New recording from Australia’s favourite soprano Greta Bradman “Home”, conducted by Luke Dollman with the ASO

13 Apr 2018

Media Release

by Paola Niscioli

Following the success of her 2015 album My Hero, soprano Greta Bradman and Decca Classics Australia are proud to announce the release of their second collaboration.

Home is Greta’s tribute to her homeland, and will feature songs and arias that best encapsulate the essence of family, friends and returning to one’s place of origin.

“This album was in a sense a convergence of several things for me,” says Greta. “It’s an expression of my constant appreciation of a simple and straightforward life; a symbol of my utter joy and love for singing, which is all the stronger following recovery post-neck surgery; and it’s a gesture of genuine gratitude to audience members for their support, repertoire suggestions, and for making all of this possible.”

The appreciation and gratitude which Greta feels in the realisation of this album is made all the more pertinent because of a recent health scare:

“In the later part of last year, genuinely I wasn’t sure I would sing again. I’d had neck surgery and, whilst successful, the operation had impacted on nerves that controlled my larynx and tongue. It made me realise what I cherish most about performing – over and above the deep intellectual and artistic enjoyment I get from singing an array of classical repertoire – it is the connection with others, the forging of new memories and the reminiscing on precious times that are rekindled through music.

“I was struck by a sudden realisation that I may never get to record the very music that takes me back to my childhood – the same music that my fans so often talk to me about. What a shame if I never had the opportunity to share it with them, and my children and possibly grandchildren one day! Now that I have made a full recovery, I’ve been left with a renewed joy and gratitude for singing and music – and singing this music – that is greater than ever.”

WATCH GRETA INTRODUCE AND SING BACH/GOUNOD’S ‘AVE MARIA’

Included on the album are favourite classical songs such as Dvořák’s ‘Songs my Mother Taught Me’, Mendelssohn’s ‘O for the Wings Of A Dove’, and the Bach/Gounod ‘Ave Maria’. Traditional songs include ‘Greensleeves’, and ‘Auld Lang Syne’, while songs with underlying spirituality include Franck’s ‘Panis Angelicus’, and Henry Bishop’s ‘Home, Sweet Home’, the latter recorded with just harp.

“This entire album,” says Greta, “is built around my love for home, for music, my family, and essentially for the simple life filled with love, connection and gratitude. From the album’s artwork which was created by my amazing mother-in-law Lynn, whose flowers and depictions of nature and fantastical creatures I utterly adore, to the involvement of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and my old choir the Adelaide Chamber Singers, with Adelaidean Luke Dollman conducting, recorded in a place that means so much to me personally – St Peter’s Cathedral – I hope this album contains something for everyone.”

The Cathedral holds a special place in Greta’s heart, having sung there at both of her grandparents’ memorial services, with Sir Donald’s 2001 memorial broadcast to a world-wide audience of millions.

Vincent Ciccarello, Managing Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra says, “Home has a special significance for the ASO, too: not only was it an opportunity to collaborate on a special project with our very own Greta Bradman and our colleagues Luke Dollman and the Adelaide Chamber Singers; but this marks the first time an Australian orchestra has recorded for the celebrated Decca label.

“The night-time recording sessions in the Catherdral were poignant, performing and recording this repertoire close to Greta’s hear in an iconic Adelaide that has special memories for many South Australians. I hope you’ll agree that these qualifities shine through on this record.”

Also included on Home are orchestral arrangements of three songs especially for this album, by Richard Mills, composer, conductor and current Artistic Director of Victorian Opera. Working together with Greta, and using his astonishing sense of colour, Mills arranged and orchestrated the folk song ‘Early One Morning’, the seldom-heard Spiritual ‘Let Us Break Bread Together’, and ‘Every Day Is A Rainbow Day For Me’ – a song originally scored for voice and piano, and written in 1930 by Greta’s grandfather, Sir Donald Bradman.

Greta Bradman’s debut Decca album My Hero was released in August 2015 debuting at #1 across both the ARIA Core Classical and Classical/Crossover Charts, as well as #11 on the Australian Album Charts, and went on to become the best-selling classcial/operatic album of 2015.

Home is scheduled for release on 13 April 2018.

TRACKLIST

1. TRAD., arr. MILLS: Early One Morning
2. YON: Gesu Bambino*
3. TRAD., arr. MILLS: Let Us Break Bread Together
4. COPLAND: Simple Gifts
5. BRADMAN, arr. MILLS: Every Day Is A Rainbow Day
6. GOUNOD: Repentir
7. MENDELSSOHN: Hear my Prayer … O for the Wings of a Dove*
8. TRAD.: O Waly, Waly
9. CHARLES: When I have sung my Songs
10. FRANCK: Panis Angelicus*
11. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Nightingale and the Rose
12. DVOŘÁK: Songs my Mother Taught Me
13. BISHOP: Home, Sweet Home
14. BISHOP: Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark
15. FLOTOW: The Last Rose of Summer
16. TRAD.: Greensleeves
17. BACH/GOUNOD: Ave Maria
18. BARBER: Sure on this Shining Night
19. FOSTER: Beautiful Dreamer
20. TRAD., arr. CROSSIN: Auld Lang Syne*

Greta Bradman, Soprano
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Adelaide Chamber Singers (director: Carl Crossin)*
Luke Dollman, Conductor