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And the Early Music Award goes to ...
Three outstanding recordings, all with Oxford connections, make up the shortlist for this year's prestigious Gramophone Early Music Award.
More Divine than Human is a selection of music from the the Eton Choirbook sung by Christ Church Cathedral Choir, directed by Dr Stephen Darlington. The Gramophone reviewer of the disc described it as 'very impressive, and I cannot recommend it too highly. The trebles here excel, both as soloists and, just as remarkably, when several sing together on the same line.'
John Ward's consort music for five and six viols was recorded by Phantasm, the Faculty's consort-in-residence, under the direction of Professor Laurence Dreyfus. Gramophone's verdict was that 'the members of Phantasm perform with authority and exceptional musical awareness. They achieve a remarkable blend of instrumental timbres and breathe as one with their bows. The results on this disc are stunning'.
Byrd's Infelix ego is the culmination of The Cardinall's Musick's William Byrd series. The choir was founded when Andrew Carwood, its director, was a lay clerk at Christ Church.The disk is reviewed here by Gramophone.
The winning disc, as well as the one that will receive the coveted Gramophone Recording of the Year title, will be announced on 1 October at a ceremony in London.