Reflective Desire

Our second October release from Westminster Abbey tells the story of the religious and political turmoil that engulfed England in the sixteenth century, and from which composers of liturgical music could find no escape. They were forced to follow the changing edicts about permitted texts as the pendulum of power oscillated between traditional and reformed religion. Interestingly, this period saw the greatest flowering of church music in England’s history; some of the most magnificent works of the age are recorded here.

Born in Azerbaijan, Shahin Novrasli draws on Caucasian culture, classical European music and jazz beats to carve out his own unique brand of music. A protégé of the great Ahmad Jamal, this young pianist is an artist and composer to be reckoned with. His art of improvisation, inherited from the mugham tradition, places him among the most innovative music-makers today, at the crossroads between East and West.