Willowhayne Records Ltd

We are devoted to providing high quality recordings covering a wide range of repertoire, with the majority of our albums recorded and available in high resolution ‘studio quality’ sound.

Our first release Trans Europe Experience began our exciting Experience series: to explore organ repertoire played on renowned organs (both in the UK and abroad). Trans Europe Experience, played on the organ of Gloucester Cathedral by Keith John, (the organ on which he began his study of the instrument) features the music of European composers. This inaugural release from Willowhayne won an Editor’s Choice in Organists’ Review:

“The clarity yet coloruful richness of the Gloucester organ is ideally matched to the music… from a musician of extraordinary breadth of ability and imagination, this landmark CD from Gloucester rises effortlessly above more routine releases through the qualities of Keith John’s performances and programme-planning. This is definitely one not to be missed.”

There are now nine recordings in the Experience series, continuing our journey through many of the world’s great organs, with another currently in production which takes us to St Albans Cathedral in an exciting programme played by Tom Winpenny.

We have also nurtured our interest in young artists, including BBC Young Musician Finalist Ben Goldscheider (horn). His album Debut was met with critical acclaim:

“A musician whose credentials belie his youth, Goldscheider proclaims with this impressively-engineered, absorbing Willowhayne Records release that he is poised to honour Brain’s legacy with his own once-in-a-generation artistry.”

A further recording with Ben Goldscheider was released in 2022, with repertoire commemorating the centenary years of Ruth Gipps and Sir Malcolm Arnold.

A debut album by the Eblana String Trio comprising British trios by Gerald Finzi, Hugh Wood, Sally Beamish and E.J. Moeran received a BBC Music Magazine Chamber Award, with Gromophone magazine hailing the recording as:

“…a most nourishing and enterprising release, comprehensively annotated and captured with top-notch realism by the team of producer Mark Hartt-Palmer and sound engineer Oscar Torres.”

Leeds Piano Competition semi-finalist Ashley Fripp, another young artist, was praised by composer Thomas Adès for our recording of his Concert Paraphrase on Powder Her Face (part of Ashley Fripp plays J.S. Bach, Thomas Adès & Frederic Chopin) :

“Ashley Fripp is a genuine virtuoso, an astoundingly brilliant and masterly pianist and his total grasp of the music is a joy to hear.”

Our portfolio includes a growing range of choral, chamber and instrumental repertoire, with many world premiere recordings.

We also distribute a growing number of recordings from Associated Labels (including Piano 21, MPR and Sheva Collection) – broadening the range of repertoire and genres available through Willowhayne Records: from classical to jazz and world music, all exhibiting the strong qualities that we believe in.

Recordings can be purchased on CD or downloaded from our website, with shipping worldwide. We provide the digital booklets where possible on our website, and you can ‘try before you buy’ by listening to excerpts of every track directly on our website. CDs can also be obtained from our worldwide distributors.

Please contact us using the form at the bottom of this page to discuss any potential recording projects or distribution enquiries.