Prima Facie Records

Martin Read - a celebration (PFCD243 £12.50/£17.50)

Compositions by Martin Read performed by Commotio, David Owen Norris, Joseph Spooner and others

Track List

1 Before History (1991) [09:07]
2. 2. Autumn (1995) [11:38]
3-11. The Death of Colonel Boles (2000) [25:04]
12-15. Mary Rose Songs (2000) [09:21]
16. Drawing Details in an old Church (1990) [05:18]
17. Troper Fragment (2011) [10:012]
18. Angel of History violin paraphrase (1998) [05:07]
19. Death Be Not Proud (1992) [06:19]
Total: [82:14]

About this Album

Martin Read was a highly regarded English Composer. This CD is a celebration of his life and work.

Produced by Beccy Read, with grateful thanks to Simon and Matthew for love and support, and with immense gratitude to Joseph Spooner and to all involved.

Credits

1. BEFORE HISTORY (1991) Recorded at Peter Symonds College, Winchester, May 2024, Sylvia Turner – oboe.
2. AUTUMN (1995) Recorded 1997, Braishfield Church, by Camarada with Sarah Fryer, mezzo-soprano. Reproduced with kind permission of the performers.
3-11. THE DEATH OF COLONEL BOLES (2000) Recorded at Keble College Oxford, July 2023, by Acclaim Productions, featuring Commotio, Paul Sheehan – baritone, Joseph Spooner – cello, Carl Clausen – drum, directed by Matthew Berry with Oxford Recorder Consort.
12-15. MARY ROSE SONGS (2000) Recorded at Winchester University, November 2023, with Hampshire Youth Junior Choir, directed by Nick Duncombe.
16. DRAWING DETAILS IN AN OLD CHURCH (1990) Recorded at Peter Symonds College, Winchester, May 2024, Tom Bullard – voice, David Owen Norris – piano.
17. TROPER FRAGMENT (2011) Recorded at Peter Symonds College, Winchester, May 2024, Joseph Spooner – cello, David Owen Norris – piano.
18. ANGEL OF HISTORY violin paraphrase (1998) Recorded at Peter Symonds College, Winchester, May 2024, Jake Rea – violin.
19. DEATH BE NOT PROUD (1992) Recorded at Keble College Oxford, July 2023, by Commotio, directed by Matthew Berry.
Cover Artwork: Catherine Barnes ©2024

You can read the booklet from this album on the Prima Facie blog, Recitative.

Born in Birmingham, Martin Read (1959-2012) attended Bishop Vesey’s Grammer School. He studied music at Colchester Institute and Goldsmiths, London University, where he gained a masters in composition. In 1988 he was admitted as a Fellow of Trinity College of Music, London (FTCL) and from 1996 to 2002 was a shortlisted composer with the Society for the Promotion of New Music (SPNM). His music has been performed by numerous ensembles and choirs, and has featured at many contemporary music festivals, including Spittalfields, Southern Cathedrals, Corsham, Malvern, Farnham, Bath and Huddersfield. His music has also been performed across the USA and Europe. Berlin-based Saxophonquadrat has taken his Earth Waiting to Belgrade, Skopje and Bitola. In May 1999 Martin was appointed Millennium Composer to the Hampshire 2000 project, a position which required him to write for a large number of works for Hampshire county, area and school ensembles, including his cantata The Death of Colonel Boles. The 2000 project culminated in Martin conducting around 700 young performers in his Mary Rose in the Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall, April 2000.