Our recordings cover a wide range of mainly instrumental works, from Medieval Classic to Mild Heavy Metal, from 3rd Stream Modern Jazz to 50/60s Pop, from Classical Guitar to Mid 60s 'Real' Mod Music, from works for the Sackbut and Serpent to Bass & Piano 'New York Style'.
The Music Of William Croft
Wonderful guitar music of a timeless quality.
William Croft was born into a wealthy and ancient family at the Manor House, Nether Ettington in Warwickshire and was baptised on 30th December, 1678. He was educated as a 'Child of the Chapel Royal' where he was taught, by direction and example, by the composer John Blow (1649-1708). He remained at the Chapel as a 'Child' until he was twenty years old - something that only happened to the most talented of pupils. By the age of 19 he showed his obvious interest in composition by copying many extracts from cantatas by Scarlatti, Carissimi and others into his own manuscript book. Croft died on 14th August, 1727 in the town of Bath where he had gone to take the waters - presumably to try to remedy a deterioration in health. He was buried in the north aisle of Westminster Abbey close to Purcell and Blow. A monument was built there in his honour.
The Music of Henry VIII
Henry VIII, born in 1491, was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The significance of Henry's reign is, at times, overshadowed by his six marriages: dispensing with these forthwith enables a deeper search into the major themes of the reign. He wrote some truly wonderful music, not just "Greensleeves", or rather "My Lady Greensleeves", I had to do a version of this of course, but is "My Lady Cry" better I winder ? Henry was beloved by his subjects, facing only one major insurrection, the Pilgrimage of Grace, enacted by the northernmost counties in retaliation to the break with Rome and the poor economic state of the region. History remembers Henry in much the same way as Piero Pasqualigo, a Venetian ambassador: "... he is in every respect a most accomplished prince."
The Music of Frederick The Great
Frederick the Great remains one of the most famous German rulers of all time for his military successes and his domestic reforms that made Prussia one of the leading European nations. Frederick II (the Great) was king of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, and he stands as one of the greatest of the Enlightened Despots. He was an absolute ruler, but he lived under the principle that he was the "first servant of the state." He consequently did not rule by his own personal whims, but always under the guidance of what was most beneficial for Prussia, and he expected his people to possess the same devotion. He also wrote some great music, which came as a very great surprise to me.
Johann Pachelbel (1653 - 1706)
An important German composer of Protestant church music, Johann Pachelbel brought to his art an element acquired from acquaintance with Catholic forms of music in Vienna and Italy. Whilst Johann wrote for the church organ, you will find I have completely reworked the pieces, apart from keeping to the original notations of course. These items are unique, I know of no other available recordings of most of Pachelbels works, apart from numerous, rather staid organ items, played in a somewhat heavy and oppressive style. My recordings are available on 2 CDs.
I try to undertake a fair amount of research on the composers I choose to record, having read much about Johann, somewhat of an intellectual rebel in his day, I hope and believe he would have enjoyed my interpretation of this work.
