Consultancy
'James Murray's notes are the ideal companion to the listening experience' Rob Barnett MusicWeb September 2005
Kernow Classics offers a wide ranging musical consultancy service as James Murray draws on over 30 years of experience in the classical music field:
- label manager of the archive CD label Magdalen
- writing sleeve notes which have received critical acclaim
- advising major record labels on repertoire and back catalogue
- advising advertising agencies, film and theatre companies
- advising opera companies about repertoire
- musical research
- teaching and lecturing
- giving talks and after dinner speeches.
Particular research interests include
- the performance history of opera, and opera on record
- Chabrier
- music in Germany and France 1789-1950 (including Mozart, Weber, Lortzing, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Mahler, Orff, Egk, Künneke, Korngold, Lehár, Chabrier, Massenet, Offenbach, Poulenc, Debussy, Ravel).
Other specialist areas of knowledge include
- orchestral music from c1800 to 1950
- Gilbert and Sullivan, and post G&S British and American musical theatre and film musicals (including particularly Gershwin, Kern, Berlin, Arlen, Rodgers, and British songwriters of the period)
- early Jazz and Dance Bands (to c1950)
- Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini
- Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Grieg, Nielsen, Shostakovich, Dvorák
- Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Bax, Delius, Sullivan, Coates, Ketčlbey.
Inter alia James has participated as 'the expert' panellist at the Leicester International Music Festival, assisted ballet historians Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer with their research for the reconstruction of Cotillon (Chabrier), advised Derek Jarman (Caravaggio), and has written well over 450 sleeve notes for major labels.
He has run various music courses for the University of Nottingham and the WEA, and has entertained organisations and societies with his amusing and enlightening talks which draw on his extensive inside knowledge of the operatic and classical music world. He has been instrumental in various works obtaining their British premieres, including that for Chabrier's Gwendoline.
Plans for 2012 include further talks for recorded music societies and other organisations on Chabrier, music in Germany between the Wars, and the Vienna State Opera.
To discuss your requirements with James please email enquiries@kernowclassics.co.uk or phone 07989 398782.