CD & DVD
Cotswold Songs CD - front
Cotswold Songs CD - back
"The album (Cotswold Songs CD) presents a breadth and strength not commonly found in contemporary recordings”. |
'One fine Sunday I came across a little book of poems in a Malvern bookshop entitled Tides by Dymock poet John Drinkwater. On reading the poems I was immediately able to hear them to music and set about composing a new song-cycle of seven songs for high voice and piano.
As several Gloucestershire place names (such as Rodborough, Campden, Stow, Apperley & Gloucester) are mentioned in the poem Cotswold Love, I decided to title the song-cycle Cotswold Songs.' Colin The Cotswold Songs CD contains two song-cycles - Cotswold Songs & Character Songs, together with single songs - Flowers (poem by DH Lawrence), The Headless Bird (poem by Nikki McBeth) and The Black Sun (poem by Osip Mandelstam). Two piano works also included - The Jews of Old Prague, and Waltz (from Piano Sonata No.1) Track listing:
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CD Review
Cotswold Songs By Colin Decio
Decio.Beech duo
"This new recording of Colin Decio songs and piano music provides us with 60 minutes of sublime music and listening. Performed by Soprano, Evelyne Beech with Colin Decio at the piano, this fine collection of new songs and piano works give an insight to the great talent of Decio the composer. All the songs are beautifully interpreted by Evelyne Beech whose bright timbre and clear diction allows you to experience the fullness of the poetry as well as Decio's imaginative musical line.
Colin applies his natural style to the composition of pastoral English song, evident in his Cotswold Songs, from which the CD takes its title, and brings colour to the poetry of John Drinkwater, taken from the collection Tides (1917). Whilst Colin may acknowledge being inspired by Holst and Britten his compositions remain distinctly Decio and characteristically bear the hallmark of his Anglo-Ukrainian roots, which he incorporates to great effect not only in his songs, ~Black Sun, but also in his piano ~Jews of Old Prague, and orchestral works (featured elsewhere).
Flowers is an exceptional piece, set to extracts of Flowers by DH Lawrence, Decio has cleverly brought together its many facets; interlinked by recurrent motets it challenges the range of the voice with good result and creates a real tour de force.
His cycle of character songs, Wearing a Happy Hat, The Spinning Wheel, Unlucky One-Eyed Jack, I wandered along by the waterside, introduce some charming folk traditions whilst firmly retaining the Decio vision to create a delightfully quirky collection. Evelyne's voice is fresh and beguiling throughout, adapting beautifully to the different moods of the songs.
Decio's tribute to John Ogden, Waltz stands alone, premiered by the man himself during the 80s, it is the culmination of Colin's imagination and talent as a composer and Colin's sensitivity and skill as a pianist - An excellent collection indeed."
Perry (Artist Management)
September 2004
Cotswold Songs By Colin Decio
Decio.Beech duo
"This new recording of Colin Decio songs and piano music provides us with 60 minutes of sublime music and listening. Performed by Soprano, Evelyne Beech with Colin Decio at the piano, this fine collection of new songs and piano works give an insight to the great talent of Decio the composer. All the songs are beautifully interpreted by Evelyne Beech whose bright timbre and clear diction allows you to experience the fullness of the poetry as well as Decio's imaginative musical line.
Colin applies his natural style to the composition of pastoral English song, evident in his Cotswold Songs, from which the CD takes its title, and brings colour to the poetry of John Drinkwater, taken from the collection Tides (1917). Whilst Colin may acknowledge being inspired by Holst and Britten his compositions remain distinctly Decio and characteristically bear the hallmark of his Anglo-Ukrainian roots, which he incorporates to great effect not only in his songs, ~Black Sun, but also in his piano ~Jews of Old Prague, and orchestral works (featured elsewhere).
Flowers is an exceptional piece, set to extracts of Flowers by DH Lawrence, Decio has cleverly brought together its many facets; interlinked by recurrent motets it challenges the range of the voice with good result and creates a real tour de force.
His cycle of character songs, Wearing a Happy Hat, The Spinning Wheel, Unlucky One-Eyed Jack, I wandered along by the waterside, introduce some charming folk traditions whilst firmly retaining the Decio vision to create a delightfully quirky collection. Evelyne's voice is fresh and beguiling throughout, adapting beautifully to the different moods of the songs.
Decio's tribute to John Ogden, Waltz stands alone, premiered by the man himself during the 80s, it is the culmination of Colin's imagination and talent as a composer and Colin's sensitivity and skill as a pianist - An excellent collection indeed."
Perry (Artist Management)
September 2004
In 2020 Creative New Zealand supported the recording of two DVDs capturing three one-hour programmes of piano & poetry.
The performances were recorded at St. Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington, on a Steinway piano.
Colin Decio - piano, Ingrid Prosser - poetry
The performances were recorded at St. Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington, on a Steinway piano.
Colin Decio - piano, Ingrid Prosser - poetry
Piano & Poetry DVDs excerpt on YouTube
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