Description:

David Lumsdaine's work is mostly rooted in Australia where he was born though he now lives in the UK. This unique and intriguing set includes pieces for a variety of instruments (not all are vocal) a number of which relate to the Australian landscape and the sounds of its unique wildlife - which are also captured in live 'outback' recordings demonstrating the voices of the birds and creatures which inspired some of the works.

The music itself is most approachable and well written. Definitely an important addition to the modern music repertoire.

LJR Reviews:

“Soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers is unflappable in the face of this music’s demands.”   (Fanfare) (Click here for full review)

“An excellent performance by soprano Rogers.”  (American Record Guide) (Click here for full review)

“the pure-voiced Lesley-Jane Rogers is an absolute delight and worth the cost of the CD on its own.”  (MusicWeb) (Click here for full review)

“Twenty-five minutes long, this is very demanding music for performers, particularly the soprano, but Rogers is more than equal to it.” (MusicWeb) (Click here for full review)

Album Reviews:

“Meticulously organized instrumental and chamber pieces… superb anthology… Lumsdaine snatches empiric sound sources from an open-ended world of possibilities. These performances prove deeply sensitive to Lumsdaine's needs, with a special nod going to pianist Peter Lawson. A lesson in musical possibility and artistic skill from a composer of rare sonic vision.” – Philip Clark (Gramophone) (Click here for full review) 

“An unusual but rewarding feature… is the five Australian Soundcapes. All the perfomers enter Lumsdaine's musical world with skill and enthusiasm, and perform a representative programme of his music with which any composer would be delighted. We can enjoy exploring the works of one of Australia's most creative and individual musicians.” – Andrew Mayes (MusicWeb) (Click here for full review) 

“This double CD has ... seen the light of day and, like a rare flower, at last blossomed into being. Every note is perfectly placed and none wasted ... all the participants interpret this music with consummate skill and devotion to detail.” – Richard Leigh Harris (Tempo) (Click here for full review) 

“Lumsdaine is a master of scale. Most of these pieces are aphoristic miniatures.. [they] encompass complete musical universes in their tiny durations. The longer pieces are hypnotic. In them one loses all sense of time and comes away with a feeling of time well spent. This is music of profound stillness despite its often disjunct, almost Webernesque intervals. Soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers is unflappable in the face of this music's demands...accuracy of pitch, tone production and excellent diction. Recorder virtuoso John Turner becomes a cosmic bird, pianist Peter Lawson comfortably navigates the daunting demands of Cambewarra . The recorded sound is first-rate by today's standards” – William Zagorski (Fanfare) (Click here for full review)

“The [Soundscapes] are vivid and intense and they do create an atmosphere.. the music, often freely tonal, often quite abstract… captures [Lumsdaine's] intertwined passions for music and nature.” – Kilpatrick (American Record Guide) (Click here for full review)

 “These discs sum up Australia and its culture superbly well. Lesley-Jane Rogers is an absolute delight. Peter Lawson is quite brilliant and utterly convincing... John Turner's magical playing... vivid and exciting performance. Excellent booklet... a composer with much that is original to say.” – Gary Higginson (MusicWeb) (Click here for full review)

“John Turner continues to impress… Deserving of particular note is the double-disc set White Dawn … thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully engineered.” – Tom Bickley (American Recorder) (Click here for full review)

 “This is challenging music for the listener… but not without its rewards. The sound recording is excellent, though the cellist's breathing is rather audible in Blue on Blue. The booklet is glossy and informative, with biographies, poem texts and interesting and well-written notes by [Anthony] Gilbert. More than a full CD's worth of [Lumsdaine's] works here that any lover of contemporary music should be familiar with.” – Byzantion (MusicWeb) (Click here for full review)

 “What an inspired idea to bring out  a double CD of David's Songs and Soundscapes . I love the wondrous performances and David's achingly-beautiful poetry. I love the booklet, the engineering and everything about it” - Peter Sculthorpe, foremost Australian composer