Shortlisted for Choral Award

“…The performances on this disc are so confident and secure, that I was surprised to learn after my first listening about the longtime neglect of Scenes from Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound. William Vann’s direction of the London Mozart Players and the combined vocal soloists and choir give the impression of coming from a community steeped in this music, of having lived and loved it for ages…”

“… If you are an enthusiast for the choral music of Elgar and Vaughan Williams, you owe it to yourself to seek this disc out.”

“… Parry’s orchestral writing is very colourful and imaginative as it responds to Shelley’s graceful verbose text. The choral writing is incredibly powerful, the voice parts illuminating the text … The soloists are very good, especially Sarah Fox with her lovely, bell-tone … the Crouch End Festival Chorus is marvellous, a stunning combination of strong singers who listen to and blend well with each other. The London Mozart Players deliver an involving, exciting performance that makes a solid case for this work to be revived more often …”

Critics’ Choice 2023

“..The performers bring enthusiasm and telling insights to Parry’s colourful score and remind us that this work merits its accolades as one of the first significant scores of modern British music.”

Performance ****      Recording *****

"... An auspicious Promethean 'first".

Recording of the Month

“… Sarah Connolly fulfils all expectations in an Erda-like arioso to cap the first part … David Butt Philip brings ringing heroism to Jupiter on his throne. Neal Davies’s bass is broader than in former years, and all the better suited to the kind of Wotan-size declamation demanded of him here…”

Classical Album of the Week

“…Remarkably, William Vann’s recording is the first [Prometheus] and, thanks to uniformly superb performances, he makes a strong case for it…” ****

“…The performances throughout are uniformly impressive. William Vann seems to have the knack of keeping Parry's music moving without ever making us feel rushed, and as a result the Wagnerian declamation and long paragraphs really do work, whilst chorus and orchestra make the big choral moments really sing. Parry's Prometheus is full of terrific music … because what we have here is a remarkable piece of complex and highly emotional British music that looks forward to Elgar and yet stands up perfectly on its own.”