David Hackbridge Johnson: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2 Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Paul Mann

• David Hackbridge Johnson: Symphony No. 10, Op. 312 No. 1:
• 1 I. Preludio tragico. Molto moderato 09:59
• 2 II. Marche funèbre. Lento 07:38
• 3 III. Scherzo spettrale. Presto 08:07
• 4 IV. Epilogue. Mesto 07:19
• Motet No. 6, Op. 337 No. 4 "Benedicite Maria et Flumina":
• 5 Motet No. 6, Op. 337 No. 4 "Benedicite Maria et Flumina" 10:46
• Symphony No. 13, Op. 361 No. 1:
• 6 I. Allegro con brio 11:14
• 7 II. Poco lento 12:02
• 8 III. Allegro alla burlesca 12:38
• Total Runtime 01:19:43

Info for David Hackbridge Johnson: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2

The orchestral music of the English composer David Hackbridge Johnson (b. 1963) is one of the most important discoveries to have been made by Toccata Classics. This second volume brings two mighty symphonies: the dark and tragic No. 10 (2013), cast in a single monumental span, and the three-movement No. 13 (2017), a fierce and fiery affirmation of life. They are complemented here by an orchestral ‘motet' which passes plainchant in kaleidoscopic review. Writing in Gramophone, Guy Rickards said of Hackbridge Johnson's Ninth Symphony: ‘what is so astonishing is not his ambition in attempting such large, big boned structures […] but that he possesses the compositional technique to achieve them so completely. [...] This is a profound, complex and visionary utterance'.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Paul Mann, conductor

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Orchestra’s current artistic team is led by British-Canadian conductor Peter Oundjian, who joined as Music Director in 2012. Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård was appointed as Principal Guest Conductor in the same year, with Holly Mathieson joining as Assistant Conductor in 2016. In May 2017, it was announced that Thomas Søndergård would succeed Peter Oundjian as Music Director, with Søndergård taking up his new post from September 2018. Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan will succeed Søndergård as Principal Guest Conductor.

The RSNO performs across Scotland, including concerts in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness. The Orchestra appears regularly at the Edinburgh International Festival, the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and the St Magnus Festival, Orkney, and has made recent tours to the United States of America, Spain, France, China and Germany. The RSNO was an active participant in the cultural programme of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow and in the same year hosted the Ryder Cup Gala Concert at the SSE Hydro.

The Orchestra is joined for choral performances by the RSNO Chorus, directed by Gregory Batsleer. The RSNO Chorus evolved from a choir formed in 1843 to sing the first full performance of Handel’s Messiah in Scotland. Today, the RSNO Chorus is one of the most distinguished large symphonic choruses in Britain, with a membership of around 160. The Chorus has performed nearly every work in the standard choral repertoire along with contemporary works by renowned composers, including John Adams, Magnus Lindberg, Howard Shore and James MacMillan.

The acclaimed RSNO Junior Chorus, formed in 1978 by Jean Kidd, also performs regularly alongside the Orchestra. Boasting a membership of over 400, with members aged from seven to eighteen. It has built up a considerable reputation singing under some of the world’s most distinguished conductors and appearing on radio and television.

The RSNO has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its recordings, receiving two Diapason d’Or de l’année awards for Symphonic Music (Denève/Roussel 2007; Denève/Debussy 2012) and eight GRAMMY Awards nominations. Over 200 releases are available, including the complete symphonies of Sibelius (Gibson), Prokofiev (Järvi), Glazunov (Serebrier), Nielsen and Martinů (Thomson), Roussel (Denève) and the major orchestral works of Debussy (Denève).

The RSNO’s Learning and Engagement team delivers progressive participatory music-making activities across Scotland, from Selkirk to Shetland, working with all ages and abilities. With a programme of activity available for newborns and onwards, the team are committed to delivering the highest quality workshops as well as nurturing and developing new talent. From schools and nursery concerts to community workshops and annual residencies during which the Orchestra places itself at the centre of Scottish communities, the team connects the Orchestra, its music and musicians with the people of Scotland.

Paul Mann
Considered one of the finest conductors of his generation, Paul Mann is an outstanding musician noted for his extensive repertoire, great musicality and versatility. He was chief conductor of the Odense Symphony Orchestra in Denmark until 2008, where he achieved considerable critical and audience success, particularly in the symphonies of Elgar, Schumann, Shostakovich, Beethoven and Mahler.

He is a regular guest-conductor with many major orchestras throughout Europe, the US, Australia, and the Far East. Orchestras with which he has recently worked include the Bergen Philharmonic, Lahti Symphony, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, St Petersburg Philharmonic, RAI Torino, Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona, Flemish Radio, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Orchestre de Bretagne; the BBC Orchestras, City of Birmingham Symphony, Hallé, Royal Scottish National, Britten Sinfonia; Orquesta Ciudad de Barcelona, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao, among others. In the US, Mr. Mann is a regular guest conductor with New York City Ballet, both at their Lincoln Center home, and on tour. He has also conducted the orchestras of Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. His debut with the Queensland Orchestra in 2002 resulted in regular re-invitations to Australia, with the Tasmanian Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, West Australian Symphony, and Adelaide Symphony orchestras, as well as the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand, and the Malaysian Philharmonic.

He was first prizewinner in the 1998 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, and was appointed assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. He made his LSO debut shortly afterwards, and subsequently collaborated regularly with the orchestra both in the concert hall and recording studio. Special projects with the LSO included the Duke Ellington Centenary Concert at the Barbican Hall with Wynton Marsalis which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and a famous collaboration with legendary rock group Deep Purple in two widely acclaimed performances of Jon Lord's Concerto for Group and Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, the live DVD and CDs of which have become international bestsellers.

Mr. Mann has made numerous recordings for such labels as Decca, Warner Classics, EMI, Bridge and Da Capo with orchestras including the London Symphony, the English Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony and Odense Symphony.

Booklet for David Hackbridge Johnson: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2