James MacMillan | ||
| Allmusic Biography : James MacMillan has produced a spate of works in various genres -- symphonic, concerto, opera, theater, sacred, choral, and much else. He has achieved great success with a number of them, placing him easily among the leading Scottish composers from the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries. 1990 was a watershed time for MacMillan: that year his theatrical piece Búsqueda (1988) was introduced at the Edinburgh International Festival, and his orchestral work The Confession of Isobel Gowdie was premiered at a Proms concert, both events catapulting him to national as well as international notice. The latter opus and his percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel are probably MacMillans most popular large works. MacMillans style incorporates some modernist characteristics (leftovers from his youth), but on the whole his music, with its use of Scottish folk music; his quite approachable melodic and rhythmic invention; and his gift for imaginative and colorful scoring place his style well within the accessible range. Indeed, but his sacred music, inspired by his Roman Catholicism and sympathies for the oppressed, is stylistically often more challenging, with a mixture of the dissonant and the medieval, of disruption and consolation. MacMillans works are widely available on recordings and often played in the concert hall, especially throughout the U.K. James MacMillan was born in Kilwinning, Scotland, on July 16, 1959. Raised in Cumnock, North Ayrshire, he studied composition with Rita McAllister at the University of Edinburgh and with John Casken at Durham University. After the success of Búsqueda and The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, MacMillan was suddenly in demand, with many important commissions: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, was premiered in 1992 by Evelyn Glennie, with spectacular success, and the 1993 cantata Seven Last Words from the Cross, achieved great acclaim during its Holy Week screening on the BBC in 1994. Further, MacMillan produced a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich, who premiered it in 1997. In 2000 MacMillan began a nine-year stint as composer/conductor with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Since the turn of the century he has also conducted the London Symphony, the NHK, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, and many other orchestras in performances of his works and those of other contemporary composers (Birtwistle, Casken, Lindberg). Among MacMillans most important recent works are his second opera, The Sacrifice, premiered by the Welsh National Opera in 2007, and his St. John Passion, premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in 2008. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 17 Title: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Released: 1993 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:08:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Introit - Advent (02:41) 2 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Heartbeats (02:36) 3 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Dance - Hocket (04:16) 4 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Transition: Sequence I (02:33) 5 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Gaude, Gaude (05:35) 6 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Transition: Sequence II (02:29) 7 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Dance - Chorale (02:54) 8 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Coda - Easter (03:05) 9 After the Tryst (03:04) 10 "...as others see us...": I. Henry VIII (1491-1547) (03:38) 11 "...as others see us...": II. John Wilmot (1647-1680) (04:33) 12 "...as others see us...": III. John Churchill (1650-1722) (04:14) 13 "...as others see us...": IV. George Gordon (1788-1824) and William Wordsworth (1770-1850) (03:35) 14 "...as others see us...": V. Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) (04:14) 15 "...as others see us...": VI. Dorothy Mary Hodgkin (b. 1910) (04:40) 16 Three Dawn Rituals: I. Larghetto (02:05) 17 Three Dawn Rituals: II. Allegro moderato (03:42) 18 Three Dawn Rituals: III. Andante (01:45) 19 Untold (06:54) |
 | Album: 2 of 17 Title: Búsqueda / Visitatio Sepulchri Released: 1994 Tracks: 4 Duration: 1:09:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Visitatio Sepulchri: Scene 1 (08:13) 2 Visitatio Sepulchri: Scene 2 (13:20) 3 Visitatio Sepulchri: Scene 3 (18:52) 4 Búsqueda (28:42) |
 | Album: 3 of 17 Title: Seven Last Words from the Cross Released: 1995-05-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:07:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Seven Last Words from the Cross: I. Father, Forgive Them, for They Know Not What They Do (06:09) 2 Seven Last Words from the Cross: II. Woman, Behold Thy Son! (05:46) 3 Seven Last Words from the Cross: III. Verily, I Say UntoThee, Today Thou Shalt be with Me in Paradise (08:22) 4 Seven Last Words from the Cross: IV. Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani (06:37) 5 Seven Last Words from the Cross: V. I Thirst (04:57) 6 Seven Last Words from the Cross: VI. It Is Finished (06:33) 7 Seven Last Words from the Cross: VII. Father, into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit (07:21) 8 Cantos Sagrados: I. Identity (08:41) 9 Cantos Sagrados: II. Virgin of Guadelupe (07:36) 10 Cantos Sagrados: III. Sun Stone (05:49) |
 | Album: 4 of 17 Title: Tryst / Ì (A Meditation on Iona) / Adam´s Rib / They Saw the Stone had been Rolled Away Released: 1999-05 Tracks: 4 Duration: 57:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tryst (25:40) 2 Adam´s Rib (10:13) 3 They Saw the Stone had been Rolled Away (05:37) 4 Ì (A Meditation on Iona) (15:33) |
 | Album: 5 of 17 Title: Mass and Other Sacred Music Released: 2001-04 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:05:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 A New Song (04:49) 2 Mass: Kyrie (06:21) 3 Mass: Gloria (06:06) 4 Mass: Alleluia (01:34) 5 Mass: Sursum Corda and Preface (02:27) 6 Mass: Sanctus and Benedictus (04:32) 7 Mass: Eucharistic Prayer and Acclamations (08:48) 8 Mass: Agnus Dei (05:11) 9 Christus vincit (06:09) 10 Gaudeamus in loci pace (06:40) 11 Seinte Mari moder milde (05:53) 12 A Childs Prayer (03:47) 13 Changed (03:11) |
 | Album: 6 of 17 Title: Raising Sparks / Piano Sonata Released: 2002-09-02 Tracks: 7 Duration: 57:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Raising Sparks (34:07) 2 Piano Sonata: I. Adagio (02:37) 3 Piano Sonata: II. Grandioso ed affrettando (09:18) 4 Piano Sonata: III. Adagio (02:08) 5 For Ian (04:57) 6 Birthday Present (02:17) 7 Barncleupedie (01:52) |
 | Album: 7 of 17 Title: Symphony no. 3 "Silence" / The Confession of Isobel Gowdie Released: 2005 Tracks: 2 Duration: 1:02:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (24:58) 2 Symphony no. 3 "Silence" (37:50) |
 | Album: 8 of 17 Title: MacMillan: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie / Adès: Chamber Symphony / Higdon: Percussion Concerto Released: 2006 Tracks: 6 Duration: 1:00:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Confessions of Isobel Gowdie (24:15) 2 Chamber Symphony, op. 2: I (05:34) 3 Chamber Symphony, op. 2: II (03:26) 4 Chamber Symphony, op. 2: III (01:50) 5 Chamber Symphony, op. 2: IV (01:49) 6 Percussion Concerto (23:30) |
 | Album: 9 of 17 Title: Nicola Benedetti: Mendelssohn / MacMillan / Mozart Released: 2006-05-15 Tracks: 9 Duration: 56:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato (13:01) 2 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, op. 64: II. Andante (08:36) 3 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, op. 64: III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace (06:04) 4 Adagio for Violin and Orchestra in E major, K. 261 (06:44) 5 Rondo for Violin and Orchestra in C major, K. 373 (05:33) 6 Serenade (Leise flehen meine Lieder, D957) (04:13) 7 Ave Maria, D839 (05:10) 8 From Ayrshire (05:33) 9 From Ayrshire (01:37) |
 | Album: 10 of 17 Title: Tenebrae Released: 2007 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:10:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Strathclyde Motets: Mitte manum tuam (03:06) 2 Strathclyde Motets: In splendoribus sanctorum (08:10) 3 Introit "Give Me Justice" (02:47) 4 Missa Brevis: Kyrie (02:49) 5 Missa Brevis: Gloria (04:16) 6 Missa Brevis: Sanctus (03:02) 7 Missa Brevis: Agnus Dei (02:42) 8 Missa Brevis: At the Conclusion (01:40) 9 Strathclyde Motets: Data est mihi (04:25) 10 Strathclyde Motets: Sedebit Dominus Rex (04:40) 11 Strathclyde Motets: Factus est repente (02:45) 12 Strathclyde Motets: Videns Dominus (05:35) 13 Strathclyde Motets: Dominus dabit benignitatem (04:54) 14 Tenebrae Responsories: I. Tenebrae factae sunt (05:55) 15 Tenebrae Responsories: II. Tradiderunt me (05:11) 16 Tenebrae Responsories: III. Jesum Tradidit (08:15) |
 | Album: 11 of 17 Title: The Worlds Ransoming / Confessions of Isobel Gowdie Released: 2008-01 Tracks: 2 Duration: 48:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The World’s Ransoming (22:15) 2 The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (25:52) |
 | Album: 12 of 17 Title: Seraph Released: 2011-01-09 Tracks: 9 Duration: 55:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Seraph for Trumpet and String Orchestra: I (04:41) 2 Seraph for Trumpet and String Orchestra: II (adagio) (05:10) 3 Seraph for Trumpet and String Orchestra: III Marcato e ritmico (05:23) 4 Paths for solo trumpet (06:15) 5 Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major: I. Andante - Allegro energico (08:16) 6 Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major: II. Meno mosso (03:24) 7 Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major: III. Tempo 1 (03:28) 8 Nobody Knows (04:24) 9 Trumpet Concerto in C major, "Nobody knows de trouble I see" (14:35) |
 | Album: 13 of 17 Title: Miserere Released: 2011-10-31 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:19:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Miserere (12:34) 2 Strathclyde Motets: Data est mihi omnis potestas (03:48) 3 Strathclyde Motets: Dominus dabit benignitatem (04:33) 4 Strathclyde Motets: Factus est repente (02:37) 5 Strathclyde Motets: O Radiant Dawn (03:18) 6 O Bone Jesu (10:15) 7 Strathclyde Motets: Videns Dominus (05:08) 8 Strathclyde Motets: Lux aeterna (03:47) 9 Strathclyde Motets: In splendoribus sanctorum (11:09) 10 Strathclyde Motets: Benedicimus Deum caeli (02:28) 11 Tenebrae Responsories: I. Tenebrae factae sunt (06:07) 12 Tenebrae Responsories: II. Tradiderunt me (05:35) 13 Tenebrae Responsories: III. Jesum tradidit impius (08:07) |
 | Album: 14 of 17 Title: Tenebrae Responsories Released: 2013-06 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:12:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tu es Petrus (04:12) 2 Dignus est Agnus (04:05) 3 Tenebrae Responsories: Tenebrae factae sunt (06:43) 4 Tenebrae Responsories: Tradiderunt me (06:04) 5 Tenebrae Responsories: Jesum tradidit impius (07:58) 6 Summae Trinitati (04:54) 7 Benedictus Deus (05:28) 8 Ave maris stella (04:27) 9 Tota pulchra es (04:32) 10 After Virtue (04:59) 11 Serenity (04:47) 12 The Edinburgh Te Deum (09:17) 13 Ecce sacerdos magnus (03:28) 14 Processional on Tu es Petrus (02:03) |
 | Album: 15 of 17 Title: St Luke Passion Released: 2015 Tracks: 4 Duration: 1:13:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 St Luke Passion: Prelude (08:27) 2 St Luke Passion: Chapter 22 (32:45) 3 St Luke Passion: Chapter 23 (25:30) 4 St Luke Passion: Postlude (06:17) |
 | Album: 16 of 17 Title: Since It Was the Day of Preparation Released: 2016-06-24 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:12:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part I: Introduction (03:08) 2 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part I: The Pierced Christ (03:20) 3 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part I: Interlude (02:36) 4 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part I: The Burial (03:04) 5 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part I: Interlude (04:18) 6 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: The Empty Tomb (02:43) 7 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: Interlude (04:07) 8 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: The Appearance to Mary of Magdala (07:07) 9 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: Interlude (03:11) 10 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: The Appearances to the Disciples (07:44) 11 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part II: Interlude (04:08) 12 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part III: The Appearance on the Shore of Tiberias (17:08) 13 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part III: Interlude (04:10) 14 Since it was the Day of Preparation: Part III: Conclusion & Postlude (05:19) |
 | Album: 17 of 17 Title: The Lost Songs of St Kilda Released: 2016-09-09 Tracks: 14 Duration: 48:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Hirta (02:09) 2 Soay (02:04) 3 Boreray (02:52) 4 Dùn (03:33) 5 Stac an Armin (03:37) 6 Stac Lee (03:00) 7 Levenish (04:11) 8 Stac Dona (03:09) 9 Soay (03:49) 10 Stac Lee – Dawn (05:15) 11 Stac Lee – Dusk (04:06) 12 Stac Dona (04:04) 13 Dùn (04:33) 14 Hirta (02:21) |