Parry’s Prometheus Unbound: premiere recording

by LONDON ENGLISH SONG FESTIVAL in London, Greater London, United Kingdom

We did it
On 28th September 2022 we successfully raised £1,830 ( + est. £287.50 Gift Aid ) with 17 supporters in 28 days

To make the first ever commercial recording of Parry’s cantata Prometheus Unbound, an astonishingly overlooked but vitally important work.

Project by LONDON ENGLISH SONG FESTIVAL

“If we seek for a definite birthday for modern English music, September 7, 1880, which Prometheus saw the light at Gloucester…has the best claim.”

1661950749_parry1.jpgCharles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918) is one of Britain’s best-loved composers but his larger works for chorus and orchestra, though popular in their day, have been astonishingly overlooked in recent years. Yet they were not only hugely important works in the development of British music (see musicologist Ernest Walker's comment above) but also superb compositions in their own right. The London English Song Festival & William Vann’s critically-acclaimed revival of Judith at Royal Festival Hall in 2019, subsequently recorded and released by Chandos Records in 2020 and shortlisted for a Gramophone award, began to set that record straight and we are delighted to be able to continue flying the standard for Parry’s music.

Prometheus Unbound, written for the Gloucester Festival in 1880, is a powerful and dramatic work, strongly influenced by Wagner yet showing clear signs of Parry’s developing, individual compositional voice. 

The critic H. C. Colles wrote:

“Prometheus shows a sense of forceful declamation which English music had not known since Purcell.”

1661951166_prometheus_sculpture.jpgYet it has never been recorded, and not performed for several decades. A stunning line-up has been assembled for our recording this September on Chandos Records, including some of the finest British singing talent, with which we will restore this work to the contemporary musical consciousness once more. We will also create performance materials, and actively promote future performances across the UK and worldwide. The costs of the whole project are £57,000, and we need to raise a further £8,000 to make our total.

We would be most grateful for your support of this recording, one of the most important in the field of British music for many years. There are several tiers of sponsorship which receive various rewards in return, but all of our supporters are valued, whatever they are able to give.

Prometheus Unbound
- Scenes from Shelley’s poem of the same name
C. Hubert H. Parry (1848-1918)

Recording for Chandos Records

St Jude-on-the-Hill,Hampstead
8th-10th September 2022

1661951379_sarah_connolly.jpgSarah Fox soprano: Spirit of the Hour (see insert picture)
Dame Sarah Connolly DBE mezzo-soprano: The Earth
David Butt Philip tenor: Jupiter & Mercury
Neal Davies bass-baritone: Prometheus
Crouch End Festival Chorus
London Mozart Players

William Vann conductor

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch directly via email: [email protected].

Please note that I will be taking no fee for any of my work on this project.

Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£100 or more

SUPPORTER

You will receive a credit in all programmes and CD booklets and regular updates from the LESF team about the project.

£500 or more

Bronze Friend

You will receive a credit in all programmes and CD booklets, access to one recording session and regular, personal updates from the LESF team about the project.

£1,001 or more

SILVER FRIEND

You will receive access to our recording sessions, a special mention in all programmes and CD booklets, and regular, personal updates from the LESF team about the project.

£2,500 or more

GOLD FRIEND

You will receive, as thanks for your support, access to our recording sessions, an invite to recording launch events, a special mention in all programmes and CD booklets and regular, personal updates from the LESF team & William Vann.

£5,000 or more

BENEFACTOR

This is also an immensely important level of support to us. You will receive private access to our rehearsal process and recording sessions, an invite to recording launch events and future concerts (including receptions) a special mention in all programmes and CD booklets and regular, personal updates from the LESF team & William Vann.

£10,000 or more

CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE

With a gift of this scale you can make a huge difference to the effectiveness and scope of our projects. You will receive private access to our entire rehearsal process and recording sessions, a VIP invite to recording launch events and future concerts (including receptions) a special mention in all programmes and in CD booklets and regular, personal updates from the LESF team & William Vann.

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