Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

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Track(s) taken from SIGCD232

An ordinary Tuesday

composer
Mike Sheppard (b?)

Caroline Dale (cello), English Chamber Orchestra, Steve Sidwell (conductor)
Recording details: August 2010
Phoenix Sound, Pinewood Studios, United Kingdom
Produced by Mike Sheppard & Tonia Sheppard
Engineered by Dick Lewzey
Release date: November 2010
Total duration: 4 minutes 17 seconds

Cover artwork: Woman and Boy. Eva Mueller (b?)
 

Reviews

'A prominent feature in Mike Sheppard's music is its strong neo-pastoral quality. Sweeping melodic shapes are underpinned by sumptuous modal harmonies which flow out of a lush lyrical bedrock, as heard here on 'Elegy for a Lost Son', 'Lullaby' and 'Ellie's Theme' … efficacious in this respect are the commanding performances heard here, especially that of cellist Caroline Dale. This may not be technically difficult music but it still requires thought and understanding. Dale manages to draw every drop of emotional energy from the instrument on 'Soliloquy' and 'A Remark You Made'. It is fitting that her beautifully weighted sound is heard at the very beginning and end of this album' (Gramophone)

'If you want to lie back to something warm, soothing, yet intense, this is unquestionably it. Beautiful music, played with passion, even if harder personality types might prefer a drier acoustic for the cello' (Classic FM)» More
This piece was inspired by a single moment in an otherwise ordinary day, when the landscape of many lives changed utterly and forever in one man’s decision. The music takes us into the emotional abyss – imagine you had taken an irreversible course of action sure to destroy all the calm you knew; but those around you, those upon whom your decision would most severely impact, were as yet unaware. Like watching a bullet, fired from your gun, but yet to hit its mark.

Oscillating major and minor triads form the harmonic base over which a delicate melody based on a rising fourth motif opens out like a flower, gradually reaching ever higher until it encompasses a range of an octave and a half before coming to an introspective repose back where it began. The rising fourth motif—itself mirrored by the descending fourth motifs in the clarinet horn and harp—is finally resolved at the close.

from notes by Mike Sheppard © 2010

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