James MacMillan: Work for Chamber Orchestra with Soloists
From Ayrshire
Linus Roth (violin)
Tuireadh
Lars Wouters van den Oudeweijer (clarinet)
Kiss on Wood
Julius Berger (cello)
as others see us
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, James MacMillan
The third release from Challenge Classics on which the acclaimed Scottish composer James MacMillan conducts the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Choir, and leading instrumental soloists presents some of his most important works. This disc features four pieces, “From Ayrshire” for violin and orchestra, “Tuireadh” for clarinet and strings, “Kiss on Wood” for cello and chamber orchestra, and the series of seven pieces called “...as others see us...”, scored for chamber orchestra alone.
James MacMillan is one of today’s most prolific, communicative and successful living composers and is increasingly active internationally as a conductor. MacMillan’s musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience, and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.
“From Ayrshire”, scored for violin and orchestra, was written in 2005 for Nicola Benedetti. According to the composer its title arose from the fact that both composer and soloist have Ayrshire backgrounds. “Tuireadh” was written in 1991, and is a work for clarinet and string orchestra. It is an instrumental requiem for those who lost their lives in the Piper Alpha North Sea oil and gas rig disaster in 1988. The title is Gaelic for “lament”. “Kiss on Wood” is a paraphrase on a Good Friday versicle sung when the Cross is slowly unveiled and before the people are invited to kiss the wood of the Cross. The set of pieces called “...as others see us...” is a musical depiction for chamber orchestra of seven portraits in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
The soloists on this recording are the cellist Julius Berger, the violinist Linus Roth, and the clarinettist Lars Wouters van den Oudeweijer.
The two previous albums in this series are Veni, Veni, Emanuel (CC72540), which includes the title work, the violin concerto ‘A Deep But Dazzling Darkness’, and ‘Í (A Meditation on Iona)’, and Magnificat (CC72554), a disc devoted to MacMillan’s choral music.
