Release date: Summer 2020
Label & Number: Signum SIGCD632
Total time: 61.35 mins
Armonico Consort
AC Academy Warwick and AC Academy Scholars
Toby Young | Keyboards
Christopher Monks | Musical Director
Timothy West | Narrator
Elin Manahan Thomas | Soloist
Anne Denholm | Harp
William Towers | Script
Jennifer Thorp | Libretto
Beowulf is one of the world’s greatest mythical tales. Discover a legendary time of heroes and warriors as Prince Beowulf battles demons and magical beasts, narrated by Special Guest Timothy West, stars of TV, Film and the West End. Alongside a gripping script from one of the authors of Have I Got News For You, this touching epic saga has been set to music by Armonico Consort’s composer-in-residence, Toby Young (former BBC Proms Young Composer of the Year).
Toby Young has a huge talent for captivating melodies and rhythms, put to excellent use in this wonderful re-telling of the ancient Beowulf story, complete with compelling narrative
4 stars, BBC Music magazine
a colourful modern realisation aimed especially at young audiences … a prominent role for narrator [is] brilliantly realised on this recording by actor Timothy West … the excellent Armonico Consort’s rich and delicately balanced sonorities shine through
Gramophone
TRACK LISTING
1. Prologue
2. Celebration
3. ‘Hwaet! Listen’
4. Great Hall
5. Refrain
6. Interlude: The Fight
7. Grendel’s Bad Deeds
8. Sweet Song
9. Unferth’s Row
10. Refrain
11. Grendel-Beowulf Battle
12. When I Was King
13. Interlude: Triumph
14. Rousing Song
15. Refrain
16. Presentation of Hrunting
17. Grendel’s Mother
18. Rise Up
19. Hrothgar’s Sermon
20. Interlude: Searching
21. Chorus of Soldiers
22. Refrain
23. My Lord has Gone
24. Final Chorus
