements encompass a world of music from a simple call and response song to complex and emotionally driven music that takes the listener on an emotional journey, moving from darkness into light. Liz Dilnot Johnson, initially a dedicated teacher in South London and Birmingham, redirected her career towards composition after pursuing an MA and PhD at Birmingham Conservatoire. Despite plans to return to teaching, mentor Philip Cashian encouraged her to continue composing. Johnson's music has garnered widespread acclaim, performed by renowned artists and ensembles internationally. Her chamber works have earned numerous prizes, including the Birmingham Chamber Music Society Composition Prize and the International Alliance of Women Musicians' Gideon Prize. Larger-scale compositions like "de l'herbe qui s'eveille" have been lauded for their evocative qualities. Notably, her piece "Moon Incantations" was a British Composer Awards finalist, and her Requiem for Aleppo integrates amateur and professional performers, showcasing her commitment to socially inspired compositions. Currently, she is embarking on a significant project with Ex Cathedra, composing new music for period instruments akin to J.S. Bach's cantatas.

Kasra Faridi delved into a composition that emerged from months of immersive research into the sound of recursive functions, a deeply mathematical endeavor. Faridi delved into programming using C and Csound languages, crafting a sonic landscape that intertwines the realms of mathematics and music. As a pianist immersed in the classical repertoire, Kasra encounters counterpoint daily, with the works of Bach serving as a constant source of inspiration. Reflecting on the origins of musical expression, Faridi draw parallels between the concept of counterpoint and the primal echoes of sound reverberating within a cave, evoking a sense of ancient musical discovery. The use of the recorder, the oldest known instrument dating back 24,000 years, further enriches the sonic narrative, with it's delayed and evolving sounds mirroring the gradual evolution of human understanding and civilization. "I was thinking of The fall of Adam, which Maybe is a symbol of civilization and the process of Man self-awareness. Throughout the movements of this release, I sought to evoke a sense of timelessness and transcendence, drawing inspiration from the rituals and practices of Neanderthals. The deliberate avoidance of modern sounds in the second and fourth movements creates a sonic space that resonates with the ancient, while the incorporation of musical intervals in the fourth movement shapes a landscape of consonant harmonies. As the composition unfolds, the fifth movement emerges as a culmination of this sonic journey, where the melody and harmony coalesce in a harmonious union, symbolizing the embrace of civilization. This movement serves as a musical reflection on the transition from early nomadic cultures to sedentary societies, culminating in the embrace of modernity and industrialization, encapsulating the evolution of humanity through sound and melody. I was thinking of The fall of Adam, which Maybe is a symbol of civilization and the process of Man self-awareness." Aida Hormozian was born in 1990 in Tehran, Iran. Aida's passion for music and the recorder began at a young age, leading her to pursue a Master's degree in English Literature while honing her skills as a recorder player. Her dedication to the instrument was further fuelled by her participation in various festivals across Iran, which inspired her to pursue further training and education in recorder performance. Aida's musical exploration also led her to delve into contemporary recorder playing under the guidance of Sarah Jeffery, illuminating a new path in her musical expression. This journey culminated in the creation of "The Fall," an Electro-Accoustic composition by Kasra Faridi, reflecting Aida's artistic evolution and dedication to pushing the boundaries of contemporary recorder performance." Kasra Faridi, a distinguished Classical Pianist and Composer, was born in 1992 in Tehran, Iran. His musical journey began at a young age, studying under the guidance of esteemed instructors such as Houman Dehlavi, Tamara Dolitzeh, Arpineh Israelian, and Gagik Babayan. Notably, Kasra showcased his exceptional talent by performing his very first piano solo at the age of six. Over the years, Kasra has garnered acclaim as a sought-after performer at numerous piano soloist festivals, including the prestigious Tehran Soloist Festival, Biennial Festival, Schubert International Music Festival, Youth Festival, and Classic to Contemporary Festival, among others. In addition to his musical prowess, Kasra is also an accomplished theoretical physicist, holding a master of science in theoretical particle physics from Tehran University. His proficiency in mathematics has greatly influenced his passion for electronic composition and programming, which he honed under the tutelage of Joachim Heintz. Furthermore, he has studied general and classical composition under the guidance of Houman Dehlavi and contemporary composition under Kiawasch Sahebnassagh. Kasra's ability to seamlessly blend art and science has enabled him to craft a distinctive sound that stands out in the realm of classical contemporary music. Having recently relocated to Toronto, Kasra looks forward to contributing his unique blend of art and science to the vibrant musical landscape of the city.

• Karl Fiorini (b. 1979) is a Maltese composer who has been working in France for some years following studies in London at the Royal College of Music. He was a protégé of the great Charles Camilleri. His music has been performed all over Europe. He has won several composition prizes and now also teaches and runs festivals in Malta and France. His Violin Concertos are fine examples of new post-romantic music.

Grieg wrote roughly 250 bars of a Piano Quintet in his sketchbook before abandoning the work. 120 years after it's being set aside, composer Michael Finnissy's refashioned Grieg quintet received it's definitive performance at the 2013 Bergen International Festival. Finnissy's own Greig-Quintettsatz also graces this disc. The Kreutzer Quartet are dedicatees of hundreds of new works. Pianist Roderick Chadwick broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3 and teaches at the Royal Academy of Music.

The first in the Life & Times series which sets Beethoven's violin sonatas in their social and musical context. On this disc the context is provided by Beethoven's pupil, patron and confidant Archduke Rudolph Esterhazy of Austria in his Variations on a theme of Prince Louis Ferdinand.

Tippett's marvelous one-movement 2nd sonata is joined by fine works by Saxton, Sackman and Connolly in the 2nd volume of the Metier British Piano Music series, in which a Tippett Sonata is presented amongst contemporary works.

This recording features 2 newly developed instruments. The Howarth-Redgate 21st Century Oboe was developed jointly by British Oboe maker Howarth of London and soloist Redgate. The Lupophon, a new bass oboe, is featured in the Finnissy piece. The CD booklet notes contain a highly informative essay by Redgate on the development process.

The second in the Life & Times series which sets Beethoven's violin sonatas in their social and musical context. On this disc the context is provided by child prodigy Josef Mayseder - according to Beethoven a genius boy.

The 1960s were a period of revolution in classical vocal composition, a time of re-inventing and re-creating the classical voice's sound world that inspired the generation of composers featured on this album. Spear-headed by such imaginative singers as Cathy Berberian and Michiko Hirayama, and inspired by the simultaneous developments in Early Music, technology and an awareness of world music singing styles, the long-established Bel canto singing tradition was extended in new, imaginative and extraordinarily virtuosic ways. This collection is widely diverse in style from the simple (yet so complex) simple vocals by the two American composers, to a variety of extended-technique songs by the notoriously modernist Europeans, Kagel, Scelsi, Bussotti, Nono, Berio, and Castliglioni. fSara Stowe is one of Britain's most versatile and inventive performers with a repertoire ranging from medieval song to the present day. She began studying as a prize-winning harpsichordist and piano scholar at the Royal College of Music. On leaving she decided to pursue singing and studied in Italy where she sang for Luciano Berio and studied Scelsi's vocal music with Michiko Hirayama. In Britain Sara's performances include work with The Academy of Ancient Music, New London Consort, Sirinu, James Wood and the Taverner Consort.

Samuel Andreyev’s music is incredibly varied, from the sparse resonance of the Sonata da Camera, the ‘cartoon music’ (as the composer puts it) of Vérifications, characterised by primary colours and strong instrumental timbres; the Sextet in Two Parts which in contrast focuses on minute timbral shadings; and of course the cantata for solo voice and ensemble which is the title track of the album. Performed by ensemble proton bern, conducted by Luigi Gaggero with the magical soprano voice of Peyee Chen on In Glow of Like Seclusion (set to verse by J. H. Prynne) this album was beautifully captured in Zurich in 2022. The CD and digital album is to be followed with a double-LP vinyl version in the New Year. Samuel Andreyev’s music has been featured in portrait concerts in Bern, Geneva, Toronto, Paris, Kyiv, Strasbourg, Montréal, Tours, and many other cities. Andreyev is a laureat of the Henri Dutilleux Prize (2012, for ‘Night Division’), and the Grand Prix Lycéen des Compositeurs (2020, for ‘Vérifications’). He is also Vice President of the music council of the Fondation Prince Pierre (Monaco). With his YouTube channel and Podcast, Samuel Andreyev presents lectures on musical topics, as well as long-form interviews with prominent musicians as varied as Brian Ferneyhough, every member of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, Linda Catlin Smith, Hugues Dufourt, Adam Neely and countless others. He has twice been a featured guest on the Jordan Peterson Podcast, in addition to appearances on Vox, The Symbolic World, Classical Chats and many others.

Four major world premieres – two from American composers, one by a Swiss and one American orchestration of a Percy Grainger fantasy – includes the Second Symphony of Thomas Fortmann, inspired by the Tuscan landscape but enlivened by jazz, rock rhythms, and pastoral idylls. Peter Lieuwen and Robert Nelson’s works are very much of today but speak to a wide audience and the Australian Percy Grainger’s ‘Lincolnshire Posy’ is given an American makeover in Merlin Patterson’s new orchestration. Played by the Univ. of Houston’s Moores School of Music Orchestra and violinist Andrzej Grabiec (Capriccio).

This album is devoted to the works of Carson COOMAN, organ scholar at Harvard, and one of the most prolific, inspired and increasingly popular American composers. It contains three short piano solo works and pieces for tuba and piano, trumpet and piano and flugelhorn with harp; the first work is an atmospheric song cycle for soprano with trumpet and piano. These are world premiere recordings.

These beautiful works, often overlooked within the repertoire, contain many of the quintessential elements of Bach's work. Dramatic and moving, they have been described as a celebration of, and insight into, the composer's spirit, capturing a maelstrom of elation and stillness. The CD sleeve includes an illuminating essay by John Butt, one of the world's leading academic authorities on Bach.

The fourth in our acclaimed series which presents Beethoven's Violin Sonatas in their musical and social context, alongside works by Beethoven's contemporaries and pupils. Here we present the op. 23 and 24 Sonatas together with the very fine and little known C minor Sonata, op. 38. by Ferdinand Ries.

Six accomplished composers from Ireland are featured in this album, five of them very much contemporary and thriving, and one, Ina Boyle, who died in 1967 leaving a fascinating catalog of works which are very rarely performed- indeed her name has all but been forgotten. Most of the pieces here are for voice and piano, though two, those by Buckley and Clarke, are for voice with precussion and some electronic dubbing and looping in the case of the Clarke which is an off the wall setting of James Joyce. Aylish Kerrigan is one of the foremost interpreters of contemporary Irish vocal music, and of Brecht, and her one-woman Braodway-style shows won acclaim when given in New York, Paris, Berlin and Dublin. She is a guest professor at Wuhan Conservatory in China where she gives masterclasses in performance of Lieder and has recorded Schoenberg’s Op. 15 and songs by Ives for release in 2017. Her accompanist Dearbhla Collins has performed worldwide especially in German lieder, contemporary art song, and theater music. Each of these works is a world premiere recording.