James Bowman
James Bowman was an influential English countertenor whose popularity led to the reintegration of the countertenor voice in modern vocal performance. He was known for collaborations with Benjamin Britten and David Munrow, and he recorded over 180 albums of music from all eras.
Bowman was born in Oxford in 1941, and he started singing when he was very young. He attended school at the King's School in Ely, where he sang as a boy chorister in the Ely Cathedral Choir. He eventually became a head chorister, and he sang as a bass after his voice changed. However, in 1959 he made his first appearance as a countertenor at the Lady Chapel, and he remained in this range thereafter. Bowman became a choral scholar at the New College of Oxford in 1960, where he earned his diploma in education in 1964 and his M.A. in History in 1967. He also sang in the New College Choir, Christ Church Choir, and the Choir of Westminster Abbey. After his graduation, Bowman auditioned for Benjamin Britten's English Opera Group, and he was offered the role of Oberon in the first production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This also led to a debut performance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Britten later wrote other music for him such as Canticle No. 4, and the role of Apollo in Death in Venice. Bowman also participated in numerous premieres of other works, including Ridout's Phaeton, Maxwell Davies' Taverner, and Tippett's The Ice Break. He worked with several leading early music ensembles such as the Early Music Consort of London and Pro Cantione Antiqua, and he became highly respected in that genre.
Bowman toured and recorded constantly through the 1970s and '80s, and in 1990 he finally recorded Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He received several honors and awards in the 1990s, including the Medal of Honor of the city of Paris, an honorary doctorate from the University of Newcastle, and he became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He accepted an invitation to join the prestigious Gentleman of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal of St. James' Palace in 2000. In the early 2000s, Bowman recorded the albums Eternal Source of Light and Songs for Ariel, and he collaborated with Andrew Swait and Andrew Plant on Songs of Innocence in 2008. He performed his final London concert in 2011 at Wigmore Hall with harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, and he continued giving infrequent recital performances. Bowman passed away in 2023.
© RJ Lambert /TiVo
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Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi: Stabat Mater; Concerto in G minor; Nisi Dominus
James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater; Salve Regina
Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ferrabosco & Byrd: Consort Music
James Bowman, Suzan Hamilton, Ricercar Consort, Philippe Pierlot
Classical - Released by Ricercar on 1 Jan 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Songs for Ariel
Classical - Released by Satirino Records on 15 Nov 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elizabethan Lute Songs (Purcell : Birthday Odes)
Mélodies (England) - Released by Warner Classics on 25 Jan 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; Winter Words; Who Are These Children?
Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk, James Bowman, Benjamin Britten
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Purcell: Here Let My Life
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Analekta on 1 Jan 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi - Pergolesi : Salve Regina
James Bowman, Yuriko Naganuma, Béatrice Noël, Ensemble Instrumental Jean-Walter Audoli
Classical - Released by Arion on 1 Jan 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Ariodante
Norma Burrowes, (Dame) Janet Baker, James Bowman, London Voices, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of Purcell
Emma Kirkby, Catherine Bott, James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pergolesi Stabat Mater, Salve Regina; Vivaldi
Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Classical - Released by L'Oiseau Lyre CD on 1 Jan 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La musique au temps des castrats (Astrée Recordings)
James Bowman, Dominique Visse, A Sei Voci
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by naïve classique on 24 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Airs italiens & cantates
James Bowman, Skip Sempé, Jay Bernfeld
Classical - Released by Arion on 1 Jan 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tavener: Canciones españolas & Requiem for Father Malachy
James Bowman, Nash Ensemble, The King's Singers, Kevin Smith, John Tavener
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Lyrita on 1 Jan 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi: Salve Regina / Telemann: Easter Cantata
James Bowman, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Meridian Records on 2 Feb 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Thus Angels Sung
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Convivium Records on 1 Apr 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Celebration of James Bowman
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 10 Apr 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Cantate ad alto solo
Ricercar Consort, James Bowman
Classical - Released by Ricercar on 1 Jan 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musique pour La Chapelle Royale
Classical - Released by Naxos on 13 Apr 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Ariodante
(Dame) Janet Baker, James Bowman, Norma Burrowes, Edith Mathis, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo