Eamonn Dougan shortlisted for Gramophone Award

8 August 2014

Eamonn Dougan and The Sixteen's Bartłomiej Pękiel disc on Coro has been shortlisted for a Gramophone Award. The disc, which is the first in a series of ground breaking recordings of Polish Baroque repertoire - kindly supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and the Polish Cultural Institute, highlights little known works by Pękiel. One of the most eminent choral composers of his day, Pękiel served in the Warsaw court and at Wawel Cathedral in Krakow from around 1633 to 1655. Only 29 of his compositions remain; Dougan presents 11 of these dramatic works for choir and orchestra on this disc.

Pękiel’s music is intriguing and unusual, Fiona Maddocks writes in The Observer that the “exciting dissonances and strange harmonic colours set Pękiel in a category of his own.”

Eamonn Dougan comments “one of the great joys for performers is the rediscovery of composers who have slipped, temporarily, out of sight and I am delighted to be directing this series exploring some of the many musical riches of the Polish baroque. Bartłomiej Pękiel set the benchmark for all native Polish musicians and this recording showcases his achievements in a variety of different compositional styles.”

The second disc in the series, The Blossoming Vine, was released in May. Recently reviewed in BBC Music Magazine "liquid vocal lines pliantly shaped here by conductor Eamonn Dougan", the disc features as the magazine’s Choral and Song Choice for August with five stars for both performance and recording.

Both discs in the Polish Baroque series can be purchased directly from Coro. To watch short videos of Dougan introducing both discs visit his client page.