The natural landscape has always been my source of inspiration as a composer. This is the case for many artists and musicians. There is no other place like Cornwall in the whole world - it draws you to it and pulls you in. As a musician, I feel that the spirit of the Cornish landscape communicates through my music.
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Sue Aston Inspirational Journey PURCHASE Sue Aston CDs from AMAZON 'I don't think I can recall one album that has touched me so deeply as Inspirational Journey by Sue Aston. Sue Aston's violin playing reaches out with such emotion that I felt I was listening to the soundtrack of life itself. All aspects of life are here, from the village community of 'Sketches of Newlyn, rural folklore with 'Maypole dance' and the orchestral sweep of 'Elly's Theme.' Richard Phillips Order your copy now |
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Sue Aston Sacred Landscapes PURCHASE Sue Aston CDs from AMAZON Recording my first album ‘Sacred Landscapes’ took me on a journey that went far beyond my passion for the Celtic Landscape that inspired it. As a composer, I have absorbed a great deal of inspiration from the natural landscape, particularly the isolated areas of Celtic Cornwall which are rich in legend and folklore. |
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Andrew Downs Centenary Firedances / The Marshes of Glynn I played and actually sang on these recordings during my time as a student at Birmingham Conservatoire. Andrew Downes is a wonderful composer, whose music encompasses an eclectic range of different styles and backgrounds. Andrew won a choral scholarship to St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he gained an MA specialising in composition. He then went on to study at the Royal College of Music with Herbert Howells, and went on to become Head of the School of Composition at Birmingham Conservatoire. Andrew was awarded a professorship in 1992.
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Centenary Firedances Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra
Conductor – Jonathan Del Mar
This collection of five dances was originally composed for an open-air firework display, which was held at Cannon Hill Park to celebrate the centenary of the City of Birmingham.
The Firedances showcase Andrew’s ability to draw inspiration from a wide range of ethnic musical styles. The music is dynamic and exciting, featuring a large group of percussion instruments, which add a colourful and ecstatic atmosphere to the work, and which beautifully reflect the nature of the Centenary celebrations at that time.
The Marshes of Glynn
Tenor – John Mitchinson
Birmingham Conservatoire Chorus and Symphony Orchestra
Conductor – Damian Cranmer
This work was composed to celebrate the Royal Opening of the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham in 1986.
Andrew’s intention here is to celebrate the beauty of Nature and to draw attention to how the natural world needs to be protected and appreciated.
The poem which this work features is ‘The Marshes of Glynn’, by the American poet Sidney Lanier. The theme, which runs throughout, is the concept of how man yearns for the beauty of the woods, sea and marshes amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, set against the backdrop of an urban environment. This perfectly reflects the composer’s feelings for the Adrian Boult Hall, which provides a cultural sanctuary in the heart of the City of Birmingham.
Andrew’s music always has the magical ability to send shivers down ones spine, and the ‘Marshes of Glynn’ evokes this throughout. It is a breathtaking journey which takes the audience from a scene in the woods which border the marshes in the first movement, on to the expanse of the marshes in the second movement, and finally on to third movement, where the sea and the landscape meet. A truly awe inspiring work!
Link to Andrew Downes' Website
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Gordon Giltrap Music for the Small Screen
I was delighted when Gordon invited me to be featured as a soloist on one of the tracks on this CD. ‘Music for the Small Screen’ features not only some of Gordon’s most popular music, but also some great musicians, such as Brian May, Midge Ure, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Neil Murray, and Hilary Ashe – Roy.
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The Unbroken Promise’ was inspired by the violin concerto by Samuel Barber, and features a haunting violin melody, which is complimented by an elaborate flute solo, played by Hilary Ashe – Roy.
Gordon was commissioned to write this music by the BBC for the Screen 2 Drama ‘Close Relations’, which starred James Hazeldine from ‘London’s Burning’, and Clare Holman.
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Chris De Burgh Quiet Revolution
On this CD, I formed part of the backing strings on four of the tracks – ‘The Same Sun’, ‘The Last Moments of the Dawn’, ‘You Look Beautiful’, and ‘Quiet Revolution’. Playing on this album was both an exciting and enjoyable experience. It was a privilege to play on some great ballads by Chris De Burgh. |
