Sacrifice, Flowers of War

The idea of such a project is timely as it is now a century since the Great War (1914-18) wherein much of a generation was lost on the Flemish fields, reaching their peak with the Battle of the Somme in 1916 with over 420, 000 casualities. And with this huge sacrifice, we are left to ponder on just how much in terms of artistic creation, including music, died along with it. Christopher Latham’s Sacrifice: The Lost Songbirds of the Somme must therefore automatically rank amongst the finest.

Taking on the form of a Requiem for the War Dead, Latham brings together a fine selection of pieces,...