Special offer. Lydia Kakabadse: Ithaka
choral and vocal works
Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano), Cecily Beer (harp) & Sara Trickey (violin)
Choir of Royal Holloway, Rupert Gough
There are also songs for mezzo and piano, but it’s Odyssey (‘Ithaka’ follows the Greek national anthem in the final section) that dominates the set and could have stood alone. A fine addition...
Special offer. Lydia Kakabadse: Ithaka
choral and vocal works
Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano), Cecily Beer (harp) & Sara Trickey (violin)
Choir of Royal Holloway, Rupert Gough
Purchase product
There are also songs for mezzo and piano, but it’s Odyssey (‘Ithaka’ follows the Greek national anthem in the final section) that dominates the set and could have stood alone. A fine addition...
About
British composer Lydia Kakabadse (with roots in Greece, Austria, Russia and Georgia) reflects her cultural heritage in music that has western and mediterranean elements while this is strongest in her choral music, it is heard to good effect in her chamber works, which are often written in modal intonation; her previous recorded collections have been very positively reviewed. This album is in two parts first the stunning choral work Odyssey absolutely traditional in its rich harmony but carrying one or two surprises, a work commissioned by the Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway College in 2018; and a set of songs written in 2018 and 2019 spanning a range of styles from ballad, to arioso to folk jazz, Romantic, antiphonal and minimalistic! The performers are all top rate: Clare McCaldin is an outstanding mezzo-soprano with a significant recorded legacy already. Paul Turner specializes in chamber music and accompanying singers and instrumentalists. Sara Trickey is becoming well known as a fine violinist and Cecily Beer is in great demand as both singer and harpist. The Choir of Royal Holloway is considered to be one of the finest mixed-voice collegiate choirs in Britain.
Contents and tracklist
- Cecily Beer (harp)
- Choir of Royal Holloway
- Rupert Gough
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Cecily Beer (harp), Sara Trickey (violin)
- Choir of Royal Holloway
- Rupert Gough
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
- Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)
Awards and reviews
February 2020
There are also songs for mezzo and piano, but it’s Odyssey (‘Ithaka’ follows the Greek national anthem in the final section) that dominates the set and could have stood alone. A fine addition to Kakabadse’s Divine Art catalogue.
May/June 2020
The music here is cleverly constructed without wearing its sophistication on its sleeve; the musical language is everywhere approachable.
November 2019
They are performed by the dark-toned dramatic Clare McCaldin. Her pianist, Paul Turner is adept at picking up and sustaining styles which are many and varied across these nine songs.