150 years after the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, LSO Animateur Paul Rissmann began work on a project that would see the musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra collaborating with young, school-aged singers. Together, they bring to life the story of Alice in a truly enchanting way.

Having set out to discover how Victorian composers represented Carroll’s iconic characters, Rissmann began working with Professor Kiera Vaclavik from Queen Mary University of London. During their research they uncovered a host of sheet music that presented Alice as a quiet, saccharine character—a far cry from the feisty heroine in Carroll’s book.

There were, however, a few exceptions to this, including a short piano piece by Arthur Cleveland. Taking just eight bars of music from this early surviving manuscript, Rissmann began work on a new piece — one that would portray Alice as a determined young soul, as someone inspiring and contemporary.

At the culmination of the project, over 1,000 school children came to the Barbican Concert Hall to sing Lewis Carroll’s words accompanied by the full force of the LSO, and supported by four soloists. This recording, captured at LSO St Luke’s, gives children the opportunity to take part from home.

Composer Paul Rissmann
Conductor Lee Reynolds
Performers Emily Dickens, Joanna Harries, Richard Pinkstone, Neil Balfour, London Symphony Orchestra

Paul Rissmann: Wonderland Suite
1. I. The Golden Afternoon
2. II. The White Rabbit
3. III. Down the Rabbit-Hole
4. IV. DRINK ME!
5. V. The Duchess
6. VI. The Cheshire Cat
7. VII. The Hatter's Tea Party
8. VIII. EAT ME!
9. IX. The Queen of Hearts and Finale

Paul Rissmann: Through the Looking-Glass
10. I. The Looking-Glass House
11. II. The Garden of Live Flowers
12. III. The Red Queen
13. IV. Tweedledum and Tweedledee
14. V. The White Queen
15. VI. Humpty Dumpty
16. VII. An Exam to be Queen
17. VIII. Queen Alice
18. IX. Return Through the Looking-Glass

Release date 30 June 2023
LSO5129-D | 0822231512967

Digital booklet in English

Producer Jonathan Stokes
Engineers Classic Sound Ltd
Recorded 12 &13 July 2022 in the Jerwood Hall at LSO St Luke's, London

FLAC - 24bit 96kHz - Compatible with Windows and Android devices
MP3 - 320kbps - Universal compatibility