Cantabile

Cantabile have long been acknowledged to be one of Britain's great vocal groups. Their reputation for originality and eclecticism is unsurpassed, and continues to spread ever wider.

Having been focunded as a purely a cappella student group, Cantabile first came to prominence as the narrators of the Tim Rice musical Blondel , which re-opened the renovated Old Vic Theatre in London before transferring to the West End. Since then, Cantabile have retained their unique and unmistakable sound and inimitable sense of humour. In pursuing a policy of constant and dynamic renewal, Cantabile have won the Ensemble of the Year Award from the Wavendon Allmusic Foundation, for pushing back musical frontiers and exploring ever-new territories. Now a major international act, Cantabile have attracted a substantial following right across the musical spectrum, both in Europe and further afield, and are in high demand for their skills both as performers and as writers in the field of blue-chip corporate and private entertainment.

They have made well over 200 television appearances worldwide, embracing all five terrestrial TV channels in the UK, and in the space of one week alone sang on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4 and 5. They have had several radio series of their own, including a celebration of great American songwriters with the BBC Big Band. For Radio 1 they have written and performed jingles, and on television have provided the singing voices for Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, and for the penguins in the highly successful John Smith's Bitter commercials with Jack Dee.

In the field of contemporary music Cantabile attracted much media attention and the critics' unanimous praise for their ground-breaking production at the Covent Garden Festival of a trilogy of works by one of Britain's leading twentieth-century composers, the late Stephen Oliver, two of which had been written especially for Cantabile. Directed by the celebrated British actor Simon Callow, Cantabile moved between three venues; in one, playing a cast of twelve characters in a quick-fire farce, in another, conquering what the London Evening standard called a 'musical Everest' - Oliver's dense twenty-five minute unaccompanied Ricercare No. 4. In the UK Cantabile have appeared in a huge variety of venues and programmes, ranging from intimate jazz evenings at London's Pizza On The Park, to appearances in Hyde Park itself, singing classical parodies before audiences of upwards of 40,000 attending the BBC's Proms In The Park. Overseas, they have toured extensively - from the United States to South Africa to Singapore, where they return for the fourth time next year.Nearer to home they make frequent visits to Europe, appearing in theatres and arts festivals as well as guesting with established bands and orchestras, such as the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, with whom they brought in the New Year in 1999.

CANTABILE PRESS

"Outstanding" The Evening Standard
"These a cappella fellas are fun" The Observer
"A marked flair for sophisticated comedy" The London Times
"Their music is a delight, their sense of humour irresistible"Die Welt
"Presented with infectious enthusiasm and superb technical command" The New York Times
"Splendidly Versatile" The Sunday Times
"Highly sophisticated and full of humour" The Guardian

Discography

Lullabyes and Goodbyes

Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) - Billy Joel Evening Prayer - Humperdink Barcarolle - Offenbach Hushabye - Sherman Wiegenlied - Brahms Bilbo's Last Song - Swann lullaby - Gershwin Haere Ra - Traditional Hawaiian Lullaby - Sargent Moonshine Lullaby - Berlin Cancion De Cuna Para Dormir A Un Negrito - Mont salvatge My Lagan Love - Trad. Schlaendes Jesuskind - Wolf Lullaby Of Birdland - Shearing Oblivion - Monteverdi Discendi, O Sonno Vago - Auber Lullaby - Cantabile Nacht Und Traume - Schubert Bilbo's Last Song - Oliver Stay Awake - Sherman Goin' Home - Dvorak Our Revel Now Are Ended - Dankworth Counting Up My Toes - Cullen

Cantabile is an ensemble of four male voices who came together as a group while studying at Cambridge University in the 1980s and have gone on to become one of England's premiere choral ensembles. The programme on this release is a very eclectic mix with nearly all the music excellently arranged by the group themselves. The singing itself is all first class. The four voices blend beautifully and there isn't a sour note to be heard. Diction is consistently crystal clear although texts and English translations, where appropriate, are provided. As you'd expect, the contribution of Malcolm Martineau is first rate. There's a great deal to enjoy here and I can imagine this being particularly restful and enjoyable late evening listening, perhaps with the fire burning gently and a glass of something warming at your elbow. Try this for something a bit different!

Hark, all ye lovely Saints above (Weelkes) Comment, amour, me veux-tu tourmenter? (Arcadelt) Il est bel et bon (Passereau) Agnus Dei (from the Mass of Four Voices) (Byrd) A Tribute ot the Beatles (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison) The Compleat Works (Dankworth) The Long Day Closes (Sullivan) Summertime (Gershwin) My Romance (Rodgers and Hart) Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Handman) Strangers in the Night (Kaempfert) Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight (Carter) Yesterday (Lennon/McCartney) A Good-Night (Richard Rodney Bennett) Brahms' Lullaby (Brahms)

"Madrigal" was recorded at Victoria Memorial Hall in Singapore in February 2001, and features 15 tunes, ranging from sacred early Christian music like Weelkes' "Hark, all ye lovely Saints above," Passereau's "Il est bel et bon," and Wm. Byrd's "Agnus Dei" to a wonderful "Tribute to the Beatles" medley of 18 Fab Four classics and "Yesterday," to Gershwin's "Summertime," Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance" and Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night." Two bonus tracks include Richard Rodney Bennett's "A Good Night," commissioned by Paul McCartney from "A Garland for Linda," and "Brahm's Lullaby." Certainly an odd repertoire mix, but Cantabile's perfectly pitched, fresh, joyous sound works well with just about anything they choose to perform.

6954 CD $15.98

Deo Gratis Fire, Fire my Heart Weep, O Mine Eyes Now is the Month of Maying Myfanwy The Wee Cooper O'Fife Pastime With Good Company The Minute Waltz Java Jive Mein Kleiner, Gruner Kaktus The History Of Western Music Are You Lonesome Tonight? Sentimental Journey A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square The Lambeth Walk Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight

Recorded live in - you guessed it - in Cambridge, this male quintet is a stylistic whisper away from the King's Singers, both in terms of sound and choice of material, though the influence of the Swingles can be felt as well ("The History of Western Music"). The selections on this CD encompass several centuries, beginning with William Byrd's "Deo Gratias." Embracing the British folk ballad (Morley and Henry the VIII), and the European classical form (Chopin), the group then travels forward in time to include period classics such as "Sentimental Journey" and "The Lambeth Walk," finishing up with the wholly appropos doo wop closer, "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight."

6481 CD $15.98

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