Cover A Musical Zoo

Album info

Album-Release:
2021

HRA-Release:
02.03.2021

Label: Chandos

Genre: Classical

Subgenre: Vocal

Artist: Ashley Riches & Joseph Middleton

Composer: Franz Schubert (1797-1828), Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)

Album including Album cover Booklet (PDF)

?

Formats & Prices

FormatPriceIn CartBuy
FLAC 96 $ 15.40
  • Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828):
  • 1Schubert: Die Forelle, Op. 32, D. 55002:20
  • 2Schubert: Die Vögel, Op. 172 No. 6, D. 69101:13
  • Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856):
  • 3Schumann: 3 Gesänge, Op. 31: No. 1, Die Löwenbraut08:06
  • Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903):
  • 4Wolf: Goethe-Lieder: No. 11, Der Rattenfänger02:37
  • Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897):
  • 5Brahms: 4 Lieder, Op. 46: No. 4, An die Nachtigall02:58
  • Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949):
  • 6Strauss: Die Drossel, TrV 4902:28
  • Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924):
  • 7Fauré: 2 Songs, Op. 1: No. 1, Le papillon et la fleur02:06
  • Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937):
  • 8Ravel: Histoires naturelles, M. 50: No. 1, Le paon04:34
  • 9Ravel: Histoires naturelles, M. 50: No. 2, Le grillon03:08
  • 10Ravel: Histoires naturelles, M. 50: No. 3, Le cygne02:59
  • 11Ravel: Histoires naturelles, M. 50: No. 4, Le martin-pêcheur02:56
  • 12Ravel: Histoires naturelles, M. 50: No. 5, La pintade03:07
  • Modest Mussorgsky (1839 - 1881):
  • 13Mussorgsky: Mephistopheles's Song in Auerbach's Cellar03:18
  • Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975):
  • 14Shostakovich: 4 Verses of Captain Lebyadkin, Op. 146: No. 2, The Cockroach03:44
  • John Ireland (1879 - 1962):
  • 15Ireland: The Three Ravens04:28
  • Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983):
  • 16Howells: King David05:09
  • Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981):
  • 17Barber: Hermit Songs, Op. 29: No. 8, The Monk and His Cat02:24
  • Vernon Duke (1903 - 1969):
  • 18Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 13, The Jelly Fish00:26
  • 19Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 17, The Fly00:19
  • 20Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 4, Our Dog00:53
  • 21Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 3, The Ant00:24
  • 22Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 9, The Pig00:27
  • 23Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 1, The Duck00:25
  • 24Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 19, The Termite00:32
  • 25Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 11, The Calf00:58
  • 26Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 7, The Turkey00:27
  • 27Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 16, The Sea Gull00:45
  • 28Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 12, The Rooster00:24
  • 29Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 14, The Germ00:59
  • 30Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 10, The Centipede00:30
  • 31Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 18, The Firefly00:50
  • 32Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 15, The Sparrow00:30
  • 33Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 2, The Cow00:49
  • 34Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 8, The Kitten00:38
  • 35Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 6, The Mouse00:34
  • 36Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 20, The Pigeon00:45
  • 37Duke: Ogden Nash's Musical Zoo: No. 5, The Frog00:29
  • Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976):
  • 38Britten: The Crocodile05:19
  • Total Runtime01:14:58

Info for A Musical Zoo



A Musical Zoo with Ashley Riches and Joseph Middleton is a veritable tour de force, featuring compositions spanning nearly 160 years, from Schuberts The Trout to Shostakovichs Once there lived a cockroach, and four languages (German, French, Russian, and English). A strong representation of the German Lieder tradition (Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Brahms, and Richard Strauss) is balanced by the French mélodie (Fauré, Ravel) and English lyricism (Ireland, Howells). We humans seem to have an endless fascination with the animal kingdom, and animals have proved an inspiration for artists, composers and writers alike. This recital demonstrates what a rich seam this has proved for a diverse range of composers. Ashley Riches comments: The text [of a song] may outline to us what we see. But the flutterings of Schuberts Birds, the flicking antennae of Shostakovichs Cockroach, the rush of notes with which Ravels Peacock spreads its tail these are movements and energies accessible to music alone.

Ashley Riches, bass-baritone
Joseph Middleton, piano



Ashley Riches
studied English at King’s College, Cambridge where he sang in the Chapel Choir under Stephen Cleobury. From 2012-14 he was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, where he made his debut in a duet with Robert Alagna and represented the house at a gala celebrating Young Artist Programmes at the Bolshoi Theatre. He is currently a BBC New Generation Artist.

Highlights of this season include Creon in Stravinsky “Oedipus Rex” with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Berlin Philharmonic, Purcell “The Fairy Queen” with Richard Egarr and the Academy of Ancient Music, a European tour of Bach “Christmas Oratorio” with Masaki Suzuki and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Ferryman in Britten “Curlew River” with the Britten Sinfonia at the new Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Pirate King in Mike Leigh’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance” at English National Opera and the title role in Mozart “Don Giovanni” for Opera Holland Park, along with song recitals and recordings with Simon Lepper, Sholto Kynoch, Anna Tilbrook and Joseph Middleton.

His song discography includes Poulenc Chansons “Gaillardes” with Graham Johnson (Hyperion), the songs of Arthur Sullivan with David Owen Norris (Chandos) and a world premier recording of the Shakespeare Sonnets of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco with Emma Abbate (Resonus). He has also recorded Handel “L’Allegro, il Pensieroso ed il Moderato” with the Gabrieli Consort, Paul McCreesh (Gabrieli)Bach “St Matthew Passion” (Bass arias, Pilate) with the Monteverdi Choir (Soli Deo Gloria) and Bach “St John Passion” (Jesus) with Crouch End Festival Chorus, the first recording in English for over fifty years.

Booklet for A Musical Zoo

© 2010-2024 HIGHRESAUDIO