Divine Art Records

Label: Divine Art

  • Mistral: Music by Jonathan Östlund

    Mistral: Music by Jonathan Östlund

    Jonathan Östlund is a Swedish composer who has recently been living in London and is now in Romania. He has manifested an avid interest for music from an early age and has pursued his passion with a BA and MA in Composition at the Luleå Tekniska Universitet, in Sweden. He has studied under the artistic guidance of Prof. Rolf Martinsson, Prof. Jan Sandström and Prof. Sverker Jullander, among others, and has so far completed almost 100 works, including several orchestral pieces and concertos for both violin and piano, and has been awarded many prizes in international competitions.

    This is Divine Art’s third album devoted to Östlund. It is similar to the previous albums in that it features orchestral, instrumental and chamber music with inspiration from nature and also showing the skills of the composer in various genres. Fine young musicians have been hand-picked to perform, alongside the excellent Moscow Bow Tie Orchestra. Östlund’s music is very accessible and tonal and often full of wit and humor, and always atmospheric. For those reasons a number of respected critics and journalists are taking much note of the composer’s work.

  • Vyacheslav Artyomov – Retrospective Series (discount set)

    Vyacheslav Artyomov – Retrospective Series (discount set)

    According to many, including us, Artyomov is by far the greatest composer in Russia today. This set includes all eleven of the albums issued in 2017-2020 including orchestral, choral, chamber and vocal works. Three of these albums are brand new recordings (DDA 25143, 25144 and 25184) while others have been remastered from originals made by Melodiya and other Russian labels and also previously unissued tracks. Available on CD and in CD-quality FLAC and MP3

    Digital downloads include all 11 booklets which have all contents in both English and Russian. This bulk set provides a 25% discount over the items bought separately.

    Details of each volume (including reviews and track lists):
    DDA 25143 Symphony: On the Threshold of a Bright World (and other works)
    DDA 25144 Symphony: Gentle Emanation (and other works)
    DDA 25164 Sola Fide / Tempo Costante
    DDA 25171 Symphony: The Way to Olympus (and other works)
    DDA 25172 A Symphony of Elegies (and other works)
    DDA 25173 Requiem
    DDA 25174 A Sonata of Meditations (and other works)
    DDA 25175 Symphony: In Memoriam (and other works)
    DDA 25176 Star Wind (and other works)
    DDA 25184 Symphony: In Spe / Latin Hymns
    DDA 25198Album XI: Chamber music

  • Ithaka: vocal and choral works by Lydia Kakabadse

    Ithaka: vocal and choral works by Lydia Kakabadse

    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 University of London and premiered in2018; 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 has accompanied eminent singers and instrumentalists. Sara Trickey is well known as a fine violinist and Cecily Beer is in 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.

    Odyssey: Choir of Royal Holloway, Cecily Beer (harp), directed by Rupert Gough
    I Remember: Choir of Royal Holloway, Sara Trickey (violin), Cecily Beer (harp), directed by Rupert Gough
    Other songs: Clare McCaldin (mezzo-soprano), Paul Turner (piano)

  • Visions of the Greek Soul

    Visions of the Greek Soul

    Cilia Petridou was an accomplished pianist until her career was ended by major surgery, since when she has concentrated on composition. Moving with her family to the UK, she was hugely affected by the Turkish invasion of north Cyprus which destroyed their home town of Famagusta; her music is often informed by that political and social tragedy and also by the landscapes of Cyprus, ancient literature and the Greek Orthodox liturgy.

    This double album is in two parts: The Asmata is a collection of songs inspired by modern Greek poetry, divided between two sopranos. A small vocal ensemble then presents the Byzantine Doxology, a new setting of Orthodox liturgical texts. Most is sung in Greek and is suffused, even in the case of a setting of Emily Dickinson, with the musical traditions of that country. The composer has also been much inspired by the ancient writings of Anyte of Tegea.

    More music by Cilia can be found on ‘Sounds of the Chionistra‘ and ‘The Mystery of Christmas‘

  • Scarlatti and Clementi: Keyboard Sonatas

    Scarlatti and Clementi: Keyboard Sonatas

    John McCabe (1939-2015) was renowned as both a pianist (a Haydn specialist and supporter of many contemporary composers) and as a composer in his own right of very fine music in several genres.

    This double album was created from two vinyl LPs issued by Hyperion in 1981 and shows McCabe as a first-class interpreter of the baroque and early classical sonata styles, here brought together.

    Domenico Scarlatti, an exact contemporary of Handel and JS Bach though living a few years longer, is probably the most renowned and certainly the most prolific of composers of the (usually single movement) keyboard sonata, more traditionally played on harpsichord. A hundred years later, pre-eminent among others, Clementi developed the classical piano sonata, introducing sustain and other dynamic effects available to the fortepiano, being produced by his family company among others. Both sets of works also translate very well to the modern concert grand.

  • How Great our Joy! – Organ music for Christmas

    How Great our Joy! – Organ music for Christmas

    A special album of works for Christmas – many of them arrangements and fantasias on well-loved hymns and carols, and some new dedicated compositions. All the music is by Carson Cooman, composer in residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University, and America’s most prolific composer of works for organ. This music is just as good to listen to at any time of year and is expertly played by Erik Simmons, a superb organist for whom this is the twelfth album of Cooman’s music on the Divine Art label. We hear the wonderful ‘Sun Organ’ of St. Peter & Paul, Görlitz, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.

    Find the other issues in this series and a discount complete set by clicking on the composer name above or in the composer index.

  • Jonathan Östlund : Voyages (CD)

    Jonathan Östlund : Voyages (CD)

    Jonathan Östlund is a Swedish composer who has recently been living in London. He has manifested an avid interest for music from an early age and has pursued his passion with a BA and MA in Composition at the Luleå Tekniska Universitet, in Sweden. He has studied under the artistic guidance of Prof. Rolf Martinsson, Prof. Jan Sandström and Prof. Sverker Jullander, among others, and has so far completed approximately 80 works, including several orchestral pieces and a Piano Concerto, and has been awarded many prizes in international competitions.

    This second double album was issued in digital download only in March 2019 and here is the CD version by popular demand. It is similar to the previous album ‘Lunaris’ in that it features orchestral, vocal, instrumental and chamber music with inspiration from nature, in an even wider variety than on the previous release. A team of top European soloists (several of whom also gave the world premieres of these works) were gathered to record this album. Östlund’s music is very accessible and tonal and often full of wit and humor, and always atmospheric.

    To access the DIGITAL DOWNLOAD version which includes two extra tracks click HERE

  • Transformations – music for organ

    Transformations – music for organ

    Three major organ works: one from Liszt, one of the masters of high Romanticism and bubbling virtuosity; the powerful Heroic Sonata of Jongen and the first commercial recording of the delicately figured piece ‘The Dancing Pipes’ by Jonathan Dove, one of today’s most appreciated composers. This superb program is titled ‘Transformations’ as each piece contains musical transformations of themes; it also reflects the transformation of the fine Harrison & Harrison organ at Cheltenham College Chapel – this is its first recording since a full restoration in 2017.

    Alexander Ffinch studied at the Royal College of Music and was organ scholar at Keble College Oxford. He gave over 100 recitals as resident organist at Lancaster Town Hall and continues to undertake a busy concert and broadcasting schedule (sadly his planned August 2019 debut at Notre Dame Paris is ‘on hold’). Alexander was appointed College Organist at Cheltenham in 2004 since when he has played daily in the Chapel as well as giving regular recitals; he oversaw the 2017 restoration and manages the work of both students and visiting recitalists.

  • Portals – Carson Cooman Organ Music vol. 11

    Portals – Carson Cooman Organ Music vol. 11

    Carson Cooman is many things musical – organist and Composer in Residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University; writer, critic and consultant, concert organist, and above all a highly prolific composer of music in a wide variety of genres, from orchestral to song.

    His organ compositions come in many styles, from liturgical models, to more gritty and substantial pieces such as his organ symphonies, preludes and fugues. This album contains several fine works including the Third Organ Symphony.

    Erik Simmons is a superb organist, making his eleventh Cooman organ album for Divine Art. He is playing the wonderful ‘Sun Organ’ of St. Peter & Paul, Görlitz, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.

    This is volume 11 of this highly praised series. Volume 12 is a Christmas music album; volume 13 due June 2020.

    Find the other volumes and a discount complete set by clicking composer name above or in the composer index.

  • Found in Winter – Music by Helen Habershon

    Found in Winter – Music by Helen Habershon

    Helen Habershon’s writing is instinctive and inspired. She is passionate about ‘our incredible natural world’ and it is the main source for her music. ‘Found in Winter’ expresses the many different faces of winter with its varied moods, and the ever-present threat of climatic change both cyclic and man-made.
    The music has been wonderfully arranged for small orchestra (most tracks) by John Lenehan and is unashamedly tuneful, though never simplistic; impressionistic and almost visual in its impact. This album follows two previous CDs which were Album of the Month and Album of the Week respectively on Classic FM.

    Helen is principally a clarinettist with a distinguished international concert, radio and TV career; after a serious injury to both wrists, she turned to composition and has never looked back, though now once again able to perform – as she does on this album.

    The performers on the album have all established themselves as leading lights; John Anderson is one of the most recorded oboists in the world and professor of oboe at the Royal College of Music; Andrew Fuller left the RPO to follow a very successful career in solo and chamber performances, and John Lenehan has appeared on over 70 albums including solo recordings for Sony, receiving many plaudits. The London Primavera was formed in 1986 and consists of the foremost chamber musicians in Britain. It has appeared at many international festivals, has made two TV series, and several recordings. Anthony Halstead has made over 50 CDs all around the world with leading ensembles and is one of Britain’s most sought-after and versatile conductors

  • Diana Boyle plays Bach

    Diana Boyle plays Bach

    Diana Boyle is a fine pianist who records little but prepares each recording with years of thought, consideration and meditation on the music. Her interpretations are individual and thought-provoking, often delicate, not always conforming to the norm which pianists of lesser talent will follow, but looking to breathe new life and spirit into classic masterpieces. Her previous Divine Art albums have been very popular and highly praised.

    Like all of Diana Boyle’s work these new recordings are very carefully prepared and well crafted performances which do not fear to display real feeling and depth, not at all like the all too common ‘mechanical’ performances of Baroque music. The works themselves are not all among Bach’s best known, but all display his total mastery of the art of composition.

  • Turning Towards You – music by Robin Walker

    Turning Towards You – music by Robin Walker

    Chosen as one of his ‘Records of the Year 2019’by Richard Hanlon (MusicWeb International)

    Robin Walker began his musical life as Head Chorister at York Minster then studied under David Lumsdaine at Durham and Anthony Milner at the Royal College of Music. His early work was seriously modernist but since the 1980s he has worked on an ‘instinctual’ approach involving a relationship with Nature, a sense of Place and our position within it, even including ‘folk-style’ elements – also to some extent informed by studying the music and dance of India.

    Leading soloists and the award winning Manchester Sinfonia present a range of works for solo instruments and the remarkable and inspired Concerto for Violin, Recorder and Strings (‘A Prayer and a Dance of Two Spirits’); the album follows a purely orchestral set recently issued by Toccata.

    John Turner is one of the world’s leading recorder players with a long and distinguished career; Emma McGrath is currently concertmaster/principal violin of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra; Jennifer Langridge is a busy soloist and chamber musician and has been principal cello of Psappha for 24 years. Leon Bosch is an internationally renowned double bass virtuoso with over a dozen solo albums to his name; Min-Jung Kym is a Steinway Artist with a very successful career, having already performed with many leading orchestras and she was pianist of choice of legendary violinist Ruggiero Ricci.