After being two years in the pipeline, the first of our two CDs of music from the English Civil War has made it out into the wide world! The CD launch day was a well-attended event, from the morning workshop given by Paul for members of North East Early Music Forum, the talks given by Paul and Jonathan Wainwright in the Old Palace, to the evening concert in York Minster. Of course it was the Minster where much of the music was first heard, while the city and Minster was being pounded by guns, and the concert opened dramatically with drums and Lawes' marching round 'See how Cawood's dragon looks'. The music was placed in further context by readings tracing the relationship of Charles I and his wife Henrietta-Maria, roles taken on by choir members Jason Darnell and Helena Daffern. Following the concert, the York Press reported that 'both siege and Civil War inspired some of the most distinctive choral music in our history. Paul Gameson and his Ebors are absolutely the right people to encapsulate this repertory for posterity. They did so on Saturday while launching their disc of the same music.'
Since its official release at the beginning of July, the CD has been getting very positive feedback in the press. The Yorkshire Post commented that 'the choir is 'a perfectly balanced group... a beautiful disc in fine sound quality from the Resonus label', while online www.larkreviews.co.uk mentioned 'the a very imaginative production... a fascinating historical document as well as a wonderful listening experience.' Early Music Review also praised the music and its performance: 'This is a thoughtfully compiled programme of little-known but interesting repertoire, some of which has specific York connections. The choir sing with unanimity and a good blend'.
To top that, the disc has been featured twice on Radio 3 - the Early Music Show, live from the York Early Music Festival, with interviewed by Lucy Skeaping, and Record Review, where Andrew McGregor 'enjoyed this attempt to bring the Civil War and Siege of York into musical context' . By the way, at the end of July we also entered the Specialist Classical Charts at No 17!
Order your own copy of Music for Troubled Times by clicking on the CD cover below.
