Matthew Guard [CD]

"Artistic Director Matthew Guard leads the Skylark Vocal Ensemble in this exciting new album featuring Gregory W. Brown's Gentle Dark and Love Song, and Eleanor Daley's Requiem. Both composers draw inspiration from the sacred choral works of Herbert Howells, and their requiems reflect his influence through their emotional depth, rich harmonies, and lyrical modern expression. American composer Gregory Brown's new secular requiem, Gentle Dark, is based on a text by novelist and poet James Agee. This world premiere recording captures the expressive freedom and evocative sound for which Brown is known, set to Agee's powerful prose. The album also features the first professional recording of Daley's complete Requiem. Though distinct in voice and intention, both works share structural and harmonic elements that trace back to Howells, offering complementary perspectives on the expressive power of the human voice.