Dreams are made on

Exploring New Perspectives Such stuff as dreams are made on is an exploration of European choral music from the early 20th century (and somewhat beyond), much of which was also shaped and marked by the conflicts that dominated the continent at that time. In the shadow of war, composers took up themes such as death, captivity and fear and harmonized them with inspiration from their homeland: poetry, history and rural imagery, each reflecting the best of their country. This kind of nostalgic, poignant memories of France, Germany or England have become "totems" of the romantic genre. The music of the 19th and 20th centuries has not been central to a King's Singers album for 30 years, since Nightsong in 1995 to be precise, because this repertoire is in some ways less suited to the specific instrumentation of the ensemble. Yet there is still so much material about which the singers feel they have something to say, and on this new album they wanted to also open a new perspective on this music through their interpretations. At the same time, it was an opportunity to develop and practice new and different colors in the singing, to delve deeply into textual interpretations and historical context, to enjoy and appreciate the four languages in which they sang and - in one case - even to temporarily expand the ensemble. The King's Singers have invited leading consort sopranos Grace Davidson and Victoria Meteyard to sing Vaughan Williams' Three Shakespeare Songs with them. As close members of the King's Singers family, they came to them with a clear understanding of the sound and style of the ensemble and they fit in perfectly indeed.