Prima Facie Records

Requiem Sequence and other works (PFCD044) £12.50/£17.50

Compositions by John McCabe and Alan Rawsthorne

John McCabe: Requiem Sequence (1971)
John McCabe: Visions (1983)
John McCabe: Irish Songbook (1994)
John McCabe: Siberia (1980)
John McCabe: Two Dances from ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ (1997)
John McCabe: Desert IV: Vista (1983)
Alan Rawsthorne: Theme and Four Studies

Reviews

"The music is powerfully dramatic, angry even, performed with fiery operatic intensity by soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers and a sensational pianist, Richard Uttley...  Recorder virtuoso John Turner gives a fine modern style performance of solo recorder playing" Alan Cooper, British Music Society

"This is a splendid survey of some treasures from John McCabe’s catalogue. It is an imaginative selection of choral, vocal, chamber and orchestral music." John France, MusicWeb International

Credits

Requiem Sequence
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano) and Richard Uttley (piano)
Recorded on April 19 2015 at the King’s School in Macclesfield
Engineer: Phil Hardman | Producer: Giles Easterbrook | Editing: Phil Hardman

Visions and Siberia
Wiliam Byrd Singers, directed by Stephen Wilkinson
Recorded at Sale United Reformed Church on 15 October 1996
Engineer: Richard Scott | Producer: David Ellis | Editing: Richard Scott

Irish Song Book
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano) and Richard Uttley (piano)
Recorded at Cardiff University Concert Hall 20 July 2015
Engineer and Producer: Steve Plews | Editing: Phil Hardman

Mary Queen of Scots: Two Dances
Northern Chamber Orchestra, directed by Nicholas Ward
Recorded at St Thomas’ Church, Stockport on 30 October 2000
Engineer: Richard Scott | Producer: Andrew Walton

Desert 1V: Vista
John Turner (recorder)
Recorded at ASC Recording on 30 October 2015
Engineer: Steve Plews | Editing: Phil Hardman

Theme and Four Studies
John McCabe (piano)
Recorded at ASC Recording on September 16 1995
Engineer: Richard Scott | Executive Producer: Steve Plews

As a composer, John McCabe (1939-2015) enjoyed international stature. 'The Chagall Windows' and 'Notturni Ed Alba' are among his leading works, with much chamber, keyboard and vocal music. 'Cloudcatcher Fells' is considered to be a classic of the brass band repertoire. Among John’s most recent works were the 'Symphony On a Pavane' (London Philharmonic Orchestra), 'Symphony No. 7', 'Labyrinth' (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic) and his Cello Concerto, 'Songlines' (Truls Mork and the Halle).

John was appointed CBE for services to British music in 1985. In 2006 the Incorporated Society of Musicians honoured him with their Distinguished Musician Award. In May 2014 he received the IVOR Award for Classical Music from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, while the Iles Medal was awarded to him in September 2014, for services to the brass band movement.