JUDITH WEIR The Welcome Arrival of Rain Natural History • Moon and Star • Forest • Heroic Strokes of the Bow Ailish Tynan soprano • BBC Singers BBC Symphony Orchestra • Martin Brabbins conductor NMC D137 This important new recording is the first ever CD of Judith Weir's major orchestral works.   Its release coincided with the BBC Symphony Orchestra's and BBC Radio 3's annual January contemporary music event at the Barbican which this year celebrates the music of Judith Weir and includes live performances of works featured on this disc.   (Telling the the Tale at the Barbican, London on 18-20 January 2008.) Features the Irish soprano Ailish Tynan, former BBC New Generation Artist and winner of the BBC Singer of the World Rosenblatt Recital Prize. The Queen presented The Queen's Medal for Music to Judith Weir at a special ceremony at the Royal Academy of Music on December 13, 2007.   Judith is the third recipient of this award which is made annually to an individual (or group of musicians) who is judged to have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation.   The two previous recipients are Sir Charles Mackerras and Bryn Terfel. Judith Weir is one of Britain's most successful contemporary composers, achieving popularity with audiences and critics alike.   She studied composition with John Tavener whilst at school in London, and at Cambridge University with Robin Holloway.   For six years she taught composition at Glasgow's University and RSAMD and she has also held visiting professorships at Oxford and Princeton.   She is an active advocate of new music for school-age and adult amateur performers. Weir's music - often inspired by her love of nature and her interest in the world around her - is fresh, intelligent, approachable and evocative.   Natural History - which she describes as a Taoist Carnival of the Animals - is set to ancient Chinese texts on horses, birds, fish and men and the music hints at an oriental and exotic world and in Moon and Star Weir uses the instruments highest and lowest registers to portray the vast expanse of our universe. 1. The Welcome Arrival of Rain     17'16 2. - 5. Natural History (with soprano solo)     17'55 6. Moon and Star (with chamber choir)     14'12 7. Forest     11'38 8. Heroic Strokes of the Bow     14'24     Total Time - 75'52 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879