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Sawyers - Mayflower on the Sea of Time

£12.69

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Label: Nimbus - Alliance

Cat No: NI6439

Barcode: 0710357643927

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Vocal/Choral

Release Date: 3rd November 2023

Works

Sawyers, Philip

Mayflower on the Sea of Time

Artists

April Fredrick (soprano)
Thomas Humphreys (baritone)
Brittany King (soprano)
Amelia Jones (soprano)
English Symphony Orchestra Chorus
English Symphony Orchestra

Conductor

Kenneth Woods

Works

Sawyers, Philip

Mayflower on the Sea of Time

Artists

April Fredrick (soprano)
Thomas Humphreys (baritone)
Brittany King (soprano)
Amelia Jones (soprano)
English Symphony Orchestra Chorus
English Symphony Orchestra

Conductor

Kenneth Woods

About

‘The 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower was in 2020. My task as a composer was to write a substantial choral/orchestral work to celebrate this event and the challenges that the Pilgrims faced in the New World. My librettist wrote an imaginative piece that incorporated both a narrative and a reflection on the wider implications the story contained. So human attributes and frailties, moral, religious and political questions are touched upon. The resulting Oratorio, Mayflower on the Sea of Time, is in 4 parts. The soprano and baritone soloists take on multiple roles as both narrators and different characters from the story.’ – Philip Sawyers

This recording captures the debut performance of the English Symphony Chorus. Assembled for this project, the group brings together some of the finest professional singers from across the UK. The ensemble members appear as members of elite ensembles such as The Sixteen, perform on the operatic stage, work as layclerks at Cathedrals across the UK, and work with leading orchestras and new music ensembles.

‘Having conducted as much of Philip Sawyers’ music as I have, I have learned that he’s very sensitive to genre and idiom. With this experience in mind, I was fascinated to see what new facets of Philip’s vast musical personality would come to the fore in this, his first oratorio.

‘Given the strong narrative of the source material, it will be no surprise to listeners that this is music that is most often striving purposefully forward. Where in his symphonies, Philip is often very careful to highlight structural moments, and to punctuate musical sentences and paragraphs with great precision and clarity, Mayflower is a study in constant transition and transformation. Cast in four large parts, there is an obvious and intentional overlap with traditional symphonic structure, right down to the “scherzo” of the third section. But the ongoing weaving of Leitmotifs throughout the work means that the hour-long whole expresses a depth of continuity and connection that i find incredibly compelling. One could be forgiven for wondering if Philip’s many years playing Wagner in the Royal Opera House pit informed his approach. Nevertheless, however much Philip has adopted technically from his forebears, the language, the voice and the vision are uniquely his.’
– Kenneth Woods