Celebrated British jazz musician, George Shearing, put seven of Shakespeare’s songs and sonnets to music. The first performance was conducted by John Rutter. Here’s what JR had to say about them:
“Having admired jazz legend George Shearing from afar for many years, I was delighted to get to know him personally during the 1990s, at a time when his growing interest in choral music had already found expression in Music to Hear (1985), a cycle of Shakespeare settings for choir, piano, and double bass. George was spurred on to write a second Shakespeare cycle, Songs and Sonnets, premièred by the Mostly Madrigal Singers in Illinois in 1999, with the composer at the piano, Neil Swainson playing bass, and myself guest-conducting. I instantly fell in love with the music—so fresh and youthful, so witty, tender and varied.”
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