“sublime”
The Scotsman
Today sees the release on Delphian Records of this exciting collection of choral music by Bernard Hughes, performed by the Epiphoni Consort conducted by Tim Reader. Consisting mainly of premiere recordings, the album covers a wide selection of Hughes’s varied output both sacred and secular, from the haunting setting of Vera Brittain’s Perhaps and the wordless Vocalise, through to the mercurial Ternary of Littles and the spirited Jubilate Domino. The composer’s settings, described by the Arts Desk as “direct and singable”, are always sensitive and intelligent responses to his chosen text, and this album perfectly showcases Hughes’s poetic eclecticism, ranging from Shakespeare and Herrick to contemporary writers such as Michael Symmons Roberts, as much as it does his varied musical approach.
Capturing exemplary performances with clear, warm sound, this album promises hours of pleasure for those already familar with Hughes’s music and newcomers alike.
Click here to buy from Delphian Records
“choral music as we rarely hear it: generous, light-footed, surprising”
Judith Weir