HAVPCD340 – Commotio – Night

Commotio is one of Oxford’s foremost chamber choirs, formed in August 1999 to provide a refreshing alternative to the more readily available repertoire offered by most other choral groups, primarily performing lesser-known material of the 20th and 21st centuries. Matthew Berry, the founder and conductor of the choir, enthusiastically promotes the work of a younger generation of composers, as well as bringing to the fore little-known works of more established writers. In December 2002 Commotio performed the world première of Pierre Villette’s Inviolata, and in June 2007 Night for Choir and Cello by Richard Allain. They have also performed UK premières of works by Jon Mostad, Peter Klatzow, and Frank Ferko. In June 2005, the choir recorded a CD of works by Peter Klatzow entitled Towards the Light (Herald HAVP316), receiving extremely positive reviews from Musical Opinion, International Record Review and Gramophone among many others. The choir has also contributed to a portfolio CD of works by the young British composer Thomas Hyde, to be released on Toccata Classics in 2008.

HAVPCD230 – Commotio Early 20th-century European Organ Music

It is a curious fact that large and important areas of the organ repertoire are entirely peripheral to the main stream of musical history. There are, of course, glorious exceptions – J.S. Bach for one; then Mendelssohn, Franck, Reger and Messiaen. But who outside the organ-loft knows the music of Widor, Vierne or Dupré, Rheinberger, Karg-Elert or Howells, satisfying though much of it may be? yet there are great riches to be found in 20th-century organ music, beyond the traditional canons of the French and German organist-composers.