John Casken - Uncertain Sea (Joyful Company of Singers)

Information

Composer: John Casken

1. Uncertain Sea
2. For Dappled Things
3. The Land of Spices
4. Caedmon's Hymn
5. From this Red Earth: I. The Father
6. From this Red Earth: II. The Son
7. Floore of Allegories
8. Tree of Angels for Cello & Organ
9. The Knight's Stone
10. Returning from the Tomb
11. Sunrising
12. From On Thread for Solo Viola
13. Ae Fond Kiss
14. Memorial

Joyful Company of Singers

Peter Broadbent, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Métier

_____________________

In March 2026, Divine Art releases an album of choral music by Northumberland-based composer John Casken, performed by the Joyful Company of Singers under the direction of Peter Broadbent after two years of collaboration with the composer. The recording draws inspiration from the landscapes, coastline, history, and poetry of Northumberland, featuring settings of texts ranging from the 7th-century poet Caedmon to writers such as George Herbert, John Donne, Robert Burns, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sylvia Townsend Warner, and Katrina Porteous. The works explore themes of landscape, faith, renewal, and farewell, reflecting strong regional connections with choirs from Durham and Northumberland. The digital edition also includes instrumental pieces for solo cello, organ, and viola.

John Casken, born in Barnsley in 1949, is one of the United Kingdom’s leading composers. He studied music at the University of Birmingham with John Joubert and Peter Dickinson, later continuing his studies in Warsaw with Andrzej Dobrowolski and forming a close association with Witold Lutosławski. Casken has held academic posts at Birmingham, Durham, and the University of Manchester, where he became Professor of Music and now serves as Emeritus Professor. His works span opera, orchestral, chamber, and choral music, often inspired by literature and the landscapes of northern England. His opera Golem received international productions and major awards, while numerous orchestral and chamber works have been premiered at major festivals and by leading performers.

The Joyful Company of Singers is a prominent British amateur chamber choir known for performing a broad and demanding repertoire spanning the 16th to the 21st centuries. Founded in 1988 by conductor Peter Broadbent, the ensemble gained early recognition by winning the 1990 Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year competition and has since received numerous national and international awards. The choir regularly performs at major UK festivals, tours across Europe, and broadcasts for the BBC and Classic FM. It has collaborated with leading orchestras and is especially noted for championing underrepresented 20th-century choral works, commissioning and premiering music by contemporary composers while supporting emerging artists and conductors.