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Posted on 6th October 2025 by simonbeattie
I’m delighted to announce the release of an album of my choral music recorded by the critically acclaimed London Choral Sinfonia under Michael Waldron:
https://orchid-music.lnk.to/theworldtome
In the sleeve notes, he writes: ‘I first came across Simon’s music several years ago. I was initially grabbed by a setting of Advent Calendar – a setting of a Rowan Williams text I have always been very fond of – which really spoke to me. It’s an incredibly simple musical setting, but executed in such a skilful and powerful way. There are no cheap tricks or gimmicks, just very well-written vocal lines alongside a distinctive harmonic language which, when combined, communicate something emotive and atmospheric.
‘I was delighted to discover that Simon has composed so many other pieces in a similar vein. Though largely comparable in size and concept, each is distinctive. Throughout the process of creating this album I have been struck by the different colours, sound worlds, and dramatic intentions Simon’s music is able to conjure from a choir.
‘These stand-alone pieces form the backbone of the disc, but I was keen that we should also include the very functional settings of the Mass and Evensong canticles. Functional does not mean boring. How he has been able to write an entire Mass setting using just two upper-voice parts (unaccompanied) is nothing short of extraordinary. It is imaginative from the first bar to the last, despite such incredibly sparse resources. The rich sonorities of the divided lower voices in the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are the polar opposite, but no less inspired …
‘I really hope some (or indeed many) of these pieces end up in the mainstream of the choral repertoire – they deserve to.’
I hope you can have a listen at some point, or even buy a copy of the CD. Thank you very much!