A Most Marvellous Party with Noel Coward and Friends

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Noel Coward, celebrated musicians and regular Signum artists Mary Bevan, Nicky Spence and Joseph Middleton join forces for this album of works by Noel Coward and his contemporaries. Featuring songs such as Parisian Pierrot and The Man I Love, the album comprises of a collection of solos, duets and instrumental songs by composers such as Ned Rorem, Liza Lehmann, William Walton and Benjamin Britten.

"Francis Poulenc is pitch-perfect, as is the insidious Englishman Roger Quilter. Each is given full value by a pair of opera singers who are plainly having a ball, to which you are cordially invited. I loved their take on Kurt Weill's ode to the river Seine and Rorem's setting of "Now sleeps the crimson petal". Britten's "When you're feeling like expressing your affection" is an unexpected torch song from an exceptionally shy man. "The party's over now," declares Coward. He knows it isn't, though, and so do we. Nothing here can be taken seriously, and I'm now feeling much the better for that." - The Critic

"Mary Bevan, Nicky Spence and Joseph Middleton are the architects of this musical treasure, and with their sensitive impulse they imprint strength and passion in these songs of great intensity and melodic sense." - Sonograma magazine

"In a word, Spiffing. Two more words, Enjoyable and Enlightening." - Colin's Column