Following their ICMA award-nominated first album on Resonus (A Courtly Garland for Baroque Trumpet), period ensemble Orpheus Britannicus, with director Andrew Arthur, joins with The Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and viol consort Newe Vialles for an impelling new recording of Buxtehude’s seminal and ground-breaking cycle of cantatas Membra Jesu nostri. With a distinguished lineup of soloists complementing this magnum opus, Arthur and his musicians give a gripping account of one of the most significant of early-Baroque oratorios. Orpheus Britannicus was founded by Andrew Arthur in 2002. Its players and singers are drawn from some of the UK’s leading performers in their field and the ensemble has developed a reputation for its expressive and historically informed approach to the rich vocal and instrumental chamber repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Beyond Beethoven explores four works by close contemporaries of the great master composer in the early part of the 19th century, chosen partly due to the connections between the composers, Beethoven and his Op. 17 Sonata, and partly to dispel enduring modern myths about the instrument’s limited options. Performing on original period instruments (an 1810 cor solo by Lucien Joseph Raoux, and an 1815 fortepiano by Johann Peter Fritz), Anneke Scott and Steven Devine, take us on a compelling journey through this enlightening corner of the piano and horn repertoire.

Following on from the acclaimed first album of this series, the period wind ensemble Boxwood & Brass returns to Resonus with the second and final volume of Beethoven Transformed. In this major project, the group continues its exploration of the status of wind music in early-nineteenth century Vienna through arranged music of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827). The three arrangements presented on this album – the Egmont Overture, Sonata Pathétique and the Seventh Symphony – were all published by Beethoven’s friend Sigmund Anton Steiner and at the time represented a significant ambitious undertaking, arguably showing nine-part Viennese Harmoniemusik in its most advanced stage of development.

Johannes Brahms’ Liebeslieder–Walzer (1869 & 1875), Op. 52 and Op. 65, are a cheerful, short, witty set of songs full of anger, joy and rejection. These part-songs are accompanied by one piano, with four hands and any number of voices can perform any selection. These enchanting works are performed as part of Barbara Hannigan’s Momentum project, which teams up new talent with more established performers. Here, tenor Nicky Spence, soprano Mary Bevan and pianist Joseph Middleton are joined by three rising stars (mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron, bass William Thomas and pianist Dylan Perez) in these love songs said to have been motivated by Brahms’s unrequited love for Clara Schumann.

Following their acclaimed recording of songs by Robert Schumann, the baritone and piano duo Simon Wallfisch and Edward Rushton return to Resonus Classics with an evocative selection of songs by Johannes Brahms. Entitled Songs of Loss and Betrayal, this intoxicating programme sees Brahms using his settings of poetry as a powerful channel for his own feelings, recalling his own personal memories of unrequited love, loss and betrayal.

Resonus Classics is proud to present the acclaimed organist Stephen Farr in a programme of recent works for the organ by the celebrated British composer Judith Bingham. Consisting entirely of world premiere recordings, this significant collection has been recorded on an outstanding selection of important instruments, and includes Tableaux Vivants for solo harpsichord and Bingham's magnum opus for the organ, The Everlasting Crown. Farr is joined by organist Jeremy Cole for the organ duet The Linnaeus Garden.

Following on from their critically acclaimed Resonus debut of duets by Johann Joachim Quantz, the Elysium Ensemble have recorded an album of the Six Sonates, Op. 51, by French composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689-1755). The second in a series of releases based on research into historical performance practice sees Elysium principles Greg Dikmans (flute) and Lucinda Moon (violin) continue their exploration of neglected and lesser-known works continuing the theme of ‘The Art of Elegant Conversation’. Prolific in his lifetime, publishing over 100 collections of Suites, Sonatas and other instrumental music, Boismortier’s great depth and imagination comes through in these duos for flute and violin brought to life with great panache by the Elysium Ensemble.

Following on from their universally acclaimed debut album, Music for a Prussian Salon, the period wind ensemble Boxwood & Brass returns to Resonus with the first of two volumes of Beethoven Transformed. In this major new project, the group explores the status of wind music in early-nineteenth century Vienna through original and arranged music by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) and his contemporaries. In this first album, Beethoven’s Op. 71 Sextet is paired with the Op. 20 Septet in E-flat major, arranged for six-part Harmonie by his prolific pupil, Carl Czerny (1791–1857). Founded in 2013, Boxwood & Brass brings together the emerging generation of British period wind-instrument players to advocate for neglected wind chamber music and harmoniemusik of the Classical and early-Romantic periods. Members of the group work regularly with top orchestras from across Europe, including the Orchestra Revolutionnaire et Romantique, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Gabrieli, L’Orchestra de Champs-Elysees and Spira Mirabilis. In-depth scholarly research into style and repertoire is important to the ensemble, as is promoting the highest standards in period wind playing.

The Berkeley Ensemble returns with this album of chamber works by Ludwig van Beethoven celebrating the composer’s 250th anniversary year. Written in 1798, when he was already well-known in Vienna as a remarkable and ambitious composer, his Op. 11 Trio uses the rare combination of clarinet, cello and piano. Completing the programme is the original scoring of his Septet, Op.20 for wind and strings. Written in 1800, this large-scale work stands as a lasting achievement unmatched by any other septet before or since.

The cembalo-obbligato sonata reached its zenith in the middle decades of the eighteenth century; thought to date from the last fifteen years of J.S. Bach’s life, the composer was a pioneer of this compelling form, and for the soloistic role of the harpsichord in ensemble music. Critically acclaimed Amsterdam-based viola da gamba player Robert Smith joins with the celebrated Italian harpsichordist Francesco Corti to present a new recording of four prime examples of this genre, Bach’s three Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord along with a sonata by his close contemporary Christopher Schaffrath. Completing the album is a new work by Robert Smith – based on Henry Purcell’s Dido’s Lament this innovative new work for the instrument absorbs broad influences from both the eighteenth century and the heavy-metal band Metallica.

Following on from his lauded recording of of 'Clavier-Übung III' celebrated organist Stephen Farr continues his survey of J.S. Bach’s organ works with the four Choral Partitas, BWV 766–768 &770. This volume also marks the first recording on a substantial and colorful three-manual Bernard Aubertin organ newly installed in a private residence in Fairwarp, East Sussex, UK in 2015. Stephen Farr’s career as a soloist and ensemble and continuo player has taken him throughout Europe, to North and South America, and to Australia. He has performed with some of the world’s leading ensembles and conductors and has appeared in venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, the Royal Festival Hall, and many others. His extensive and wide-ranging discography for Resonus encompasses music from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century.

Wells Cathedral Choir and director Matthew Owens are joined by violist Philip Dukes and mezzo-soprano Rachael Lloyd for this exploration of choral works by the American composer Gary Davison. Part of a continuing and fruitful relationship, all of the works on this recording were written for, and premiered by, the Wells choir. Consisting entirely of first recordings, this new album contains Davison’s largest work to date – the 'Missa pro defunctis', a powerful and moving setting of the Requiem – alongside 'Most High, Glorious God', the beautifully simple 'Wessex Service', and the uplifting 'Awake, My Soul'. The Wells Cathedral Choir was hailed in 2011 by an international jury from Gramophone as the greatest choir with children in the world, and the sixth greatest overall. The choir celebrated its 1100th birthday in 2009: boys first sang at Wells Cathedral in 909 and the full choral tradition dates back over 800 years. In 1994 the choral foundation at Wells was enriched by the addition of girl choristers. Today the choir consists of eighteen boy and eighteen girl choristers. and twelve Vicars Choral.

Choral music has always played a significant and central role at Belfast Cathedral, since its consecration in 1904. This strong choral tradition continues to this day with the recently formed all-adult, fully professional vocal ensemble. This ‘new’ cathedral choir brings together some of the finest singers in Northern Ireland who lead the liturgy and worship of Belfast Cathedral and are featured here in their debut album for Resonus Classics. Featuring a varied program of seasonal carols from composers including Elizabeth Poston, John Rutter and Philip Ledger, this album celebrates Christmas from Northern Ireland’s national cathedral.

This new release celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the start of Dame Felicity Palmer’s illustrious and continuing career. It presents the acclaimed mezzo-soprano alongside pianist Simon Lepper performing a recital programme that marks this major milestone. Featuring works by composers such as Benjamin Britten, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Madeleine Dring, and Stephen Sondheim, this recital offers listeners to join Dame Felicity in the memories of her work and mark her return after many years working in opera, to the challenging and fulfilling world of song repertoire. The album is mastered with stunning studio quality, and includes a full-color booklet.

Ernest Moeran’s love for Ireland and absorption of its music and musicians led to the composer living on the island of Valentia for two years. He later made Kenmare his second home from around 1934 until his death there in 1950. Moeran’s experiences in Ireland appear to have influenced him melodically in the traditional folk dance-like textures he embraces, particularly throughout his early Piano Trio and Violin Sonata featured on this album alongside his Prelude for Cello and Piano and Sonata for Two Violins. With their own strong links to Ireland, the album is performed by the Fidelio Trio with violinist Nicky Sweeney. In the four chamber works on this album Moeran’s use of melodic and harmonic turns, his approach to instrumentation and command of the strings and piano writing, has gifted us a treasure trove of focus in repertoire, utterly connected, through him, with music of places and peoples.

REVIEW:

Especially valuable here is the superbly articulate and memorably affectionate advocacy lent to the disarming Piano Trio...this enterprising anthology yields copious rewards and can be welcomed without reservation.

-- Gramophone (Editor's Choice, March 2022)