Tenor James Gilchrist, the soloist on this recording, began his career as a doctor before becoming a full-time musician in 1996.
Historical Context
Gertrud Kolmar, the poet whose work inspired this album, was a Jewish writer born in Berlin who was deported to Auschwitz in 1943, where she was likely exterminated.
Composer Biography
Julian Marshall, the composer, achieved international success in the late 1970s with bands like Marshall Hain, The Flying Lizards, and Eye to Eye before focusing on longer-form compositions.
Compositional Technique
The Angel in the Forest is scored for tenor, a small ATB chorus (alto, tenor, bass), and a cello sextet, creating a specific chamber music texture.
Composition History
The cantata The Angel in the Forest is Julian Marshall's second work setting text from Gertrud Kolmar's Welten cycle, following his earlier cantata Out of the Darkness.
Recording & Production
The cover art for this album features a central image from a woodcut by Rod Nelson, which was inspired by his attendance at The Angel in the Forest premiere.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The Welten Project, founded by composer Julian Marshall, aims to create works inspired by, re-imagining, or setting poems from Gertrud Kolmar's 17-poem cycle, Welten.
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