Voices of Remembrance - Laura Rossi

Listen to a short excerpt from the CD:

Voices of Remembrance is an orchestral/choral work inspired by 10 of the most famous poems of the First World War. During her research for the score for The Battle of the Somme for the Imperial War Museum, Laura discovered that her Great Uncle Fred was a stretcher-bearer attached to the 29th Division during July 1916, who featured in the film. Drawing on these experiences and extensive research on the First World War, Laura has created a richly evocative work that combines stunningly beautiful music with these historically important poems read byVanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes.

Voices of Remembrance CD

Music composed by Laura Rossi
Readings by Vanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes
Performed by The Chamber Orchestra of London and RSVP Voices, Conducted by Alastair King
Recorded at Angel Studios, London, Engineered by Steve Price, Mixed by Iain Roberton

Available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify
To listen to the album click here
To buy the CD go to: http://www.boosey.com/
To hire the score or view online go to: http://www.boosey.com/

ABOUT THE CD:

Vanessa Redgrave & Ralph Fiennes read famous war poems in new work by Laura Rossi

Voices of Remembrance is an orchestral/choral work featuring poetry readings by Vanessa Redgrave & Ralph Fiennes, written to commemorate and remember the soldiers who lived, fought and died in the First World War.

Through her experience scoring The Battle of the Somme and her extensive research on World War One, Laura Rossi has created a richly evocative work that combines her stunningly emotive music with these important historical poems.

Vanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes bring their unique artistry to the work. Their readings are incredibly moving and expressive. The combination of the music and poetry moves us closer to the thoughts and feelings of the soldiers: their spirit, their strength, their hopes and fears.

The Battle of the Somme and personal connections with WW1

When writing a new score for the famous IWM 1916 film ‘The Battle of the Somme‘, Laura discovered her great uncle Fred (pictured on the CD cover) was a stretcher bearer attached to the 29th Division on July 1st 1916. And the 29th division feature in the film. Through his diaries she retraced his footsteps across the Somme Battlefields. He was the only one of his pals who survived.This close family connection and the fact that he may be in the film, inspired Laura’s score. Here’s a picture of them together and a short diary extract:

‘Reading my uncle’s diaries and remembering his voice made the connection to that time so much more vivid and had a profound effect on me. I wanted to go deeper into the feelings and emotions that the personal connection to the battle, the soldiers, and remembering my uncle brought to me. Music and poetry have a unique way of helping us to get closer to the thoughts and feelings of the soldiers. The voices, the words reach out to us from behind the grainy black and white images from so long ago.’

PERFORMANCES

Voices of Remembrance received it’s World Premiere Remembrance Weekend, November 2015 at Assembly Hall, Worthing. Performed by Worthing Symphony Orchestra and Worthing Chamber Choir, conducted by John Gibbons and narrated by Vanessa Redgrave.

St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Edinburgh Sat 3 November 2018 7.30pm,

Edinburgh Bach Choir & The Bach Society Orchestra, Conducted by Stephen Doughty, Narrator John Michie

Wilfred Owen Festival Holy Trinity Church, Owestry, Shropshire (where Wilfred Owen was baptised). Sat 3 November 2018 7.30pm,

Cantiones Chamber Choir & Border Chamber Orchestra

Worcester Cathedral Sat 10th November 2018, 7:30pm,

Worcestershire Cathedral Choir & Worcester Symphony Orchestra, Conducted by Keith Slade, Narrator Tammy Gooding

State Hall, Heathfield, Sat 10th November 2018, 7:30pm,

Heathfield Choral Society & Camerata of London,

Conducted by Brian Newman

Chichester Cathedral Sat 10 Nov 2018 7:30pm,

University of Chichester Symphonic Choir & Chamber Choir

St. Paul’s Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico 7th April 2018.

Coro Lux & New Mexico Philharmonic, conducted by Bradley Ellingboe.

Southernhay Church, Exeter – November 7th 2015 Performed by Exeter Symphony Orchestra and The St David’s Singers, conducted by Brian Northcott, narrated by Felicity Cawthra and Kenneth Parry

Manchester Cathedral – 18^th October 2016 Performed by Chetham’s Sinfonia & Chamber Choir, conducted by Stephen Threlfall, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave

Jersey Opera House – 22^nd October 2016 Performed by Jersey Youth Chamber Orchestra and Chetham’s Sinfonia & Jersey Youth Chamber Choir & Beaulieu Chamber Choir, conducted by Stephen Threlfall, narrated by Toby Haggith.

The Great Hall, Dartington, Devon – 9th May 2017 (2 performances) Performed by Dartington Community Choir and Dartington Sinfonietta, conducted by Simon Capet, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave.

CD: Music & Poetry

Break of Day in the Trenches by Isaac Rosenberg, read by Vanessa Redgrave
Break of Day in the Trenches (orchestral)
The Soldier poem by Rupert Brooke (orchestral/ choral)
Into Battle by Julian Grenfell, read by Ralph Fiennes
Into Battle (orchestral)
Before Action by William Noel Hodgson, read by Vanessa Redgrave
Before Action (orchestral)
A Lark above the Trenches poem by John William Streets (orchestral/ choral)
Dulce et Decorum est by Wilfred Owen, read by Ralph Fiennes
Dulce et Decorum est (orchestral/ choral)
Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen, read by Vanessa Redgrave
Anthem for Doomed Youth (orchestral)
In Memoriam by Ewart Alan Mackintosh, read by Ralph Fiennes
In Memoriam (orchestral)
In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, read by Vanessa Redgrave
In Flanders Fields (orchestral)
For the Fallen poem by Robert Binyon (orchestral/ choral)

Available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify
To listen to the album click here
To buy the CD go to: http://www.boosey.com/
To hire the score or view online go to: http://www.boosey.com/