The release in late 2018 by Resonus Classics of the CD The Heavens and the Heart, conducted by George Vass, has confirmed James Francis Brown’s reputation for highly-sophisticated and energetic works which have seen his following grow rapidly in recent years as audiences respond to his rare ability to imbue the traditional tonal landscape of classical music with a fresh sense of purpose.

This recent recording immediately gained two broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and prompted Guy Rickards, in the January 2019 edition of Gramophone Magazine, to say “This new release from Resonus is the first of any of his orchestral works, and what a disc it is! The Trio Concertante…is a glorious single-movement triple concerto for violin, viola and cello that belongs in the topmost rank of British string-orchestral music.”

 His music covers a wide range of genres featuring chamber ensembles, choirs and orchestras and it is regularly performed by many of today’s leading musicians including Steven Isserlis, Tasmin Little, Emma Johnson, the Badke Quartet, Jack Liebeck and many of the major orchestras throughout the UK. 

A recording by Members of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome was released in 2019.

“Seldom does one hear new music that marries such daunting technical skill and virtuosic demands with so much ease and life-affirming joy....” Mark Lehmann, American Record Guide, 2012.