reviews
LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT FROM THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL VOICES AND THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA IN WORCESTER CATHEDRAL WAS CERTAINLY SUFFUSED WITH UPLIFT. IT WAS FOCUSED ON THE IDEA OF MESSAGES: NOT THE EVERYDAY SORT DONE FROM A SMARTPHONE, BUT EXPRESSIONS OF WARNING FROM A COLONISED PEOPLE, OF HOPE FROM THE BIBLE, AND A YEARNING FOR LIBERATION FROM A YOUNG LOCAL POET. THESE WERE SOME OF THE TOPICS OF NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN'S BRAND-NEW PIECE MESSAGES. MUCH OF THE TIME IT STRUCK A NOTE OF TREMULOUS HOPE, THE HUSHED IMPLORINGS OF THE CHORUS HALOED BY THE STRINGS OF THE PHILHARMONIA, AND FOR A WHILE THE PIECE SEEMED BECALMED IN THAT MOOD. NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON IT CAME TO VIGUROUS LIFE, AND SUCCEEDED IN BEING GENUINELY MOVING.
referring to the performance of messages, performed by Beth Taylor (mezzo soprano), Festival Voices, Philharmonia and Geraint Bowen (cond.), as part of Three Choirs Festival 2024 in Worcester.
Source: The Telegraph / Ivan Hewitt
NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN’S NEW WORK, MESSAGES, COMMISSIONED TO MATCH HOLST’S FORCES, SET MOVING TEXTS WRITTEN TO SPEAK OUT AND INSPIRE HOPE. ALL WERE SIMPLY AND ATMOSPHERICALLY SET AND HERE TOO, THE POWER OF TAYLOR’S SOLOS CARRIED WONDERFULLY IN THE CATHEDRAL ACOUSTIC.
referring to the performance of messages, performed by Beth Taylor (mezzo soprano), Festival Voices, Philharmonia and Geraint Bowen (cond.), as part of Three Choirs Festival 2024 in Worcester.
Source: Guardian / Rian Evans
ANTHEM BY NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN WRYLY EXPLORED IN MUSIC THE DUAL DEFINITION OF ITS TITLE AS A PATRIOTIC SONG AND A SETTING OF A RELIGIOUS TEXT. AFTER A SHARPLY EXECUTED OPENING MARCH-LIKE FIGURE, MORE OVERTLY PARODIC ELEMENTS INTRUDED, INCLUDING UNPALATABLE AND BEFUDDLED INTERJECTIONS FROM LOW WOODWIND, BRASS AND STRINGS, AND THE SCORE WAS DISPATCHED BY A REMORSELESSLY EXTENDED SEQUENCE OF BLUDGEONING HAMMER-BLOWS. MAINTAINING A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN SINCERE EMOTION AND SAVAGE SATIRE, ANTHEM WAS SUPERLATIVELY DELINEATED IN THIS AUSPICIOUS CONCERT DEBUT.
referring to the performance of [anthem][1], performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Clark Rundell (cond.), as parts of Sounds New 2023.
Source: Musical Opinion / Paul Conway
THOUGH MODERNIST COMPLEXITY WAS RARE, THE DRIVING MOTORIC RHYTHMS OF AMERICAN MINIMALISM WERE OFTEN HEARD. LIAM TAYLOR-WEST’S TURNING POINTS AND NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN’S ANTHEM HARNESSED THEM TO DRIVE TOWARDS A MASSIVE CONCLUSION [...]
referring to the performance of anthem, performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Clark Rundell (cond.), as parts of Sounds New 2023.
Source: Telegraph / Ivan Hewitt
NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN’S LUSH, COLOURFUL SETTING OF POET KATHERINE TOWERS’S “THE WAY WE GO”
referring to the performance of the way we go, performed by Helen Charlston (mezzo soprano) and Christopher Glynn (piano), as part of the Ryedale Spring Festival 2021.
Source: The Arts Desk / Miranda Heggie
KATHERINE TOWERS' POEM THE WAY WE GOUSES ANOTHER METAPHOR, THAT OF A HOUSE AS PLACE OF ENRRAPMENT, THE VISION OF A TREE OUTSIDE OFFERING THE EMANCIPATORY FACTOR. NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN'S SETTING IS ITSELF SHOT THROUGH WITH LIGHT, AND CHARLSTON AND SOARES CAPTURE THE MOOD PERFECTLY.
referring to world premiere recording of the way we go, performed by Helen Charlston (mezzo soprano) and Alexander Soares (piano), released on Delphian Records.
Source: Classical Explorer / Colin Clarke
NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN SETS KATHARINE TOWERS IN THE WAY WE GO, FOR MEZZO-SOPRANO AND PIANO. AN INTRIGUING PIECE WHICH MOVES FROM THE THOUGHTFUL TO THE INTENSE.
referring to world premiere recording of the way we go, performed by Helen Charlston (mezzo soprano) and Alexander Soares (piano), released on Delphian Records.
Source: Planet Hugill / Robert Hugill
[...] A MEMORABLE COMMISSION BY COMPOSER NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN. [...] THE 25TH-ANNIVERSARY COMMISSION BY MR DEARDEN TOOK ONE LINE FROM A POEM BY HEDD WYN ("YNG NGHROG AR GANGAU'R HELYG DRAW", WHICH ROUGHLY TRANSLATES AS "SUSPENDED ON THE BRANCHES OF YONDER WILLOWS") TO PRODUCE HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. THE CHOIR'S IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE WAS DEEPLY FELT
referring to world premiere of ...yng nghrog ar gangau'r helyg draw., performed by Cantemus Chamber Choir and Huw Williams (cond.), a co-commission with Tŷ Cerdd.
Source: Western Mail / Media Wales (print only)
THE WHOLE PIECE STRUCK ME TO THE CORE AND INSTANTLY I CAN TELL THIS ONE OF NATHAN'S STRONGEST PIECES TO DATE. THE WORK WAS BOLD AND MODEST, WELL CRAFTED AND ELEGANT, AND ULTIMATELY SINCERE. IF HE CARRIES ON LIKE THIS WALES HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH NATHAN AS A CHAMPION OF HIS GENERATION.
referring to world premiere of o Crux ave, spes unica, performed by Kamerinis moterų choras "Melos" and Jolita Vaitkevičiene (cond.)
Source: Baltic Musical Gems
NATHAN JAMES DEARDEN DREW ON HEBREW/CHRISTIAN LITURGY FOR AND ONE CRIED….. IN WHICH THE WORD “HOLY” BOOMED OUT AND FADED AWAY LIKE A BELL AND HIS SYNCOPATED HOSANNAS CREATED A SENSE OF EXCITEMENT.
referring to world premiere of and one cried… at Cheltenham Music Festival 2015, performed by Genesis Sixteen and Eamonn Dougan (cond.)
Source: Seen and Heard International
[ ... ] SOUNDLY CONCEIVED IN ITS PITCHING OF SWOOPING STRINGS AGAINST JAZZIER, REPEATED FIGURES.
referring to world premiere of friction, performed by Sinfonia Newydd and James Southall (cond.), alongisde the Welsh premiere of Gabriel Prokofiev's Concerto for Bass Drum.
Source: Wales Arts Review