Lotte Betts-Dean & Stuart Macrae with Sequoia : mezzo soprano, harmonium & string duo - Earth, thy cold is keen

Earth, thy cold is keen (Delphian) by the Scottish composer Stuart MacRae, conjures an aural landscape steeped in folk music and medieval lyric, but the result is entirely distinctive and modern. (Fiona Maddocks, The Observer)

Betts-Dean’s voice is the focus, at times ethereal, others bracingly earthy, and often featuring agile, decorative curlicues. There is great intimacy, with generally light accompaniment...‘Stond wel, Moder, under rode’ is a remarkable alternate Stabat Mater, the medieval text being a dialogue between the dying Jesus on the cross and his mother, Mary, MacRae’s setting being all the more powerful for its intense restraint. The remarkable ‘wodwo’ is at the album’s heart. Recorded birdsong seemingly elicits Betts-Dean’s gentle ululations in a piece of stunning, melancholic beauty. (Christopher Dingle, BBC Music Magazine)

Presto Editor's Choice July 2023

***** The Scotsman

***** Morning Star

***** BBC Music Magazine

In conjunction with Chamber Music Scotland