Richard Pantcheff
*13 February 1959
Works by Richard Pantcheff
Biography
Richard Pantcheff is a leading composer of choral, organ, and instrumental music. He is a graduate in Music from Oxford University (studying with Simon Preston and Francis Grier), and corresponded with Benjamin Britten in the later years of the senior composer's life. He has been Director of Music at a number of musically-important churches around the world, including seven years at St George's Anglican Church, Johannesburg, and has completed commissions for major music festivals (Tanglewood; Cape Festival of Voices; Britten 100; London Festival of Contemporary Church Music) and top performers such as Stephen Layton, David Hill, Jane Parker-Smith, Zanta Hofmeyr, and Benjamin Luxon. His works are performed in major concert halls, cathedrals, and colleges all round the world. There are 20 CDs in the catalogue with his compositions on, many devoted solely to his work. There have been frequent radio and TV broadcasts, especially in the UK, USA, Germany, Eastern Europe, and South Africa. He is a Patron of the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music, and works in collaboration with the London Choral Sinfonia, performing at the Cadogan Hall, London.
About the music
Contemporary classical, sometimes atonal, no crossover, pop, or jazz. Choral music based on the English Choral tradition, following on from Britten, Leighton, through Maxwell-Davies. Organ music based on contemporary French models; Chamber music is in a central European vein, with main antecedents being Shostakovitch, Martinu, and Skalkottas. Many works are for top-ranked performers, but there are also many works written for, and enjoyed by, amateur choirs, youth choirs, and smaller ensembles.
Recording projects
Two major recording companies are engaged on recording substantial series of Richard Pantcheff's works. Orchid Classics (www.orchid classics.com) have released three CDs of only his work, featuring compositions for choir, organ, and orchestra. Prima Facie Records (www.primafacie.ascrecords.com) are recording all of Richard Pantcheff's chamber music, and are also releasing two full discs of his most recent works for solo organ.