1 January 1900

Postcards
Studio Master: SIGCD393  Download only  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

'Typically immaculate performances of songs collected by the King's Singers on their global travels, and used as encores. Velvet vocal blending is a given, and mellifluous arrangements' (BBC Music Magazine)

1 January 1900
The Northern Echo, Gavin Engelbrecht
Postcards
Studio Master: SIGCD393  Download only  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

'The King's Singers explore folk songs and melodies of the world in a collection of music from countries far and wide, ranging from Australian folksongs to traditional Brazilian choro (lamentation) music and Hungarian choral pieces. Designed to engage fans from all corners of the globe, people are encouraged to post musical memories, photos and videos onto a specially interactive map: http://kspostcards.com' (The Northern Echo)
1 January 1900

Pott: Christus
SIGCD062  2CDs Download only 

'Filsell, playing the organ of St Peter's Raton Square, displays all the flair a composer could wish for in making the case for what is a remarkable work' (The Sunday Times)» More
1 January 1900

Pott: Christus
SIGCD062  2CDs Download only 

'This authoritative account will surely be a benchmark for years to come' (Gramophone)
1 January 1900
Musical Pointers, Peter Graham Woolf
Pott: Christus
SIGCD062  2CDs Download only 

'A clear recommendation for organists and a worth-while investment for organ fanciers' (Musical Pointers)» More
1 January 1900

Pott: Meditations & Remembrances
Studio Master: SIGCD080  Download only  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

'Highly Recommended' (Choir & Organ)» More

1 January 1900
The Times, Rick Jones
Pott: Meditations & Remembrances
Studio Master: SIGCD080  Download only  Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

'The music of Francis Pott is rapidly gaining attention for its silky lines and sensitivity' (The Times)» More

1 January 1900

Pott: The Cloud of Unknowing
SIGCD105  2CDs Download only 

'In anticipation of their 25th anniversary (in 2005) the Vasari Singers commissioned pieces from 10 composers, among them Francis Pott, who produced a setting of Psalm 23. This consoling, meditative piece—conceived as a section of an extended anthem—subsequently developed into this oratorio which lasts an hour and a half. A clear indication of its themes for reconciliation and tolerance in a violent world and a condemnation of extremism can be found in the score's inscription 'To the memory of Margaret Hassan and all innocent lives lost in Iraq or beyond.' Potts combines biblical texts from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to the Psalms) with William Blake and war poetry. One of the most chilling sections culminates in a repeated chant of the line 'The dead are all on the same side', a translation from the French Great War poet René Arcos' (Gramophone)
1 January 1900

Poulenc: Aubade & Sinfonietta; Hahn: Le Bal de Béatrice d'Este
CDH55167  Download only 

‘Exquisitely done, with just the right feeling for the composer's insouciance and wit’ (Gramophone)
1 January 1900

Poulenc: Figure humaine & other choral works
SIGCD197  Download only 

'The awards jury says … Poulenc's Figure Humaine makes extreme demands on ensemble and intonation, as plenty of commercial recordings can prove. Nigel Short's Tenebrae is astonishing, and instead of being diverted by the musical struggle, you're free to focus on Eluard's texts. The sense of liberation at the end is no less powerfully expressed, and as a showcase for Poulenc's choral writing, I'm finding it hard to imagine this recital being bettered' (BBC Music Magazine)
1 January 1900
American Record Guide
Poulenc: Gloria & Motets
CDA67623 

‘If there's a recording out there that does more to honor Poulenc's intentions in his spiky, delightfully off-centred setting of the church's ode to the glory of God, I haven't heard it … Domine Deus and other introspective interludes exude real spiritual intensity, the soprano is terrific, and the choir lets the emotions fly with total commitment. Hyperion catches it all … without question, this heads straight to the head of the Poulenc Gloria class’ (American Record Guide)
1 January 1900
Fanfare, USA
Poulenc: Gloria & Motets
CDA67623 

‘Trying to decide where best to start in praising this disc was my most difficult task, as everyone involved sounds truly involved. Stephen Layton is a marvelous conductor; not only are his tempos good and his textures clear, but the Britten Sinfonia plays with real gusto. His vocal group, Polyphony, and the trinity College choir sing not only with an excellent vocal blend but also with emotional involvement … and soprano Susan Gritton … sings with tremendous feeling. This is a truly alive recording … this one can definitely hold its own’ (Fanfare, USA)
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