The Squid's Ear Magazine


Zorn, John: Madrigals (Tzadik)

Composer John Zorn presents two books of "Madrigals" scored for six acappella female voices, rich and seductive compositions intertwining voices in beautiful, electrifying and riveting ways through 10 works inspired by the 19th century British poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Lisa Bielawa-voice

Sarah Brailey-voice

Rachel Calloway-voice

Mellissa Hughes-voice

Jane Sheldon-voice

Kirsten Sollek-voice


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UPC: 702397833925

Label: Tzadik
Catalog ID: CD-TZA-8339
Squidco Product Code: 21541

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2016
Country: USA
Packaging: Cardboard sleeve
Recorded at EastSide Sound, in New York City on October 13th, 2014 and October 10th, 2015 by Marc Urselli.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Zorn's compositions for acappella voice are some of his most sensual and sublime creations. This CD presents his two books of "Madrigals" scored for six female voices. Beautifully performed by his long time ensemble the "Sapphites" the music is even more varied and challenging than his previous masterpieces "The Holy Visions" and "Shir Hashirim," touching upon minimalism, tonal and atonal counterpoint, textural experiments and more. Inspired by the visionary poetry of 19th century British Romantic Percy Bysshe Shelley, a charming lyricism and subtle spirituality rides through the music from first note to last."-Tzadik


Artist Biographies

"Rachel Calloway brings versatility and compelling insight to stages worldwide. Her work has been praised by the New York Times for "penetrating clarity" and "considerable depth of expression" and by Opera News for her "adept musicianship and dramatic flair."

A dedicated interpreter of new music, Ms. Calloway has premiered hundreds of solo and chamber music works. Recent and upcoming premieres include music by Augusta Read Thomas, John Zorn, Robert Xavier Rodriguez, David Garner, Gabriela Lena Frank, Christopher Cerrone, and Annika Socolofsky. She collaborates with premiere ensembles including Third Coast Percussion, JACK Quartet, the Amernet Quartet, and Ensemble Signal. Ms. Calloway and her husband, violinist Ari Streisfeld, founded Duo Cortona, an ensemble dedicated to the creation and performance of new works for violin and voice.

She has appeared in concert with the Orlando Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Series, Charleston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, Berkeley Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Ojai Festival, San Francisco Girls' Chorus, BAM Next Wave Festival, Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Cal Performances, and Lincoln Center Festival. Ms. Calloway made her European operatic debut as Mrs. Grose in The Turn of the Screw at Opéra de Reims, Athénée Théâtre Louis-Jovet (Paris), and Opéra de Lille. She has performed with the late Lorin Maazel at the Castleton Festival in Virginia, and at Opera Philadelphia, Tulsa Opera, Central City Opera, Gotham Chamber Opera, The PROTOTYPE Festival, and the Glimmerglass Festival. She is also a founding member of Shir Ami, an ensemble dedicated to the performance, discovery and preservation of Jewish music.

Ms. Calloway serves on the faculty of the University of South Carolina as Assistant Professor of Voice and Director of Spark: Music Leadership at Carolina. She joined the faculty of the Cortona Sessions for New Music (Italy) in 2014 and Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard in 2016. Ms. Calloway holds degrees from The Juilliard School (BM) and Manhattan School of Music (MM) and can be heard on Albany Records, Tzadik Records, BCMF Records, and Toccata Classics."

-Rachel Calloway Website (https://rachelcalloway.com/about/)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Mellissa Hughes enjoys a busy career in both contemporary and early music. a versatile, charismatic soprano endowed with brilliant technique and superlative stage instincts...indispensable to New York's new-music ecosystem" A dedicated interpreter of living composers, Hughes has worked closely with Julia Wolfe, Michael Gordon, David Lang, Steve Reich, Neil Rolnick, and has premiered works by David T. Little, Missy Mazzoli, Ted Hearne, Caleb Burhans, Christopher Cerrone, Jacob Cooper, and Frederick Rzewski, among others. In the classical concert hall she has performed Mozart's Vespers and Requiem under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner, Handel's Dixit Dominus with Sir David Willcocks, and the role of Dido under the direction of Andrew Lawrence King. Equally at home in front of a rock band, Hughes has received widespread acclaim in her role as lead vocalist of Newspeak, an amplified alt-classical band, and for her work with Missy Mazzoli's Victoire. In the 2013/14 season, Hughes continues touring with John Zorn for Zorn@60 celebrations, singing his "Madrigals" and "Earthspirit" in Jerusalem, Paris and at Alice Tully Hall in New York (having sung the works last season in Montreal, Ghent, Warsaw, at the Barbican in London, and at the Guggenheim New York.) She also stars in Jonathan Berger's double bill opera, Visitations, in a Beth Morrison Production/HERE production for Protoype 2014 at Roulette, led by Christopher Rountree. Other highlights include a recital with pianist Lisa Moore for Kettle Corn New Music, and Bach cantatas with Julian Wachner and Trinity Wall Street."

-Mellissa Hughes Website (https://mellissahughes.com/)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Adonais 3:17

2. The Witch Of Atlas 3:52

3. Epipsychidion 3:49

4. The Devil's Walk 2:36

5. Endymion 5:43

6. Ocean Nymphs 5:18

7. Old Silenus 3:21

8. Twilight Phantasms 4:00

9. Queen Mab 3:28

10. Universal Pan 3:41

Related Categories of Interest:


Tzadik
Compositional Forms
Unusual Vocal Forms
Zorn. John
NY Downtown & Jazz/Improv
New in Compositional Music

Search for other titles on the label:
Tzadik.


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