Jeffrey Young

This resplendent CD introduces another outstanding 'early music' ensemble to Hyperion - Jeffrey Skidmore's Ex Cathedra, who will explore some of the lesser-known Baroque byways for us. They make their entrance with this programme of music by one of the four composers assigned to Louis XIV's Chapel in 1683. The disc gives us the opportunity to hear two of Lalande's 'grands motets' in full (substantial, sectional works in which episodes for vocal soloists are interspersed with passages for small ensembles and chorus, the orchestra providing both accompaniment and interludes), as well as a solo movement extracted from another one, and one of his instrumental pieces. This is music which was highly regarded both in the composer's own day and beyond, and performed throughout the eighteenth century.

An accomplished horn and viola player, York Bowen is said to have preferred the tone of the viola to the violin. Inspired by the virtuosity and vibrato style of the distinguished violist, Lionel Tertis, Bowen wrote several works for him and became his accompanist. Bowen’s subtle shifts of key and heartfelt melodies are well in evidence here, including the powerful and poised Rhapsody, op.149, considered to be one of his most important works. Gustav Holst’s daughter Imogen is represented here by the open-air freshness of her Four Easy Pieces and the terse, laconic narrative of her Duo for Viola and Piano. Britten’s spiky Waltz is full of 1930s wit.

Scott Fields is a leading guitarist and composer in avant-jazz and New Music. Jeffrey Lependorf is a composer of contemporary chamber music and opera. He is also a certified master of the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute, and has helped create a new repertoire of music for this ancient instrument. In Everything is in the instructions, they perform new works for guitar and shakuhachi that combine written and improvised material. Don’t look for anything related to so-called ‘world music’ or some new agey concept here. This is the exciting combination of two major musical personalities, and definitely music for the 21st century, where sound, silence and structures are masterly entwined to create something entirely new and original.

Epstein, a multimillionaire businessman, is accused of sexually abusing and trafficking underage girls.

Jeffrey Thompson’s first CD for Flora is all about a life’s journey through time, emotions, and memories.The tenor gives us a fantastic spectrum of his vocal and dramatic capacities, painting with extreme variety the depths of human feelings or on the contrary lightness of pure joy and folly… as we can find only in English baroque poetry, on music by John Blow, Jeremiah Clarke, Nicholas Lanier and Henry Purcell (such as the famous “Here, let my Life”).Accompanied by his beloved continuo players Daniel Zapico on the baroque guitar and theorbo, and Philippe Pierlot on the viola da gamba, a must have for your dark winter eve’s.