Read press release online at this link.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
217 Records
Contact:
Tami Kennedy
207-838-0816
[email protected]
Volume One of the Frederick Delius Songbook to be Released in the United States this September
ASHFORD, CONNECTICUT (August 22, 2011) – In honor of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great English composer Frederick Delius (1862-1934), The Complete Delius Songbook – Volume 1 will be released as a CD in the U.S. on September 13, 2011. This is the first volume in a two-volume series that will comprise the first-ever complete recording of all 61 surviving songs of Frederick Delius for voice and piano.
This recording features baritone Mark Stone accompanied by Stephen Barlow on piano. Michael Maglaras of 217 Records is Executive Producer. Produced and released first in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2011 on the Stone Records label, and produced in association with 217 Records, this eventual two-volume journey through the Delius songbook will be a delight to listeners everywhere.
“We at 217 Records cannot imagine a finer exponent of the English art song than baritone Mark Stone. That he possesses a superb instrument is clear to everyone who knows his work. But he is also a singer of rare intelligence and refinement, and this recording bears his unmistakable stamp,” said Michael Maglaras. “Stephen Barlow is the logical successor to Gerald Moore. He is a great English pianist who brings not only gracious support to this undertaking, but helps create, in every song, an immediate sense of both the drama and the deeper meaning of Delius’s work.”
Volume 1, which includes first-time recordings of five of these songs, features all of Delius’s songs to English and Norwegian texts, the latter being sung in English translation. Delius was fascinated and heavily influenced by Norwegian culture, as is evidenced by the large number of Norwegian poems he chose to set, including the ever popular songs Twilight Fancies and Young Venevil.
Volume 1’s booklet contains the full texts, together with the original Norwegian poetry and extensive notes for each song. This major classical music release is supported by the Delius Society and the Ireland Trust. Volume 2 is expected to be released in early 2012. 217 Records’ Michael Maglaras will also serve as Executive Producer of this release.
The Complete Delius Songbook – Volume 1 is available for purchase on the websites of Amazon http://ow.ly/65IG8 and Stone Records http://www.stonerecords.co.uk/.
What they’re saying:
“Stone’s engagingly natural style and immaculate diction are supported by Barlow’s sympathetic playing.” ~ The Sunday Times
“Stone proves an expert guide – not just by uncovering little-known manuscripts, but by investing Delius’s songs with verve and variety of mood.” ~ Financial Times
More about Mark Stone and Stephen Barlow: The UK’s Mark Stone is critically acclaimed for his performances on stage and in concert. His forthcoming engagements include debuts at La Scala, Oper Köln and Deutsche Oper, Berlin as well as return visits to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and The Opera Company of Philadelphia. In recital with Stephen Barlow, he has been described as “a baritone of extraordinary elegance and unforced expressiveness…versatile in his response to the varying stylistic demands” with Barlow “accompanying his voice with a genuine feeling for tone-colour and shape”. View a video of Stone and Barlow rehearsing at this link.
More about 217 Records: Located in Ashford, Connecticut, 217 Records is an independent label specializing in alternative rock, jazz, and spoken word recordings. Founder Michael Maglaras was trained as an opera singer in the United States and Europe and has performed widely as a singer and opera director. Among other recordings of note, 217 Records’ discography includes a complete recording of Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, as well as two volumes of the Whittier Bicentennial Recording Project.
On the Web:
Stone Records — www.stonerecords.co.uk
217 Records — www.two17records.com
217 Films – www.two17films.com
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