Mark Stephenson | Conductor & Producer


	Overture on Jewish Themes, Op.34b Molto cantabile Molto ritmico Postscriptum Concerto for Flute and Orchestra Moderato Scherzo Andante Allegro con brio Symphony in D 'Classical', Op.25 Allegro larghetto Gavotta Finale Sonata for Unaccompanied Violins in Unison, Op.115 Moderato Andante dolce Con brio Scherzo for Four Bassoons, OP.12-bis London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 173 (CD) / MCFC 173 (MC) / INT: 74321159102 (CD) " Hugh Canning, the renowned critic, selected this as Record of The Week in The Sunday Times. The rest of the CD has some rarely heard Prokofiev, including the late Christopher Palmer's deft transcription of the Flute Sonata played by Jonathan Snowdon, who has a sound to die for. I met Oleg Prokofiev during the sessions and I gather his son Gabriel, the composer's grandson, is a DJ in London!"


	Sinfonia Comfort ye Ev'ry valley And the glory og the Lord Thus saith the Lord But who may abide And he shall purify For unto us a child is born Pastoral Symphony There were shepherds Glory to God Then shall the eyes of the blind All we like sheep All they that see him He trusted in God Why do the nations Let us break their bonds He that dwelleth in heaven Hallelujah I know that my Reedemer liveth Worthy is the Lamb - Amen Patrizia Kwella (soprano) Catherine Denley (mezzo-soprano) John Mark Ainsley (tenor) Bryn Terfel (bass) London Musici and Chamber Choir conducted by Mark Stephenson Classic FM UK: 10938247 "Wonderful to have had Bryn Terfel on this disc in one of his first recordings. Baroque still works well on modern instruments, and a lot of thought went into articulation and tempos for this recording! Chamber choir of ex-OxBridge singers selected and coached by Neville Creed were superb, mixture of male and female altos sound interesting. Hope you like the tempos, we didn't hang around, none of that massed choirs at the Albert Hall stuff!"


	1-3 The Celtic (D.C.Heath) Ceilidh Lament for Collessie The cooper of Clapham I sleep at waking 5-7 Saxophone Concerto (Michael Torke) I II III From nowwhere to nowhere (Michael McGlynn) Where the bee dances (Michael Nyman) London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Silva Classics) UK: SILKD6010 (CD) "Great sax playing here from the Irishman, Gerry McChrystall in Torke's vigorous minimilist music. The rest of the album includes Michael Nyman's demanding Sax Concerto Where The Bee Dances which Gerry and I toured all round the UK in Christopher Bruce's ballet Meeting Point with Rambert Dance Company. We had great fun with this music and audiences just loved it"


	Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra, OP.77 FABER MUSIC 1. Allegro risoluto Andantino Vivace Concerto for Clarinet and Strings, OP 20 PATERSON'S PUBLICATIONS Allegro Andante con moto Allegro con fuoco Concerto for Flute and Strings, OP45 LENGNICK Allegro energico Andante Con fuoco Concerto no.2 for Horn and Strings, OP.58 PATERSON'S PUBLICATIONS Con energico Andante grazioso Vivace Kenneth Sillito and Lyn Fletcher, Violins Michael Collins, clarinet Karen Jones, flute Richard Watkins, horn London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 172 (CD) / INT: 74321150042 (CD) " My first recording with London Musici for Conifer Records which on release was Record of The Week in The Sunday Times. Originally composed for Yehudi Menuhin and Alberto Lysy, this is Malcolm Arnold really enjoying himself, virtuosic performances from the fabulous Ken Sillito and Lyn Fletcher recorded in the magical Snape Maltings."


	Serenade for Small Orchestra, op.26 LENGNICK First movement, Allegretto Second movement, Andante con moto Third movement, Allegro vivace Larch trees, op.3 FABER MUSIC Tone poem for orchestra Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, op.108 FABER MUSIC First movement, Allegro con spirito Second movement, Andante con moto Third movement, Allegro vivace Concerto for 28 Players, op.105 First movement, Vivace Second movement, larghetto Third movement, Allegro Rivka Golani, Viola London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 211 (CD) / MCFC 211 (MC) / INT: 75605512112 (CD) "Malcolm the enigma, echoes of Sibelius, remarkable orchestration."


	Clarinet Concerto No. 2, Op.115 FABER MUSIC Allegro vivace Lento Allegro non troppo Concerto NO.1 for Horn and Orchestra, OP.11 Allegro comodo Andante con moto Allegro con brio Concerto No.2 for Flute and Orchestra, Op.111 Allegro moderato Vivace Allegretto Concerto for Piano Duet and Strings, OP.32 Allegro Larghetto Vivace London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson CDCF 228 \| Conifer Records Limited1993 "Michael Collins is one of the finest clarinettists in the world, as usual the best music making happens with the least amount of chat and we recorded this in just one take. Wonderful music amazing playing"


	Violin Concerto Hommage à Chopin Bassoon Concerto (to the memory of Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko) (World Première Recording) London Musici / Mark Stephenson Recorded in the presence of the composer Krzysztof Smietana (violin) Karen Jones (flute) Robert Thompson (bassoon) Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 182 (CD) / MCFC: 182 (MC) / INT: 74321161 (CD) "The Violin Concerto was composed for Yehudi Menuhin, beautifully played here by Krzysztof. Third movement of Hommage à Chopin is a favourite of mine, so simple but so moving"


	Sinfonia Concertante for Flute, Harp and Strings Molto cantabile Molto ritmico Postscriptum Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings Entrata Canto I Intermezzo Canto II Fine Harmony London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 217 (CD) / INT: 75605512172 (CD) "I made two albums of Panufnik's music for Conifer Records. It was amazing to accompany him on his return to Poland in 1989 after 30 years exile during which time his music had been banned under communism and his name removed from the history books. His music had been unheard by many Poles.Things were not easy in Britain either since he refused to compromise his own unique style in favour of the fashionable avant-garde which the BBC had great influence over."


	Love Song, for mezzo-soprano, harp and strings Concerto for Timpani, Percussion and Strings (1980) Entrata Canto I Intermezzo Canto II Fine Hommage a Chopin (1949, orchestrated 1966) Andante Allegretto Andantino Vivo Andante Violin Concerto (1971) I Rubato II Adagio III Vivace Song to the Virgin Mary (1964, rev 1969) London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson MusiciMusic UK: 281091-2 (CD) "Andrzej Panufnik kindly agreed to transcribe his "Love Song" for strings at my request shortly before he died. He was incredibly self conscious about the piece, I think he thought it too light-weight! Like Samuel Barber's Adagio its power and intensity lies in the harmony that he uses against a simple ascending scale. The words are really special too, meant to be exchanged with a sense of irony between two lovers. Andrzej Panufnik and his music made a profound impression on me and he gave me so much encouragement early in my career. You need to live with his music for a while then you are hooked - there is something deeply spiritual and mystic behind the symmetry of his composition. He was a genius and a very special human being and I'll never forget him. His daughter Roxanna is a successful composer and son Jeremy a busy record producer and DJ."


	Mio caro bene! (Rodelinda) Se tu m'ami Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile Amarilli mia bella Lascia ch'io pianga (Rinaldo) Che fiero momento (Orfeo ed Euridice) Lasciatemi morire! (L'Arianna) Sen corre l'agnelletta Caro mio ben tre giorno son che Nina Cujus animam gementem (Stabat Mater) Vidit suum dulcem Natum (Stabat Mater) Ombra mai fu (largo - Serse, "Xerxes") Pur discesti, o bocca bella Nel cor piu non mi sento (La Molinara) Solo per voi (Solo Cantana: Pastorella vaga bella) Plaisir d'amour (Il tedesco) Per la gloria d'adorravi (Griselda) Tornami a vagheggiar (Alcina) Ave Maria London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson Campion UK: RRCD 1345 "Utterley glorious voice, unfashionable interpretations of Baroque music on this disc, the Monteverdi is a revelation and the Caccini has become a hit single!"

String Sonatas Nos.1, 3, 4 & 5

London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson

Conifer (BMG)
UK: CDCF 181 (CD) / MCFC 181 (MC) / INT: 74321159082 (CD)

"I first played these under Ricardo Muti, its hard to imagine Rossini was only 14 when he composed them. Fantastic playing from London Musici - no room for any passengers!"


	Sinfonia No.10 in B minor Adagio/Allegro/Piu presto Sinfonia No.9 in C Grave/Allegro Andante Scherzo Allegro vivace Sinfonia No.12 in G minor Fuga: Grave Andante Allegro molto Sinfonia N0.2 in D Allegro Andante Allegro London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson CDCF 179 \| Conifer Records Limited 1989 "Mendelssohn was 12 when he composed these - enough said!"


	GALINA USTVOLSKAYA (b.1919) OCTET (1950) I II III IV V Composition NO.3 Symphony NO.5 (Amen) DIMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Quintet in G minor, OP.57 (1940) I II - Fugue III -Scherzo IV Intermezzo V Finale Lyn Fletcher, Jackie Hartley, Violins Edward Vanderspar, Viola Martin Loveday, Cello Katherine Stott, Piano London Musici conducted by Mark Stephenson RCA Red Seal (BMG) 8287665454 2 (CD) "I tried to meet Galina Ustvolskaya, Shostakovich's favourite pupil, on a visit to Moscow before I recorded her haunting Symphony Amen with Segei Leferkus, but she was not in the mood for a visitor, reclusive and deeply religious. We were lucky to get Leferkus to record this which is spoken not sung, in case you don't speak Russian it's The Lord's Prayer. Later, Danny Massey recited it in English with London Musici at a concert at St John's Smith Square. Its not music to listen to if you are feeling down, you can hear the nails being driven into the Cross!"


	Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G major, RV 532* Flute Concerto in G, RV428, 'Il Gardellino' Flute Concerto in G Minor, RV 439, 'La Notte' Mandolin Concerto in C Major, RV 425 Violin Concerto in E flat major, RV 253 'La Tempesta Di Mare'; Violin Concerto in C Major RV 108, 'II Piacere'; Concerto for Strings in G Major RV 151, 'Alla Rustica' London Musici / Mark Stephenson Nigel Woodhouse &Sue Mossop* (mandolins) Kenneth Smith (flute) Lyn Fletcher (violin) Ian Watson (harpsichord and organ) Catherine Dearnley (cello continuo) Conifer (BMG) UK: CDCF 203 (CD) / MCFC: 203 (MC) / INT: 74321159092 (CD) "This CD has sold more copies than any other London Musici recordings, even with all the Vivaldi CD's there are out there. Lyn Fletcher plays brilliantly and Ken Smith's performance of two of the Flute Concerto's on the rest of the disc are really worth hearing. Double Mandolin also included - nightmare instruments for tuning with the orchestra!"