Pamela Thorby
Pamela Thorby is unique amongst recorder players in the breadth and variety of her work and is widely regarded as the UK's most stylish and creative recorder virtuoso. She can be heard on numerous recordings of music ranging from the medieval period to the present day and has toured internationally as a concerto soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. She has appeared many times as a soloist at major UK festivals and venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Snape Maltings, Usher Hall, The Sage and Cadogan Hall. She performs regularly in recital and as a soloist with leading ensembles such as the English Concert, La Serenissima and Concerto Caledonia.
Pamela's ability to assimilate many styles of music and love of improvisation have led to performances with the Perfect Houseplants and jazz pianist Huw Warren, on Karl Jenkins' hugely successful Adiemus albums, on film and TV soundtracks and she has recently released ‘Ammonite', an album of her own folk/jazz-inspired compositions. The Grand Tourists is a new, flexible group for Pamela to share her genre-hopping musicality with fellow musicians acclaimed in their field of old and new music of all kinds.
Pamela was the driving force behind the Palladian Ensemble, touring worldwide and recording ten acclaimed albums for Linn Records, which have garnered six prestigious Diapason d'Or awards.
Her solo recordings on Linn are ‘Baroque Recorder Concertos' (Linn CKD 217) with Sonnerie (Gramophone Critic's Choice); ‘Handel Recorder Sonatas' (Linn CKD 223) with Richard Egarr (BBC Music Magazine Chamber Music Disc of the Month and a Gramophone Critic's Choice); and ‘Garden of Early Delights' (Linn CKD 291) with harpist Andrew Lawrence-King ("This is Paradise indeed" Gramophone).
Pamela began teaching the recorder at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London shortly after graduating and is now a GSMD Visiting Professor, giving masterclasses abroad (most recently in Portugal, Italy and France) and in the UK (including the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, York University, Birmingham University Centre for Early Music Performance and Research, Birmingham Conservatoire and Chetham's School of Music in Manchester).
For further information -
www.pamelathorby.comThe Consort"...lovers of French baroque music will find plenty of rich fare on this CD."
more >>International Record Review"...Thorby plays with her customary vigour and agility, with generous and judiciously applied ornamentation."
more >>theartsdesk.com"This is a superb issue, stunningly produced and recorded."
more >>Scotland on Sunday
"...well worth hearing."
more >>BBC Music Magazine
"...a disc full of delights and surprises."
more >>Gramophone"...elegantly conversational...consistently bright"
more >>Classical Music Magazine"delicious...first-rate"
more >>Sound and Music"Questa opportunità viene colta alla perfezione dale due soliste inglesi..."
more >>Klassik.com"...Pamela Thorby spielt beweglich, technisch ohne Anstrengung und makellos..."
more >>Early Music Review"...charming pieces."
more >>The Herald"It is music of wit, endless charm, poignant and tender expressiveness...A gentle, thoughtful experience."
more >>Audio Video Club of Atlanta"Thorby caresses and shapes the gracious recorder melodies, taking them with incredible velocity when the occasion demands."
more >>SA-CD.net
"...I have no qualms recommending this strongly to anyone who remotely cares about classical music of any kind."
more >>AudioVideoHD"Un álbum delicioso, relajante y perfectamente interpretado."
more >>MusicWeb International"Everything here is utterly inconsequential and totally charming."
more >>Independent on Sunday"Pamela Thorby's soft, sweet, natural tone is ideally suited to the whimsical delicacies of d'Hervelois, Philidor and Dieupart."
more >>Classic FM (South Africa)"...just relax and be transported to another world."
more >>Adiemus Fan Magazine"...it is rare to find an album that has been made by such a genuine and sincere attitude..."
more >>American Recorder Magazine"...lighthearted and engaging."
more >>The Consort"I highly commend this recording."
more >>StereoMojo"...this is one recording that is recommended to try."
more >>Klassik.com"...stellen ein feines und zugleich frisches Programm in einer eigenständigen Perspektive vor."
more >>Toccata"...seine wahre Pracht ist."
more >>Atlanta Audio Society"It's as delightful a way to spend an hour's listening as I know of."
more >>MusicWeb-International"This is a fascinating and most enjoyable recital of music..."
more >>Opus Musica"Este trabajo es un placer para los sentidos."
more >>Hi-Fi & Musik'Hör du till dem som trodde att blockflöjt var enkelt att spela...'
more >>Hi-Fi ChoiceAn outstanding review for 'Garden of Early Delights'
more >>Crescendo"L’ensemble du programme baigne dans une séduction certaine faite de maîtrise technique..."
more >>Gramophone"This is Paradise indeed."
more >>Home Theatre Hi-Fi"...Thorby and Lawrence-King approach their virtuosic repertoire with consummate ease and joyful hearts."
more >>Scotland on Sunday"...there's no denying the quality of performance and works themselves."
more >>BBC Music Magazine"Thorby's playing exhibits a vitality, exuberance and earthiness..."
more >>Early Music Review"These are sparkling and fresh performances..."
more >>Ultra Audio"These works are played perfectly by Thorby and Andrew Lawrence-King..."
more >>Classic FM Magazine
"...pleasant and original...sensitively accompanied."
more >>High FidelityA fantastic review from the Polish audiophile publication
more >>The Irish Times"...sheer joie-de-vivre..."
more >>Classical Source"Harp and recorder is an irresistible combination"
more >>Bay Area Reporter"...a delight."
more >>International Record Review"...a very captivating collection...her execution is flawless..."
more >>Politiken (translated)"Go in, close your eyes and let your ears open out: It is refreshingly chirpy, and it is good to listen to at all hours."
more >>Politiken"Det er vederkvægende kvidren - og der er nok af det til både tidlig og silde!"
more >>The Telegraph"No connoisseur of recorder-playing or Renaissance instrumental virtuosity will want to be without this delightful anthology."
more >>Diario de Sevilla"...las más espectaculares disminuciones se combinan con las dulces melodías."
more >>Manchester Evening News"The recorder playing is virtuosic in the extreme..."
more >>The Scotsman"Freshness and spontaneity light up every moment."
more >>Financial Times"...this is music to warm the heart and delight the senses."
more >>Audiophile Audition"...she navigates the speediest complex ornamentation with aplomb."
more >>Gramophone Magazine - Awards IssueAn enchanting collection
more >>Daily Telegrapha thoroughly delectable disc
more >>BBC Music MagazineThorby's tone is silvery, alert and superbly recorded
more >>Early Music ReviewI can recommend this highly.
more >>International Record Reviewdistinctive and individual readings
more >>Dr Peter Graeme Wolf...A real winner.
more >>BBC Music MagazineA delightful disc.
more >>GramophoneIt is some time since a recording of baroque ensemble music has given me so much pleasure and I strongly recommend you to share it...
more >>Independent on SundayThere's little to fault on this beautifully played disc, and much to be relished.
more >>The ScotsmanA deliciously variable spread of music ...
more >>Independent on Sunday[a] wonderful artist at her very best
more >>The ConsortShe succeeds with flying colours.
more >>Early Music TodayIt's the sheer exuberence of her playing that makes the new CD Baroque Recorder Concertos such a delight.
more >>The Independentset to become a benchmark
more >>The Observera partnership made in heaven
more >>The HeraldA 'sparkling disc' from Pamela Thorby
more >>Music Weekthe highest level of artistry
more >>Inverness Courierexciting spontaneity
more >>Atlanta Audio Societyeuphonious, detailed and beautifully decorated performances
more >>Audiophile Audition...a fine program...
more >>
