Classical Greenroom

In this episode, CRD Director Emma Pauncefort sits down with the Linarol Consort and soprano Héloïse Bernard to discuss their CRD Records debut album, Epitaph for a Green Lover.The conversation explores the fascinating life of Margaret of Austria, a powerful 16th-century patron of the arts whose personal tragedies—including multiple lost marriages and the death of a beloved pet parrot—are captured in her exquisite musical collections.Key Discussion PointsThe Linarol Sound: The consort explains their unique identity, playing on a matched set of instruments based on the earliest surviving viol made by Francesco Linarol in 1540. Margaret of Austria’s Life: David Hatcher provides a biographical look at Margaret, from her time as a French princess and Duchess of Savoy to her influential reign as Regent of the Netherlands. A "Democratic" Collaboration: Héloïse Bernard discusses the "democratic" nature of the music, where the solo voice blends seamlessly into the texture of the viol consort rather than simply being accompanied by it. The "Green Lover": The origins of the album title, referring to an epic poem and song written for Margaret’s pet parrot, which serves as a relatable, humanising moment of grief. Material Legacy: The group discusses the beauty of Margaret’s surviving chansonniers (songbooks), including a rare manuscript featuring gold and silver notation on black-stained vellum.Favourite album momentsThe Primal Cry: The final track, Coeurs desolez, described by the performers as an "absolute wail of primal desolation" that demands high volume. A Ghostly Transition: The haunting moment between the instrumental De tout Plongiet and the vocal entry of Soubz ce tumbel, where the "dead parrot" calls from the tomb. Technical Brilliance: The complexity of La Spagna, where the Renaissance counterpoint rivals the difficulty of modern cello concertosIntro music: Anon. "La Danse de Cleves"Outro music: Josquin des Prez 'Cueurs desolez par toute nation"Listen ⁠now on your streaming service of choice in hi res and Dolby Atmos⁠Follow ⁠The Linarol Consort on Spotify

Renowned concert pianist Paul Crossley shares his lifelong, deep connection with Federico Mompou’s music. Paul shares how Mompou's unique style is characterized by its 'sadness' and 'silent music'. He explains how Mompou’s compositions, shaped by autobiographical elements and his grandfather's bell foundry, require a nuanced interpretation of the spaces between notes. Despite battling arthritis, which led to his retirement fromconcert performances, Paul passionately discusses the enduring significance and his evolving appreciation of these musical miniatures. We also explore Gerard Manley Hopkins' concept of art as 'the rehearsal of own' and its resonance with both the performer and the listener, highlighting the importance of personal interpretation and the challenges of recording such evocative works.

Dimitar Nenov (1901–1953) was a pianist-composer of extraordinary depth. Yet his music remains largely unknown beyond Bulgaria—where he is still rarely programmed—despite his towering influence on 20th-century Eastern European music. His works, blending architectural precision with boundless imagination, are at once intellectually rigorous and emotionally profound. In this episode, CRD Director Emma Pauncefort sits in conversation with Bulgarian pianist Veneta Neynska to open up the spaces and places traversed by Nenov’s unique musical language, here brought to life through the artistry of his present-day champion. Global Release of the album – March 2026www.crdrecords.com/product/the-architects-viewwww.neynska.com#classicalpiano #modernpiano #spaceinmusic #pianist #classicalmusic

Join CRD Director Emma Pauncefort, the conductor of the emerging British group Selene consort Daniel Gilchrist and musicologist Russell Blacker for a fascinating exploration of bringing works from the Eton Choirbook, a treasure trove of early English choral music, back to life. In this podcast episode, we discuss the history of the choirbook, its unique features, the challenges of reconstructing its missing parts and the joy (and challenges!) of performing such intricate music.Key Points:The Eton Choirbook: Eton College, a royal institution founded by King Henry VI, was the birthplace of the choirbook, a highly valued resource that featured lavish illuminations.Missing Parts: About a third of the choirbook is lost, and some pieces have incomplete sections.Reconstruction: Russell Blacker has dedicated years to reconstructing these lost works, using his expertise in music history and composition.Selene Choir: A young, vibrant choir, they were chosen by Dr. Blacker to record the reconstructed Eton Choirbook repertoire.The Why Now: The project is a response to a renewed interest in early music and the desire to bring these hidden gems to a wider audience.Challenges: The music is complex, with multiple voice parts and long, demanding melodic lines.The Joy of Reconstruction: Dr. Blacker shares his experiences and the challenges he faced in reconstructing the missing parts of the choirbook.Highlights:The 'Magnificat', a six-part work by Wylkynson, is considered the jewel of the crown.The 'O Virgo Prudentissima', another Wylkynson piece, is unique in that it uses two simultaneous plainchants.The jubilant style of English singing is highlighted in the works of 'Wylkynson' and others.The full album is now available to stream in hi res and Dolby Atmos wherever you get your music: https://integral.lnk.to/HeavenlyLightAlso available to purchase from CRD Records:https://www.crdrecords.com/product/heavenly_light/

Emma Pauncefort sits in conversation with Pete Judge, trumpeter-composer-turned-pianist, about his latest project ‘Piano 3’ which ties together music and landscapes.Pete shares the inspiration behind his compositions, highlighting the influence of the likes of C20th composer Gerald Finzi and the impact of nature and seasonal changes. We discuss his connection to the environments of Southern Britain and his bid to advocate for broader environmental concerns in his music as he seeks to replicate the extraordinary minimalist repetitions we see around us.Our discussion explores the coexistence of stillness and movement in Pete’s work and his personal journey of transforming improvisations into fixed compositions.He also shares his experience of recording at St George's in Bristol, England versus ‘solo’ performances and how he always works in dialogue with the space.  00:00 A Glorious Morning in Bath01:50 Musical Inspirations and Influences02:48 The Art of Notated Music09:57 Seasonal Inspirations and Creative Process12:56 The Piano as a Sketchbook17:18 Live Performances and Collaborations22:12 The Fluidity of Musical Performance23:04 Recording Process Insights24:20 The Role of Space and Acoustics26:25 Organic Recording Experience30:04 Personal and Emotional Journey32:06 Environmental and Artistic Reflections36:44 Musical Style and Influences40:49 Future Projects and Inspirations42:56 Closing Remarks and GratitudeLinks⁠Pre-save Piano 3 now on your favourite streaming service⁠: ⁠ https://orcd.co/piano3Stream singles already released:⁠Pete Spotify Profile⁠ https://open.spotify.com/artist/079OQUvzp6K2MIAoiVYEMX?si=EbaeunaARMynetkKTkhRkQ  ⁠ Pete Apple Profilehttps://music.apple.com/gb/artist/pete-judge/1160252843Learn more about PetePete websitehttps://www.petejudgemusic.com/Instagram Profilehttps://www.instagram.com/petejudgemusic/#PeteJudge #ClassicalMusic #NatureInspired #Piano3 #Improvisation

Emma Pauncefort, Director of CRD Records, checks in with classical accordionist Iwo Jedynecki and violinist Karolina Mikolajczyk about their innovative 'CRD debut' album 'Imagique'. Speaking virtually in the midst of Iwo and Karolina's busy autumn 2024 tour, we discuss their journey over the past decade playing together and transcribing works from various musical eras, blending violin and accordion whilst modernising some of their favourite classical pieces. Iwo and Karolina share insights on their artistic process, technical challenges, and emotional connections to composers ranging from Chopin, Ravel, Saint Saëns and not to forget Penderecki, for whom they had the privilege to play their version of his violin sonata. 'Imagique' is just the start... We also explore upcoming performances, including a premiere at the National Gallery of Art in DC with their new programme 'Paris 1874'. For Iwo and Karolina this is part of their lifelong goal to bring classical music to life for both the listener turning to classical to chill out and for those whose passion is this pinnacle of musical art. 00:00 Introduction – the weather(!) and how we all met 01:21 Upcoming Performances and New Projects 02:07 Discussing the Album 'Imagique' 03:31 Transcribing Classical Pieces for Violin and Accordion 05:40 Reflecting on a Decade of Musical Partnership 07:57 Exploring the Unique Instruments 09:58 Creating Musical Dialogue 11:31 The Importance of Classical Music 12:17 Recording and Repertoire 12:58 Increasing Interest in Classical Music 14:05 Breaking Down Barriers 15:04 Upcoming Projects and Performances 15:39 Paris 1874 Project 16:56 Transcriptions and Arrangements 19:02 Future Plans and Exciting Projects 21:26 Final Thoughts and Hopes Links ⁠Pre-save Imagique now on your favourite streaming service⁠: https://orcd.co/imagiquealbumsave Stream singles already released: ⁠Iwo Spotify Profile⁠ https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tgv69l3DQRSLj0NhD3lhr?si=QgoLkb1OQEqGzdAUn_KQ1w ⁠Karolina Spotify Profile⁠ https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tgv69l3DQRSLj0NhD3lhr?si=QgoLkb1OQEqGzdAUn_KQ1w Iwo Apple Profile https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/iwo-jedynecki/1204445157?ls  Karolina Apple Profile https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/karolina-miko%C5%82ajczyk/1274579504?ls Learn more about Iwo and Karolina Iwo and Karolina Duo website https://www.mikolajczyk-jedynecki.pl/about Instagram Profile https://www.instagram.com/iwo_karolina.duo/?hl=pl ⁠Current Paris 1874 programme⁠ https://georgetowner.com/event/duo-karolina-mikolajczyk-iwo-jedynecki-paris-1874/

Emma Pauncefort of CRD Records sits down with British-born violinist Maya Magub in Santa Monica, California to explore the violin’s ability to interpret historical dance forms as featured on Maya’s forthcoming album ‘The Violin Dances – Baroque’. Recorded at the illustrious Menuhin Hall in Cobham, Surrey, England, this album is the result of an intricate process that saw Maya select, curate and arrange dance pieces, many of which lay hidden for decades in Maya's father's collections. We underline the significance of rhythm and tempo in ‘dance music’, as we see in the violin's bowing techniques, and we spotlight the expressive freedom in ornamentation and spontaneous interpretation that Maya and Matthew delighted in when recording. Finally, we add a note on the extraordinary acoustics of Menuhin Hall that enhance the performance and help shed light on the emotional and rhythmic intricacies of Baroque dances ranging from the Sarabande to the Sicilienne to the hornpipe. As we hope our conversation highlights, this is an album celebrating the joy of rediscovering historical dances that can so beautifully – and relevantly! – soundtrack C21st life. 00:00 Introduction to the Violin Dances Project 00:45 Exploring the Dance Repertoire 03:20 The Relevance of Historical Dances Today 06:34 Musical Structure and Dance Cues 08:05 Emotional Expression in Dance Music 10:22 Ornamentation and Performer Choices 10:51 Experience and Interpretation in Early Music 11:08 The Art of Ornamentation 11:54 Spontaneity in Performance 12:15 Modern Performance Practices 13:20 Exploring the Dances 14:26 Spotlight on the Piano 17:07 Recording at Menuhin Hall 18:19 The Impact of Recording Spaces 20:50 Final Thoughts and Reflections   Pre-save The Violin Dances now on your favourite streaming service⁠: ⁠ https://orcd.co/violindancesalbum Stream singles already released: https://orcd.co/handelsarabande https://orcd.co/purcellcanaries https://orcd.co/handelminuet https://orcd.co/lovepurcell https://orcd.co/allegrotelemann ⁠Maya Spotify Profile⁠ https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tgv69l3DQRSLj0NhD3lhr?si=QgoLkb1OQEqGzdAUn_KQ1w    ⁠Matthew Spotify Profile⁠ https://open.spotify.com/artist/7IsuoO5SQiZu9GsGLv1QaP?si=cve1FZMwRQ65wNe1GcdOpA Maya Apple Profile https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/maya-magub/220261795 Matthew Apple Profile https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/matthew-schellhorn/287534643 Learn more about Maya https://www.mayamagub.com/ Learn more about Matthew https://www.matthewschellhorn.com/ Maya Instagram Profile https://www.instagram.com/mayamagub/ Matthew Instagram Profile https://www.instagram.com/schellhornmusic/ #violin #piano #classicalmusic #dancemusic #classicalmusic #baroque #dancing

Pandemics and lockdowns now feel a distant memory for many. But out of adversity also came great creativity, not least in the hands of British-born, Los Angeles-based violinist Maya Magub. In our first episode, we offer you the chance to drop in on a conversation between Emma and violinist, Maya Magub. Together, Emma and Maya explore the album 'Canons', a sparkling set of tracks offering a huge range of colours – from the playful to the pastoral – and including world premiere recordings of Mozart works, coming together to offer 'socially but not musically distanced canon collaborations'.  Stream now: https://orcd.co/magubcanons To purchase a real CD(!) head to: https://www.crdrecords.com/product/magub-canons/ #musicalcanons #mozart #classicalmusic #dolbyatmos