Perfectly crafted, deceptively simplistic and distinctively individual, Howard Skempton's compositions have a soundworld all of their own. This new full-length album on NMC perfectly displays his experimental, yet sonorous and tonal music.

Skempton takes on Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and brings it to life, using just solo voice (baritone) and small chamber ensemble. The result is a stunning, dark and hypnotic journey led by the almost constant, magnetic presence of Roderick Williams, for whose voice and dramatic capabilities the piece was conceived. 

Only the Sound Remains takes its name from the opening line of The Mill-Water by English poet Edward Thomas. The piece is an evocation of loss and decay, where textures, and melodies mysteriously recur, while others simply fade beautifully out of aural reach. It is written for sixteen players, including solo viola.

This is a stunning premiere recording of two recent works by one of Britain's finest living composers.

Roderick Williams baritone
Christopher Yates viola
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
Martyn Brabbins conductor

GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE JUNE 2017
PRESTO CLASSICAL TOP 100 RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR 2017
SPOTIFY TOP 100 CLASSICAL RECORDINGS OF THE YEAR 2017

'[Skempton's] deceptively simple setting of Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ... is hypnotically effective' The Times

‘Hugely evocative … Williams is, as ever, the most spellbinding of story-tellers’ Presto Classical

'Haunting and gripping' BBC Radio 3 'Record Review'

‘Superbly recorded and informatively annotated, this is a valuable addition to Skempton’s expanding discography and welcome acknowledgement of his significance in his 70^th year.’ Gramophone

'The typical Skempton traits - clarity, deceptive simplicity and apparently familiar yet fresh and capricious language are all here, sensitively conveyed by Birmingham Contemporary Music Group' BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★

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NMC Recordings is an award-winning record label with charitable status. They believe that new music is a dynamic and engaging art-form and seek to inspire and challenge audiences.