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Philharmonia Chorus records music for third series of Merlin
The Chorus has recorded the choral music for the third series of the BBC Arthurian fantasy series Merlin. Composer Rob Lane and chorus master Deborah Miles-Johnson presided over the sessions, which took place at The Angel Studios, Islington, London. The new series of Merlin will be screened by BBC1 on Saturday evenings from the end of September to December.
Hear the Chorus now in three excerpts from the second series of Merlin - click on 'Listen' above.
Sir Charles Mackerras
1925 - 2010
It is with great sadness that the Chorus learned of the death of the distinguished conductor, and the Chorus’s President, Sir Charles Mackerras. The Chorus sang under his baton many times, most notably a Messiah in Orange, and the Chorus' first appearance at La Scala Milan with Handel's Judas Maccabeus. In recent years there were performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Mozart’s Requiem with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and in a memorable semi-staged performance of Weber’s Der Freischütz with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival. Chorus members would look forward to his engagements with keen anticipation, for they knew to expect a warm personality as well as wonderful music making. He was a galvanizing presence on the British and world musical scene, and the Chorus was immensely proud to have him as its President. He regarded the position as not merely honorary, but actively promoted the interests of the Chorus at every opportunity. We will always be grateful to him.
Recent Reviews
Beethoven - Symphony No.9
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by Ilan Volkov
Royal Festival Hall, London, 9 April 2010
Centro Cultural Miguel Delibes, Valladolid, Spain, 11 April 2010
12 / 04 / 2010
'Best of all was the Philharmonia Chorus, which sounded refreshed and invigorated by its gutsy, period-instrument Beethoven experience.'
Richard Fairman, Financial Times, 12 April 2010
'The Philharmonia Chorus......sounded here like a choir reborn'
Richard Morrison, The Times, 13 April 2010
'The Philharmonia Chorus were on cracking form'
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 12 April 2010
'The movement was impelled with stirring clarity......the chorus masterful'
Paul Driver, The Sunday Times, 18 April 2010
'The Philharmonia Chorus brought vibrancy, bite and panache'
Anna Picard, The Independent on Sunday, 18 April 2010
'The most outstanding contribution of the evening came from the Philharmonia Chorus who sang with pin-point accuracy and gusto throughout, and they were rightly rewarded with the biggest ovation of the evening.'
Keith McDonnell, www.musicomh.com
'Volkov supo mantener la tensión necesaria hasta la llegada del último movimiento en el que la aportación del Coro Philharmonia fue sobresaliente. Sus voces exactas en impostación, estilo y afinación, marcaron con precisión el majestuoso presto con un cuarteto de solistas exquisito en el empaste, aún con las ya sabidas dificultades en la parte de la soprano.'
'Volkov maintained the required tension until the advent of the last movement, and the contribution of the Philharmonia Chorus was outstanding. Their voices, of exact placement, style and tuning, marked the majestic presto with precision with a quartet of soloists blending exquisitely, in spite of the well-known difficulties of the soprano parts.'
Emiliano Allende, El Norte de Castilla, 13 April 2010
Symphony No.2, Mahler (Resurrection)
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Eliahu Inbal
Royal Festival Hall, London, 11 February 2010
8 / 03 / 2010
'The barely audible “shh” of the chorus in their opening “Aufersteh’n” and “Staub” were like puffs of wind lifting the music from mere mortality and toward the light, and the cymbal stroke and harp glissando at “Was entstanden ist” was hair-raising.'
Peter Reed, www.classicalsource.com
