Elizabeth Watts & Britten Sinfonia – Richard Blackford: Songs of Nadia Anjuman (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 18:14 minutes | 330 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Nimbus Alliance
Nadia Anjuman (1980-2005) was an Afghan poet writing during a period of turmoil. In 1995, when the Taliban captured Herat, her birthplace, women’s liberties were drastically reduced. A gifted student, Nadia faced a future with no hope of education. With other women she attended an underground educational circle, Golden Needle Sewing School. Meeting uder the guise of learning how to sew, the meetings were in fact discussions on literature with Herat professors. While earning her degree in literature she published her first book of poetry. The five poems chosen are wide-ranging and cover extremes of emotion: from love; to delight in being a poet; to despair at her lack of freedom; and even contemplation of suicide.
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Elizabeth Watts, The English Concert, Laurence Cummings – Scarlatti: Con eco d’amore (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:12:06 minutes | 1,30 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © harmonia mundi
Master of the Aria. With a voice described as “one of the most beautiful Britain has seen in a generation” (International Record Review), soprano Elizabeth Watts has established herself among the brightest talents performing today. In this selection of rarely heard Alessandro Scarlatti arias from his cantatas, serenatas and operas, she is joined by the acclaimed period instrument ensemble The English Concert led by Laurence Cummings.
Le maître de l’aria. Sa voix – “une des plus belles voix de la scène britannique depuis une génération” (International Record Review) – a permis à Elizabeth Watts de s’imposer parmi les meilleurs talents d’aujourd’hui. Elle interprète ici des airs peu connus tirés de cantates, de sérénades et d’opéras d’Alessandro Scarlatti, accompagnés par l’excellent ensemble d’instruments anciens The English Concert, dirigé du clavecin par Laurence Cummings.
Meister der Arie. Mit einer Stimme, die man als “eine der schönsten einer ganzen Generation in England” (International Record Review) bezeichnet hat, profilierte sich Elizabeth Watts als eines der glanzvollsten Talente, die heute tätig sind. Diese Auswahl selten zu hörender Sopran-Arien von Alessandro Scarlatti aus seinen Kantaten, Serenaden und Opern hat sie mit dem erfolgreichen Originalklangensemble The English Concert unter der Leitung von Laurence Cummings eingespielt.
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Elizabeth Watts, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Marc Albrecht – Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (2015)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 57:50 minutes | 2,28 GB | Genre: Classical
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 57:50 minutes | 951 MB
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: nativeDSDmusic | Booklet, Front Cover | © Pentatone Music B.V.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 portrays another side of the composer, different to the one hitherto seen by the general public. No major battles are fought in this symphony; rather, it is a portrayal of a childlike vision of life and a better world in the Hereafter. Mahler’s Dutch friend and colleague, Alphons Diepenbrock, may well have provided the most fitting description of the nature of this symphony and its position within Mahler’s oeuvre: “[…] in his Symphony No. 4, he exclusively praises the sensations of the soul, severed from all earthly ties, from various angles ⎯either as childish yet unearthly merriment, or as the highest ecstasy attained by mystics in bygone years during the contemplation of the divine. However, one should not search for irony here. The work is like a beautiful dream, an indispensable link in the series of Mahler’s nine symphonies that speak sufficiently of harsh reality, and that, according to some, will one day be considered the monumental musical oeuvre of the present day.”
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Lucy Crowe, Elizabeth Watts, La Nuova Musica & David Bates – Lucy Crowe, Elizabeth Watts, La Nuova Musica & David Bates (2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:36 minutes | 1,22 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © harmonia mundi
Music for Holy Week. François Couperin’s ‘Leçons de Ténèbres’ (c. 1713-17), a setting of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, fused devotional expression with a dramatic performing style embodied here by sopranos Lucy Crowe and Elizabeth Watts. Two Trio Sonatas and a ‘Stabat Mater’ by Sébastien de Brossard round out this luminous programme.
La Nuova Musica was founded by its artistic director David Bates in 2007 whilst in residency at Snape Maltings and was hailed by BBC Radio 3 as “one of the most exciting consorts in the early music field”. They are regular contributors at Aldeburgh Music, St John’s Smith Square, London Handel Festival, Wigmore Hall and Spitalfields Music. Highlights of 2015 were a performance of ‘Acis and Galatea’ at SJSS which received a 5* review in The Times, describing it as “a reading that sparkled from the giddy overture to the consoling final chorus” followed by a concert performance of Cesti’s ‘Orontea’, where “Bates’ conducting had superb poise, and the cast was impeccable, with not a weak link anywhere” (The Guardian).
In 2016 LNM will also record Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater’ and Bach Cantatas with Lucy Crowe and Tim Mead. Concert performance highlights for 2016 include Handel’s ‘Berenice’ at the Göttingen Internationale Händel Festspiele; their debut at the Salzburg Festival with Bejun Mehta; and an exciting collaboration with American choreographer Zack Winokur on Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ at the Brighton International Festival, with Dame Ann Murray singing the title role.
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Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Christian Baldini and Elizabeth Watts – Mozart: Opera Arias and Overtures (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:02:17 minutes | 1,10 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Linn Records
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has established impeccable Mozartian credentials and its previous forays into operatic repertoire have been highly critically acclaimed. Conductor Christian Baldini makes his recording debut with the orchestra in this repertoire that is so close to his heart. They are joined for the arias by award-winning soprano Elizabeth Watts who uses her considerable Mozart experience to create highly memorable performances.
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