14 March 2024
Weeks’ ‘Primo Libro’ released by Ekmeles, on New Focus Recordings
James Weeks’ fascinating work Primo Libro, a set of 16 short madrigals, has been released on CD by Ekmeles vocal ensemble, led by director Jeffrey Gavett, on New Focus Recordings (CD fcr394 -‘We Live the Opposite Daring’). Dan Lippel of New Focus writes that the new release references ‘the past through tuning systems, texts, extended vocal techniques, and poignant histories’ and describes Ekmeles’ performance of the works on the CD as ‘nothing short of sublime’. Week’s ‘Primo Libro’ is inspired by Nicola Vicentino’s (1511-1575/6) madrigals, with which Weeks first became acquainted in 2010, whilst working on a project with selected members of the BBC Singers.