Cantabile

Cantabile have long been acknowledged to be one of Britain's great vocal groups. Their reputation for originality and eclecticism is unsurpassed, and continues to spread ever wider.

Having been focunded as a purely a cappella student group, Cantabile first came to prominence as the narrators of the Tim Rice musical Blondel , which re-opened the renovated Old Vic Theatre in London before transferring to the West End. Since then, Cantabile have retained their unique and unmistakable sound and inimitable sense of humour. In pursuing a policy of constant and dynamic renewal, Cantabile have won the Ensemble of the Year Award from the Wavendon Allmusic Foundation, for pushing back musical frontiers and exploring ever-new territories. Now a major international act, Cantabile have attracted a substantial following right across the musical spectrum, both in Europe and further afield, and are in high demand for their skills both as performers and as writers in the field of blue-chip corporate and private entertainment.

They have made well over 200 television appearances worldwide, embracing all five terrestrial TV channels in the UK, and in the space of one week alone sang on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4 and 5. They have had several radio series of their own, including a celebration of great American songwriters with the BBC Big Band. For Radio 1 they have written and performed jingles, and on television have provided the singing voices for Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, and for the penguins in the highly successful John Smith's Bitter commercials with Jack Dee.

In the field of contemporary music Cantabile attracted much media attention and the critics' unanimous praise for their ground-breaking production at the Covent Garden Festival of a trilogy of works by one of Britain's leading twentieth-century composers, the late Stephen Oliver, two of which had been written especially for Cantabile. Directed by the celebrated British actor Simon Callow, Cantabile moved between three venues; in one, playing a cast of twelve characters in a quick-fire farce, in another, conquering what the London Evening standard called a 'musical Everest' - Oliver's dense twenty-five minute unaccompanied Ricercare No. 4. In the UK Cantabile have appeared in a huge variety of venues and programmes, ranging from intimate jazz evenings at London's Pizza On The Park, to appearances in Hyde Park itself, singing classical parodies before audiences of upwards of 40,000 attending the BBC's Proms In The Park. Overseas, they have toured extensively - from the United States to South Africa to Singapore, where they return for the fourth time next year.Nearer to home they make frequent visits to Europe, appearing in theatres and arts festivals as well as guesting with established bands and orchestras, such as the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, with whom they brought in the New Year in 1999.

CANTABILE PRESS

"Outstanding" The Evening Standard
"These a cappella fellas are fun" The Observer
"A marked flair for sophisticated comedy" The London Times
"Their music is a delight, their sense of humour irresistible"Die Welt
"Presented with infectious enthusiasm and superb technical command" The New York Times
"Splendidly Versatile" The Sunday Times
"Highly sophisticated and full of humour" The Guardian

Discography

Tribute To Hollywood

Up Where We Belong As Time Goes By Everybody's Talkin' Take My Breath Away Evergreen I Just Called To Say I Love You 'Round Midnight Iko Iko Over The Rainbow Gee, Officer Krupke Cavatina I Got Rhythm Sooner or Later Under The sea The Way We Were Lullaby of Broadway

One of the UK's finest vocal groups, Bill, Paul, Mark and Michael of Cantabile, The London Quartet, have a unique and unmistakable sound and a reputation for originality and humor. Although the group was founded as a purely a cappella student group, the sixteen cuts of "A Tribute to Hollywood" are mostly accompanied, with the exception of two tunes, Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" and the theme from the Streisand/Redford classic "The Way We Were." "As Time Goes By" and Stephen Sondheim's "Sooner or Later" are piano accompanied; and Herman Hupfeld's "Take My Breath Away" is accompanied by guitar. "Up Where We Belong," Sondheim/Bernstein's "Gee, Officer Krupke" from "West Side Story," the Gershwins' "I Got Rhythm," "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid," and the classic "Lullaby of Broadway" are all orchestrally accompanied. That aside, we loved this dynamic, entertaining collection, with plenty of the sweet leads and harmonies, humor, eclecticism and big fun of Cantabile!

8997 CD $15.95

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On The Tracks Of... The Comedian Harmonists

Let's Face The Music and Dance When Yuba Plays The Rumba On the Tuba Mein Kleiner, Gruner Kaktus Sandmannchen Amapola The Continental The Way You Look Tonight/A Fine Romance Voila' Les Gars De La Marine Der Lindenbaum (In My) Solitude In Einem Kuhlen Grunde G'schichten Aus Dem Wienerwald Medley From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Auf Wiederseh'n!

One of the UK's most popular and respected all-male quartets, known for their humor and pure sound, pays a well-earned tribute to The Comedian Harmonists, a funny, eclectic and talented 6-man group who were popular on the radio and in German cabarets from 1927 until forced to disband by Nazi anti-Semitism. Mostly lightly accompanied by piano, "On the Tracks Of" has 14 authentic, spirited tunes, most of them originally performed by the CH, like "Meine Kleiner, Gruner Kaktus," "Sandmannchen," "The Way You Look Tonight/A Fine Romance," the silly "Voila Les Gars De La Marine," the poignant "Der Lindenbaum," Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude," the waltz parody "G'schichten Aus Dem Wienerwald," the delightful yodel and whistle-fest "Medley from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs: Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work/The Dwarfs' Yodel Song (The Silly Song)" and the appropriate last cut, "Auf Wiederseh'n!". We love the droll, "Roaring 20's" sound of the Comedian Harmonists, and Cantabile's take on them is as good as any we've heard. Classic, cabaret stuff that tugs at your heartstrings, makes you laugh and makes you want to dance!

8996 CD $15.95

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Lullabyes and Goodbyes

Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) - Billy Joel Evening Prayer - Humperdink Barcarolle - Offenbach Hushabye - Sherman Wiegenlied - Brahms Bilbo's Last Song - Swann lullaby - Gershwin Haere Ra - Traditional Hawaiian Lullaby - Sargent Moonshine Lullaby - Berlin Cancion De Cuna Para Dormir A Un Negrito - Mont salvatge My Lagan Love - Trad. Schlaendes Jesuskind - Wolf Lullaby Of Birdland - Shearing Oblivion - Monteverdi Discendi, O Sonno Vago - Auber Lullaby - Cantabile Nacht Und Traume - Schubert Bilbo's Last Song - Oliver Stay Awake - Sherman Goin' Home - Dvorak Our Revel Now Are Ended - Dankworth Counting Up My Toes - Cullen

Cantabile is an ensemble of four male voices who came together as a group while studying at Cambridge University in the 1980s and have gone on to become one of England's premiere choral ensembles. The programme on this release is a very eclectic mix with nearly all the music excellently arranged by the group themselves. The singing itself is all first class. The four voices blend beautifully and there isn't a sour note to be heard. Diction is consistently crystal clear although texts and English translations, where appropriate, are provided. As you'd expect, the contribution of Malcolm Martineau is first rate. There's a great deal to enjoy here and I can imagine this being particularly restful and enjoyable late evening listening, perhaps with the fire burning gently and a glass of something warming at your elbow. Try this for something a bit different!

Hark, all ye lovely Saints above (Weelkes) Comment, amour, me veux-tu tourmenter? (Arcadelt) Il est bel et bon (Passereau) Agnus Dei (from the Mass of Four Voices) (Byrd) A Tribute ot the Beatles (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison) The Compleat Works (Dankworth) The Long Day Closes (Sullivan) Summertime (Gershwin) My Romance (Rodgers and Hart) Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Handman) Strangers in the Night (Kaempfert) Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight (Carter) Yesterday (Lennon/McCartney) A Good-Night (Richard Rodney Bennett) Brahms' Lullaby (Brahms)

"Madrigal" was recorded at Victoria Memorial Hall in Singapore in February 2001, and features 15 tunes, ranging from sacred early Christian music like Weelkes' "Hark, all ye lovely Saints above," Passereau's "Il est bel et bon," and Wm. Byrd's "Agnus Dei" to a wonderful "Tribute to the Beatles" medley of 18 Fab Four classics and "Yesterday," to Gershwin's "Summertime," Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance" and Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night." Two bonus tracks include Richard Rodney Bennett's "A Good Night," commissioned by Paul McCartney from "A Garland for Linda," and "Brahm's Lullaby." Certainly an odd repertoire mix, but Cantabile's perfectly pitched, fresh, joyous sound works well with just about anything they choose to perform.

6954 CD $15.98

Deo Gratis Fire, Fire my Heart Weep, O Mine Eyes Now is the Month of Maying Myfanwy The Wee Cooper O'Fife Pastime With Good Company The Minute Waltz Java Jive Mein Kleiner, Gruner Kaktus The History Of Western Music Are You Lonesome Tonight? Sentimental Journey A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square The Lambeth Walk Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight

Recorded live in - you guessed it - in Cambridge, this male quintet is a stylistic whisper away from the King's Singers, both in terms of sound and choice of material, though the influence of the Swingles can be felt as well ("The History of Western Music"). The selections on this CD encompass several centuries, beginning with William Byrd's "Deo Gratias." Embracing the British folk ballad (Morley and Henry the VIII), and the European classical form (Chopin), the group then travels forward in time to include period classics such as "Sentimental Journey" and "The Lambeth Walk," finishing up with the wholly appropos doo wop closer, "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight."

6481 CD $15.98

Christmas with Cantabile

Winter Wonderland The Little Road to Bethlehem Gaudete! Tua Bethlem Dref The Twelve Days of Christmas Wexford Carol White Christmas Susser die Glocken nie Klingen Coventry Carol The First Mercy The Jimmy Brown Song Lonely This Christmas A Christmas Carol The Christmas Song The Carol Singers Silent Night Carol Les Trois Cloches

Founded as an a cappella group at Cambridge and one of our favorite British male quartets, Cantabile's pure, bright, spirited harmonies have won them many fans over the years. With most arrangements done by the group, we could expect some of the group's trademark humor, which comes in spades on their a cappella "Twelve Days of Christmas," featuring silly and rude barnyard sound effects that underline the absurd problems associated with having an impossibly generous "true love." Other favorites are the spirited, a cappella "Gaudete!," a romantic "Winter Wonderland," a very Bing Crosby-like take on "White Christmas," the lovely a cappella "Wexford Carol" and "Coventry Carol," "The Jimmy Brown Song," which has added lyrics which may or may not be tongue-in-cheek; and a Doo-Wop "Lonely This Christmas," (ditto). Tom Lehrer's quintessentially sarcastic "A Christmas Carol" has no such ambiguity, nor does the silly "The Carol Singers." "Silent Night," also sung in German a la The Comedian Harmonists," one of Cantabile's favorite influences, attempts to make amends for the craziness, but the surprising musical collage "Carol" and the bonus track "Les Trois Cloches," which is, as far as we can tell, "Jimmy Brown" sung sweetly and dramatically in French, are certainly non-traditional and may be parodies. There is piano accompaniment on several cuts. "Christmas with Cantabile" is a beautifully sung and arranged, eclectic, often silly and unexpected collection that we totally enjoyed, and we bet that you will too!

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