Oliver Davis: Blue Beth & Flo, Oliver Davis, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Paul Bateman

• Oliver Davis (b. 1972): Sea Dances for 4 Hands and Strings:
• 1 Davis: Sea Dances for 4 Hands and Strings: I. The Puffer Fish 03:01
• 2 Davis: Sea Dances for 4 Hands and Strings: II. Graceful Giants 02:05
• Coral Suite:
• 3 Davis: Coral Suite: I 04:00
• 4 Davis: Coral Suite: II 03:15
• 5 Davis: Coral Suite: III 03:05
• The Water Garden:
• 6 Davis: The Water Garden 03:02
• Water Variations and Theme:
• 7 Davis: Water Variations and Theme: Variation I 02:50
• 8 Davis: Water Variations and Theme: Variation II 02:19
• 9 Davis: Water Variations and Theme: Variation III 02:05
• 10 Davis: Water Variations and Theme: Theme 02:35
• Tango:
• 11 Davis: Tango 02:39
• Dream Songs:
• 12 Davis: Dream Songs: Daybreak 02:52
• 13 Davis: Dream Songs: Drift 02:12
• 14 Davis: Dream Songs: Lost 02:55
• 15 Davis: Dream Songs: Home 03:03
• Shoals:
• 16 Davis: Shoals: I 02:01
• 17 Davis: Shoals: II 02:37
• 18 Davis: Shoals: III 02:59
• Blue:
• 19 Davis: Blue 02:16
• Total Runtime 51:51

Info for Oliver Davis: Blue

This is Oliver Davis’ first album dedicated to the piano, and specifically two pianists, Dutch piano duo Beth & Flo. The album features this dynamic duo playing four hands piano and also on two pianos with full orchestra. The song cycle 'Siren Songs' features sopranos Grace Davidson, Julia Doyle and Grace's son chorister Joshua Davidson. The theme of the album is water, in its many forms with songs depicting a river journey, Sea Dances for four hands and strings, Sea Waltzes in addition to the Water Variations. The opening piece, The Water Garden, will be one of three singles being released prior to the album's launch. The pianists and singers are accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Paul Bateman.

Grace Davidson, soprano
Julia Doyle, soprano
Oliver Davis, tenor, celesta, harp
Joshua Davidson, treble
Beth & Flo, piano
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Paul Bateman, direction

Oliver Davis
graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 1994 and has since established himself as a preeminent composer for ballet, film & TV, and the concert hall. His albums on Signum Records have consistently charted highly in the UK Classical Charts and achieved regular airplay, notably on Classic FM and New York radio station WQXR.

Davis’ debut album ‘Flight’ (2015) was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra with soloist Kerenza Peacock and quickly rose to number 2 in the UK Specialist Classical Charts with 5 Star reviews in both the UK and US. It was chosen as Featured Album of the Week on Classic FM and broadcast daily on the station. Several pieces from the ‘Flight’ album were used by choreographer Ma Cong for a new ballet for the Tulsa Ballet Company in Oklahoma, USA.

Davis’ second album ‘Seasons’ was released later that same year and featured Anno, Davis’ contemporary take on Vivaldi’s Quattro Stagioni. ‘Seasons’ also charted in the UK top 10 and was Album of the Week on Classic FM and in the Mail on Sunday. Davis’ third album ‘Dance’ (2016) was recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road studios and became Classic FM’s Album of the Week, also featuring in their ‘Best of 2016’ show. Various pieces from the ‘Dance’ and ‘Flight’ albums were used by emerging choreographer Peter Walker in his new ballet Dance Odyssey for New York City Ballet. Following the ballet’s premiere in Jan 2018, The New York Times described Davis’ music as “charming, lyrical, Arcadian”.

Davis’ fourth album ‘Liberty’ (2018) reached number 1 in the iTunes Classical Chart and was also Classic FM’s Album of the Week. Music from the album has proved popular with choreographers internationally, featuring in Peter Walker’s ballet ‘Morpheus’ for the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, Germany; in Matthew Neenan’s ballet ‘Bacchus’ for Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, USA; and in Kit Holder’s ballet ‘Stems’ for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, UK.

In 2017 Davis was commissioned by San Francisco Ballet to write a new score for The Infinite Ocean, a ballet choreographed by Edwaard Liang, the first of many collaborations between the two. The ballet premiered as part of SFB’s Unbound Festival in April 2018 and has since toured to Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and London’s Sadler’s Wells. It will feature in SFB’s 2020 Dance Innovations programme and will be released on Davis’ forthcoming album ‘Arcadia’, due for release in October.

In 2019, Davis and Liang also collaborated on ‘Constant Light’, a ballet for Ballet West’s Choreographic Festival that premiered in May in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their next collaboration will be for New York City Ballet’s prestigious 2019 Fall Fashion Gala. Their new ballet will feature costumes designed by fashion icon Anna Sui.

Oliver Davis graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 1994 and has since established himself as a preeminent composer for ballet, film & TV, and the concert hall. His albums on Signum Records have consistently charted highly in the UK Classical Charts and achieved regular airplay, notably on Classic FM and New York radio station WQXR.

Davis’ debut album ‘Flight’ (2015) was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra with soloist Kerenza Peacock and quickly rose to number 2 in the UK Specialist Classical Charts with 5 Star reviews in both the UK and US. It was chosen as Featured Album of the Week on Classic FM and broadcast daily on the station. Several pieces from the ‘Flight’ album were used by choreographer Ma Cong for a new ballet for the Tulsa Ballet Company in Oklahoma, USA.

Davis’ second album ‘Seasons’ was released later that same year and featured Anno, Davis’ contemporary take on Vivaldi’s Quattro Stagioni. ‘Seasons’ also charted in the UK top 10 and was Album of the Week on Classic FM and in the Mail on Sunday. Davis’ third album ‘Dance’ (2016) was recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road studios and became Classic FM’s Album of the Week, also featuring in their ‘Best of 2016’ show. Various pieces from the ‘Dance’ and ‘Flight’ albums were used by emerging choreographer Peter Walker in his new ballet Dance Odyssey for New York City Ballet. Following the ballet’s premiere in Jan 2018, The New York Times described Davis’ music as “charming, lyrical, Arcadian”.

Davis’ fourth album ‘Liberty’ (2018) reached number 1 in the iTunes Classical Chart and was also Classic FM’s Album of the Week. Music from the album has proved popular with choreographers internationally, featuring in Peter Walker’s ballet ‘Morpheus’ for the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, Germany; in Matthew Neenan’s ballet ‘Bacchus’ for Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, USA; and in Kit Holder’s ballet ‘Stems’ for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, UK.

In 2017 Davis was commissioned by San Francisco Ballet to write a new score for The Infinite Ocean, a ballet choreographed by Edwaard Liang, the first of many collaborations between the two. The ballet premiered as part of SFB’s Unbound Festival in April 2018 and has since toured to Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and London’s Sadler’s Wells. It will feature in SFB’s 2020 Dance Innovations programme and will be released on Davis’ forthcoming album ‘Arcadia’, due for release in October.

In 2019, Davis and Liang also collaborated on ‘Constant Light’, a ballet for Ballet West’s Choreographic Festival that premiered in May in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Booklet for Oliver Davis: Blue