PietÃ is a setting of the Stabat Mater by Richard Blackford, with additional poems by the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. Performed by mezzo and baritone soloists, SATB chorus, children's chorus, string and solo saxophone. PietÃ was commissioned by the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and St. Albans Choral Society (conductor George Vass) with support from the Nimbus Foundation. It was first performed on June 22nd, 2019 at The Lighthouse, Poole with Nimbus recording this remarkable work directly after the premier. Canticle of Winter was written during the winter of 2019 and was inspired by the last stanza of Robert Frost's poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening: The sense of restlessness, of something unresolved, despite the beauty of the winter landscape, permeates the music. The dynamic range of the entire piece is fromÂ pppÂ to barely more than mf, and it is the soft, plangent sound of the soprano saxophone that evokes the stillness of the winter night and the traveler's journey through it. Canticle of Winter was first performed on October 19th, 2019 by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, London, conducted by GavinÂ Carr. The soloist was Amy Dickson, to whom the work is dedicated.

Tracklist:

PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-I. Stabat Mate
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-II. Quis Es Ho
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-III. Pro Pecca
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-IV. Eia Mater,
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-V. Sancta Mate
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-VI. Weeks Fly
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-VII. a Chorus
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-VIII. Face Me
PietÃ for Mezzo-Soprano and Baritone Soli, Soprano Saxophone Mixed Chorus, Children's Chous and String Orchestra-IX. Flammis Ne
Canticle of Winter for Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra

UPC: 710357639623
Label: Nimbus Alliance
Release Date: 1.3.20
Format: CD

Blackford - Pieta (CD)