Who knew writing for an instrument as steeped in tradition as a Norwegian medieval cathedral’s organ could be such fun… well it is when it’s for the groundbreaking Anna Lapwood ! In 2024, the inspirational, viral Tik Tok star asked me to write a piece for her new album, capturing that serene moment of stillness suspended in the sky after fireworks have exploded. Immediately the Internationally acclaimed violinist Elena Urioste came to mind whom I had worked with previously on my ‘Continuum’ album. Creating a piece for the combined virtuosic talents and soundworld of Anna Lapwood and Elena Urioste is a composer’s absolute dream! The monumentally powerful colours of the organ combined with the fragile beauty of violin and the ethereal upper voices of Anna’s Chapel of Pembroke College Choir….together this spoke ‘Firedove’ to me.
Never have I had a stronger desire to create a musical moment for calm reflection in the current angry state of our world. This became a real driving force behind the piece for me….a dove rising out of the wars bringing hope and peace for humanity and our precious Earth. ‘Firedove’ was born out of this and became the title track for the album, released on Sony Classical in May 2025.
Huge congratulations to Anna as the album is No.1 in the Official Classical Charts a week after release.
Recorded at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway and Masterchord Studio in London .
Producer Jakob Händel
Engineer Mike Hatch
Available in all the usual places and on all DSPs.
