^{FIRST PUBLISHED 7 MAR 2026}

'Should [imaginative art] not come from the heart as well as the brain?'

This poignant question – posed by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor just months before his death – encapsulates the emotional core of Sabi Ensemble’s debut album, From The Heart.

The group, founded in 2024 by historical bassist Carina Cosgrave, is committed to reviving works by composers whose work has been unjustly forgotten and placing this music from the margins centre stage.

The disc celebrates two 150th anniversaries and is the first time Coleridge-Taylor’s music has been recorded on period instruments. On it are two of his expressive Novelletten – rarely heard works with arrangements credited to the whole ensemble – that reveal his sharp craft and lyrical voice; his Nonet – a student composition which cemented his status as a breathtaking composer at the young age of 18; and another Nonet, this time by Louise Farrenc – a powerful piece written at the height of her career. After the death of her daughter, Farrenc ceased composing, her creative life halted by grief.

^{Swirling undercurrents and bold hunting calls punctuate the opening of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Nonet in F minor, Op. 2.}

Together, these works frame a recording that acknowledges not only artistic brilliance but also the personal stories behind it. Using historically informed performances on period instruments, From The Heart offers listeners a window into the expressive richness of neglected repertoire, interpreted with care and curiosity.

The debut album from Sabi Ensemble, From the Heart, is out now on Penny Fiddle Records. Hear them live at The Assembly House, Norwich, on 30 April 2026 in a concert supported by Continuo Foundation of a programme showcasing original and reimagined works for string quintet.

^{Beethoven's strong influence on Louise Farrenc shines through in the Scherzo of her Nonet in E-flat, Op. 38.}

SABI ENSEMBLE
Rosie Bowker flute
Leo Duarte oboe
Fiona Mitchell clarinet
Rebecca Hammond bassoon
Nivanthi Karunaratne horn
Catherine Martin 1st violin
Persephone Gibbs 2nd violin
Clifton Harrison viola
Sarah McMahon cello
Carina Cosgrave double bass
Olivia Sham piano

TRACKS
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) Nonet in F minor, Op. 2:
i. Allegro moderato | ii. Andante con moto | iii. Scherzo: Allegro | iv. Finale: Allegro vivace
Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) Nonet in E-flat, Op. 38:
i. Adagio - Allegro | ii. Andante con moto | iii. Scherzo: Vivace | iv. Adagio
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (arr. Sabi Ensemble) Novelletten IV
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (arr. Sabi Ensemble) Novelletten II

CREDITS
Piano Technician: Edmund Pickering
Recording Producer: Holly Harman
Sound Engineer, Mixing & Mastering: John Croft, Chiaro Audio
Recording Venue: Ascension Church, Plumstead, London (8-10 January 2025)