Various Composers - The Four Elements (Ensemble Altera)

Information

1. Owain Park - The Wings of the Wind
2. Anonymous - Westron wynde (arr. Michael Garrepy)
3. Ivo Antognini - Hope is the thing with feathers
4. Eric Whitacre - Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine
5. William Byrd - Terra tremuit
6. Owain Park - Upheld by Stillness
7. Piers Connor Kennedy - Bailey
8. Daniel Gledhill - For the beauty of the earth
9. Traditional - Deep river (arr. Norman Luboff)
10. Charles Villiers Stanford - The Blue Bird
11. Rebecca Dale - There will come soft rains
12. Kenneth Leighton - God's Grandeur
13. Morten Lauridsen - Io piango
14. Lucy Walker - I saw eternity
15. Michael Garrepy - Flame of Love
16. Ēriks Ešenvalds - Salutation

Ensemble Altera

Christopher Lowrey, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Pentatone

_____________________

Directed by founder Christopher Lowrey, Ensemble Altera presents The Four Elements, an imaginative choral journey exploring wind, earth, water, fire, and the transcendent fifth element, quintessence. Structured across five thematic chapters, the album frames these natural forces as living metaphors for human experience. The ensemble's signature warm sound bridges repertoire spanning from the Renaissance to the modern era, combining works by William Byrd, Eric Whitacre, and Ēriks Ešenvalds alongside choral landmarks and new arrangements. Highlighting the release are world-premiere recordings of Michael Garrepy’s Flame of Love and Daniel Gledhill’s competition-winning For the beauty of the earth, yielding a vivid meditation on nature and imagination.

Founded in 2020 by countertenor Christopher Lowrey, Ensemble Altera has rapidly established itself as a premier chamber choir, blending English choral precision with American vocal warmth. The ensemble’s acclaimed discography includes The Lamb’s Journey, winner of the German Record Critics’ Award, and The Four Elements, awarded a five-star rating by BBC Music Magazine. Beyond its concert and recording profile—which encompasses appearances at Carnegie Hall and a 2026 world premiere of Piers Connor Kennedy’s Declarations—Altera creates conceptually driven programs and actively engages communities through educational residencies and its "Sing Out! In Schools" initiative across Rhode Island.