AFTER HOURS

THE KING’S MENCAMBRIDGE

22

1 Get AroundThe Beach Boys, arr. Keith Roberts 02:05

2 Swing Low, Sweet ChariotTraditional Spiritual, arr. Ed Rex 03:06

3 WonderwallOasis, arr. Tom Recknell 02:30

4 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareManning Sherwin and Eric Maschwitz, arr. Ruari Bowen 03:36

5 Forget YouCee Lo Green, arr. Ed Rex 02:45

6 Never Had a Dream Come TrueS Club 7, arr. Peter Lindsay and Joe Adams 03:07

7 SeptemberEarth, Wind and Fire, arr. Ed Rex 04:04

8 Tears in HeavenEric Clapton, arr. Tom Recknell 03:59

9 I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys, arr. Tom Recknell 03:03 SoloistBenGoble

10 Minnie the MoocherCab Calloway, arr. Ed Rex 02:58 SoloistDavidBagnall

11 Call Me MaybeCarly Rae Jepsen, arr. Ed Rex 03:30 SoloistsDavidBagnall,FeargalMostyn-Williams

12 Old Man RiverJerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, arr. Ruairi Bowen 04:16 SoloistHenryHawkesworth

13 Every Time We Say GoodbyeCole Porter, arr. Ed Rex 02:08

14 I Want You BackThe Jackson 5, arr. Ed Rex 02:29 SoloistMikeHamway

Total Time 43:36

TRA

CK

LIST

Tracks 1-4, 6-10, 12 & 13recordedatStGeorge’sChurch,Chesterton,18-19Marchand25-26June2013Tracks 5, 11 & 14recordedatWestRoadStudio,20March2013Producer BenjaminSheenEngineersMatthewDilley(Chesterton)andDanielHalford(WestRoadStudio)Mastering EngineerNickWatson

Cover DesignAndyDoeBooklet Design & LayoutDavidMillingerImages©TheKing’sMenLabel managementAndyDoe

AFTERHOURS A cappella from Cambridge

33

The King’s Men

The King’s Men(formerlyknownas‘Collegium Regale’–simplyLatinfor‘King’s College’)isthecloseharmonygroupmadeupofthechoralscholarsoftheChoirofKing’sCollege,Cambridge.AsChoralScholars,ourdutiesincludesingingthedailyservicesintheChapel,withbusyrecordingandtouringschedulesinthevacations,and,ofcourse,thefamousFestivalofNineLessonsandCarolsonChristmasEve,broadcastbytheBBCallaroundtheworld.

ButalongsidethesechoircommitmentsruncountlessengagementswithThe King’s Men,whichfunctionsasaseparateentityfromtheChoiritself,runbythechoralscholars.WemightexpecttohaveasmanyassixtyKing’s Menengagementseachyear,andtheseincludeconcertsinandaroundCambridge,entertainmentatfunctionsinCollege,singingatumpteenCambridgeMayBalls(oftenatsilly-o-clockinthemorning)andourannualtour,forwhichourfourteenmemberssplitintotwogroups,andpileintofourunfortunatecars,tovisitvenuesintheNorthandSouthofEngland.WehavealsosungattheHongKongClubinHongKong(funnilyenough),inNewYork,andatPrincetonUniversity.AstheBeachBoyssoaptlyputit,wedoGet Around.

Wehavealsohadthepleasureofperformingindependentlywithsuchstarsastrumpeter,AlisonBalsom,andtheworld’spremieroperaticcountertenor,AndreasScholl.Therewas

alsoanow-fabledappearanceasbackingvocalistswithDizzeeRascalattheElectricProms.ThegrouphassungforsuchluminariesasLordSainsbury(underthedirectionofStephenCleobury),StephenHawking,andDanielCraig.WewerealsoengagedtosingattheGreenwichRoyalNavalCollegeatanofficialdinnercelebratingthe2012Olympics.

Allthisisabsolutelybrilliantfun,butitrequiresquiteadealofhardworktokeepstandardsup–therearefrequentrehearsalsinterm-timeledbyourappointedmusicaldirectors,andourbusinessmanagerhasthecolossaltaskoforganisingeveryeventforthegroup.Asifthiswerenotenough,eachyearthemostexperiencedthird-yearsingersleavethechoirandanewcropofwide-eyedfreshersarrives.Ifyouweretoleavethegroupandcomebackthreeyearslater,itwouldbeacompletelydifferentsetofsingersfromtheoneyoustartedwith.

Insomeways,ofcourse,thispresentsdifficulties(notelearning,forone),butinothersitisasourceofstrength,asnewgenerationsbringnewideasandkeepthegroupconstantlyonitstoes–thingscannotstagnate,becausethereissimplynotenoughtimeforthemto.

kingsmencambridge.co.ukfacebook.com/thekingsmen

THE

KIN

G’S M

ENThe King’s Men

High AltoMikeHamwayFeargalMostyn-Williams

AltoPatrickDunachieColmTalbot

High TenorDavidBagnallJoelWilliams

TenorPhilipBarrettRuairiBowen*

BaritoneBenGobleRobStephen*

BassDanield’SouzaSamLandman

Low BassHenryHawkesworthBenOakley

(*MusicalDirectors)

4

A Year With The King’s Men

AsMichaelmasTermbegins,freshersarriveandleaversemptytheirroomsaftertheirfinalsummerconcertsasmembersoftheChoir.Despitethebalmyoverhangoftheprevioussummer,oureyesarealreadysetonChristmas,threemonthsaway.Thefirstannualengagementeveryyearisalarge(free)concertinKing’sHallofChristmasrepertoireattheendofterm,butthemainprioritytostartwithistoteachthefreshersasmuchofthestandardconcertmusicaspossible.Thatway,theycanstartparticipatinginperformancesassoonaspossible.AswestayinCambridgeaftertermendstorecordCarols from King’sforBBCtelevisionanyway,thisallowsustodoourannualcarolconcertattheEaglepubinreturnforahealthy(orunhealthy,perhaps)tabbehindthebarandtosingtothepatientsatAddenbrookesHospitalwhocannotgetbacktotheirhomesatChristmas–alwaysarewardingexperience.OnChristmasEve,weoftenhaveaBBCradiobroadcastinthemorning,withjustthemenoftheChoir,ontopofthemorefamousFestival of Nine Lessons and Carolslaterintheday.Afteratwohourrehearsalforthat,wegooutandserenadethequeue(somemembersofwhichhavebeenbravingtheelementsforacoupleofdaystoensuregoodseats!)withourclose-harmonyChristmasfare,beforeaheartybrunch.

TherealclimaxoftheKing’sMen’syearcomeswhenwegoonourannualnationaltour(usuallyintheEasterholidays)andperformnineortenconcertsoverthecourseofaboutasmanydays.Thesequenceofmusicinourconcertsisin

atriedandtestedformatoffourquarters(interspersedwithanintervalandsomelightcontributionsfromourorganscholars),coveringthewholerangeofourrepertoire.Westartoffwithearlysacredmusicandmadrigalsofthe16thand17thcenturies,movingtoarrangementsoffolk-songsinthesecondquarter.Aftertheintervalwehavetraditionalspiritualsandjazzbeforemovingontothemorepopularrepertoiretoclose.It’saneclecticmix,butitdoeswork.Eachpieceisprecededbyashortspokenintroductionbyoneofournumberandweendeavourtomakethesehumorous,althoughourcomicexpertise,itmustbeadmitted,issomewhatlimited.ThisCD,mercifully,ispresentedwithouttheseinterjections,andincludesmusicthatyoumighthearussinginginthethirdandfourthquartersofaconcert.

AfterexamscomestheonslaughtofMayBalls–aweekorsowhereallsemblanceofadecentsleepingpatterngoesoutthewindow.Weperformassevenmangroups,andsometimeswemighthavetosingatthreedifferentballsinonenight,endingatabout5:00am.Wealwayshaveanoutrageouslygoodtime,andthereisoftentheoptiontogetacovetedtickettotheballyouareperformingat–it’safinedeal.OntheSundayattheendofMayWeekweperformaconcertcalledSinging on the River,wheretheaudiencesitsononesideoftheriverCamandweperform(withmicrophones)acrosstheriverfromtheother,onpunts.Theweathernearlyalways,miraculously,holdsoutandweusuallypresentthesameprogrammethatwetoured,

meaningthatweknowthemusicwellenoughnottobeputoffbyducks,highwinds,andtheever-presentpossibilityoffallingin.Itneverfailstodrawinagreataudience–sometimeswellover1,000.

TofindoutmoreaboutbecomingamemberofThe King’s Men,visittheKing’sCollegeChoirwebsite:www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir

A Y

EA

R W

ITH

THE

KIN

G’S M

EN

5

Recording After Hours

Itwouldbefairtosaythatthisdischasbeenatimelonginproduction.The King’s MenhaverecordedCDsofFolkSongsandSpirituals,Christmasclose-harmonymusicandtwoverysuccessfulalbumsofearlyrenaissancemusicontheSignumlabel(directedbyStephenCleobury),butforsomereasonorotherthemore‘popular’sideofwhatwedowasnotdocumented.Talkingtooldermembersofthegroup,itseemsthatplanswerealwaysinthepipeline,buttheprojectneverquitematerialised.

Onethingsoenjoyableaboutthisprojectwasjusthowmuchthiswasa‘hometeam’endeavour,allofthearrangersweremembersofThe King’s Menatsomepoint,andourproducer,Ben,washimselfaCountertenorLay-ClerkatKing’satthetimethisrecordwasmade.Itwasgreatthathecouldactuallyattendourrehearsalstoofferhisthoughtswellinadvanceofthesessions.DrawingonhisexperienceofhavingproducedadiscofsimilarrepertoirewhilstatNewCollege,Oxford,hiscontributionwasinvaluable,aswasthedeterminationofourtwomusicaldirectors,RobandRuairi.

WealsogreatlybenefitedfromworkingwithBenParry,sometimememberofKing’sCollegeChoir,amusicaldirectoroftheSwingleSingers,founderoftheDunedinConsortandnowdirectoroftheNationalYouthChoir.OurworkwithBenfocusedoncreatinganauthenticclose-harmonysound,distinctfromthemorefull-bloodedsingingwhichwedoassoloistsormembersoftheChapel

Choir.RogersCovey-Crump(tuningexpertandtenoroftheHilliardEnsemble)alsogaveussomeimportantadviceabouttacklingthemorecomplexharmoniesinsomeofthearrangements.

Fairlyearlyonintheplanningoftheproject,ourmusicaldirectorsandproducerdecided,withcommonconsentfromthegroup,thatwewantedtherecordedsoundtobeafaithfulrepresentationofthesoundofthegroupinconcert,soapartfromthreetracks(Call Me Maybe,Forget YouandI Want You Back),therecordingsonthisCDweremadelive,standingaswewouldforaconcert,inasemicircle,andwithoutanydigitalmanipulation.Thethreetrackswhichweren’trecordedlive,wefeltwouldworkbestrecordedinastudio,astheywererecentpophits,andtomakethearrangementscomeacrossattheirbest,thecloseandimmediatesoundthatcomesfrommulti-trackrecordinginastudiowaspreferable.Asmostofourperformingisdoneinsevenmangroups,wethoughitappropriatetoincludethisstyleofperformanceontherecording,andthefinishedproductincludestrackswithallfourteenofussingingtogether(suchasGet AroundandMinnie the Moocher),areducedcomplementofabouttenofus(September),allthewaydowntoone-to-a-partsevenmansinging(Old Man RiverandA Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square).

Notes © Henry Hawkesworth, 2014

RE

CO

RD

ING

AFTE

R H

OU

RS

6

The Arrangers

Ed RexhashadtieswithKing’ssincejoiningasachoristerwhenhewaseightyearsold.ItwasontourwiththeChoirthathefirstheardtheKing’schoralscholarssingingcloseharmony;oneparticularlyfinerenditionofStormy Weatherwasenoughtosethimoncourseforalongloveaffairwiththegenre.GoingontoTheKing’sSchool,Canterbury,hewroteseveralofthearrangementsonthisdiscforthea cappellagroupthere,whichcheekilyalsoperformedunderthemonikerThe King’s Men.In2007hedecidedhecouldstayawayfromKing’snolongerandreturnedtotheChoirasachoralscholar.OverhisthreeyearsatCambridgeheplayedfluteintheUniversityJazzOrchestra,wrotemusicfortheADCTheatre,anddidaspellasmusicaldirectorofThe King’s Men,writinganumberofarrangementsforthegrouptosingatvariouseventsinCambridge(atthesametimeasgettingthetopstarredfirstinmusicintheUniversity).

SinceleavingCambridge,EdhashadanumberofchoralpiecespublishedbyNovello,andBoosey&Hawkes,andwascommissionedtowritetheIntroitfortheBBCRadio3broadcastfromtheEdingtonFestivalin2012.HehasarrangedfortheKing’s Singers,hascomposedmusicforvariousplays,andwritesabouttechnologyandtheartsforThe Spectator.Hehasnowfoundhiswayintothetechworld,andiscurrentlytobefoundrunningamusicstart-upoutofGoogleCampusinLondon.

www.edrex.co.uk

Tom Recknell,likeEd,cuthisteethinchoralmusicbybeingachoristeratKing’sasayoungboyandclearlyloveditsomuchthathereturnedin2007tohaveanothergoasachoralscholar,afteraspellatEton.

Duringhisuniversityyears,Tomspentsignificantlymoretimewritingsongs,musicfortheatre,andarrangementsforThe King’s Menthanconcentratingonhisacademicwork,andhascontinuedtofollowthatpatternofworkintohisprofessionallife.NowworkinginLondonasacomposerandsongwriter,TomhaswrittenmusicwhichhasbeenheardonChannel4television,atLatitudeMusicFestival,onBBCRadioandattheCannesFilmFestival.

In2010,TomsharedtheresponsibilityofbeingmusicaldirectorofThe King’s MenwithfellowarrangerEdRex,andisdelightedtoseethisdisc,whichhasbeendiscussedforsomanyyears,finallyreleased.

www.tomrecknell.co.uk

6

THE

AR

RA

NG

ER

S

7

NINELESSONS &CAROLS

STEPHEN CLEOBURYC O N D U C T O R

MOZARTREQUIEMR E A L I S A T I O N S

STEPHEN CLEOBURYCONDUCTOR

ELIN MANAHAN THOMASCHRISTINE RICE

JAMES GILCHRISTCHRISTOPHER PURVES

ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC

NINE LESSONS & CAROLSSTEPHEN CLEOBURY CONDUCTORKGS0001 (2CD)

PERFORMANCE / RECORDING ****‘the level of achievement reached in these live performances is enviable’BBC Music Magazine (UK)

MOZART REQUIEM REALISATIONSSTEPHEN CLEOBURY CONDUCTORElin Manahan Thomas, Christine Rice, James Gilchrist, Christopher Purves, Academy of Ancient MusicKGS0002 (1SACD & 1CD)

*****‘a performance that holds one’s attention throughout ... The excellent line-up of soloists (Gilchrist and Purves are former King’s choristers) could hardly be bettered, and Cleobury steers his forces through a most moving account. Highly recommended.’Choir & Organ (UK)

****‘a suitably scholarly project from the Choir of King’s College ... the soloists are excellent’The Times (UK)

BRITTENSAINTNICOLASHYMN TO ST CECILIAREJOICE IN THE LAMB

STEPHEN CLEOBURYCONDUCTOR

ANDREW KENNEDYBRITTEN SINFONIA

BRITTEN SAINT NICOLASSTEPHEN CLEOBURY CONDUCTORAndrew Kennedy, Britten SinfoniaKGS0003 (1CD & 1SACD)

***** RECORDING / **** PERFORMANCE‘Andrew Kennedy is a gripping Nicolas ... All three works have been superbly recorded ... I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the resonant King’s College acoustic captured better’BBC Music Magazine (UK)

***** The Financial Times (UK)

‘The contribution of all the choirs involved ... is pretty much beyond praise. The playing of the Britten Sinfonia is alert, rhythmical and purposeful. The tenor soloist Andrew Kennedy is magnificent here. The whole performance is utterly convincing and very moving, all captured in magnificent sound.’International Record Review (UK)

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM KING’S