This week the Galliard Ensemble release a new single from their upcoming album ‘From the Beginning’ for the British label Deux-Elles.The Galliard Ensemble is established as one of Britain’s leading chamber groups, with a career that has included performances at many leading venues and festivals, including Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, Bridgewater Hall, Sage Gateshead and at the BBC Proms. They have also performed in Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and Slovenia and are frequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and around the world.
In their new album ‘From the Beginning’ the Galliard Ensemble are joined by their long-time friend and collaborator, pianist Sam Haywood to present listeners with a colourful programme of music for winds and piano. In the ensemble’s words,
‘[we] first met when we were all studying at the Royal Academy of Music, this recording marking a celebration of 30 years of music making. The works we’ve chosen are pieces that we have performed together on many occasions, and that never fail to delight audiences.’
The album features Mozart’s Quintet for Piano and Winds K. 452, Poulenc’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, FP 43 and Thuille’s Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet in B flat major, op. 6.
Ahead of the album’s worldwide release in digital and physical form on 23rd February, three singles will be available to stream. The first single from the album, the Larghetto from the Mozart Quintet, was released in December and can be heard on all major platforms. It will be followed by a second single, the third movement of the Poulenc Trio, available on 19th January and a third, the opening movement of the Thuille Sextet, on 9th February.
‘From the Beginning’ is the Galliard Ensemble’s fifth album on the Deux-Elles label, the first being their critically-acclaimed ‘Refrains and Choruses’ (2001) which was selected as Critic’s Choice 2001 by both Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine.
The Galliard Ensemble look forward to performing this Sunday 21st January in Stansted Mountfitchet as part of the Music@Stansted series in a programme which includes music by Ravel, Samuel Barber, Ligeti, Mozart, and more.
