Emily White – A Cry Was Heard (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

Emily White – A Cry Was Heard (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

Emily White is a freelance musician specialising in historical performance. She is a member of The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble who’s 16 discs include Classic FM disc of the month, BBC Choice, several Gramophone Awards and Diapason d’Or winners. She also plays principal regularly for Il Giardino Armonico in Italy, playing on the Diapason D’or Disc of the Year La Morte della Ragione. She works with Dunedin Consort, Les Talens Lyriques in France, B’Rock in Belgium and the ‘crack British ensemble’ (The Observer) In Echo. She loves the freedom that can be found in early music performance and contemporary music. Her trio Pandora’s Box with John Kenny and Miguel Sevilliano Tantos has toured their improvisatory take on contemporary and early music to Portugal, Spain, Ireland, UK and USA.

EnsembleCaméléon – Transformations: Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony and Strauss’ Metamorphosen for chamber ensemble (2023) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

EnsembleCaméléon – Transformations: Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony and Strauss’ Metamorphosen for chamber ensemble (2023) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

“In their latest album, Transformations, the Amsterdam based Ensemble Caméléon presents two fascinating chamber arrangements, both of beloved works from the orchestral repertoire, and both made within a few years of the originals. Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ symphony was arranged for string sextet by Beethoven’s contemporary, Michael Gotthard Fischer, in 1810. The Caméléons have added a double bass here for extra depth of sound. The septet version of Strauss’ Metamorphosen is based on Strauss’ own early draft for the 23-part version. Rediscovered in 1990, this septet version was completed and published by Rudolf Leopold. The result is a blend of delicacy and grandeur that combines the best elements of chamber and orchestral playing: deeply felt, exquisitely voiced, and beautifully recorded.”

Carolyn Sampson – You Did Not Want For Joy (2023) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

Carolyn Sampson – You Did Not Want For Joy (2023) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

You did not want for joy is Carolyn Sampson and Matthew Wadsworth’s third album together. It is a song recital programme, bookended by old and new settings of the same texts, interspersed with themes of nature, love, and the human condition. It features folk songs and broadside ballads, as well as songs by Dowland, Campion, Purcell and Britten. There is also a new commission by Nico Muhly – the first piece of new music to be written for Sampson and Wadsworth as a duo – a setting of the text from Hildegard von Bingen’s O viridissima virga. Equally at home on the concert and opera stages, soprano Carolyn Sampson has enjoyed notable successes in the UK as well as throughout Europe and the US. In 23/24 Carolyn will make her debut at Berlin Staatsoper as well as releasing what will be her 100th Recording as a featured solo artist. Working in the UK and Europe as a soloist and chamber musician, lutenist Matthew Wadsworth has appeared at most major concert halls and festivals, and can often be heard on radio, both in live performance and recordings. His many CD recordings for Channel Classics, Linn Records, Deux-Elles and Wigmore Live have all received international critical acclaim, and have been featured as Gramophone Editor’s Choice on three occasions.

Amanda Babington – Music for French Kings (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

Amanda Babington – Music for French Kings (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 96 kHz]

I am a multi-instrumentalist and published musicologist who loves above all to share my enthusiasm for Early Music. From a young age I had the good fortune to see how historically informed performance could really bring early music to life, whether it was Praetorius played on crumhorns or Bach played on a Baroque violin.