David Matthews: From Sea to Sky (2007)

by Gillian Keith (soprano), Lucie Spicková (mezzo-soprano), Nova Ensemble, Rachel Nicholls (soprano), Ruth Bolister (oboe), Orchestra Nova, George Vass (conductor)

Listeners familiar with David Matthews' larger, darker symphonic works may appreciate the opportunity to hear this disc's smaller, more light-filled chamber orchestra-sized works. The seven pieces here include four for instruments without voice -- Aubade for chamber orchestra, From Sea to Sky for small orchestra, and Total Tango and Goodnight Song for string orchestra -- and three for voice and orchestra -- Movement of Autumn for soprano and chamber orchestra; A Congress of Passions for mezzo-soprano, oboe, and string ... Read More

Listeners familiar with David Matthews' larger, darker symphonic works may appreciate the opportunity to hear this disc's smaller, more light-filled chamber orchestra-sized works. The seven pieces here include four for instruments without voice -- Aubade for chamber orchestra, From Sea to Sky for small orchestra, and Total Tango and Goodnight Song for string orchestra -- and three for voice and orchestra -- Movement of Autumn for soprano and chamber orchestra; A Congress of Passions for mezzo-soprano, oboe, and string quartet; and The Sleeping Lord for soprano, flute, clarinet, harp, and string quartet. All are fundamentally tonal, though with some occasional dissonances, and all are also quite attractive with appealing melodies, graceful harmonies, and easily graspable but engagingly shaped forms. The instrumental performances here by the Orchestra Nova under George Vass are excellent, with wonderful individualism, marvelous unanimity, and lovely colors, and the vocal performances are quite... Read Less