BMS Printed News - autumn 2020 .qxp 23/08/2020 11:24 Page 1

BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY

nAutumne 2020 ws Never forgotten The British musicians remembered by plaques

LIFE IN LOCKDOWN BMS members on 11 pages of reviews the impact of the pandemic Including acclaimed BMS CD release: Schellhorn plays Howells piano music BMS Printed News - autumn 2020 .qxp 23/08/2020 11:24 Page 2 News Chairman’s welcome British Music Society’s news and events

Dear Members, There has been a lot of change in all Holst Society plans 150 our lives since the last Printed News. The British Music Society is responding to the challenges now facing most sectors of the arts and is in a better year anniversary in 2024 position to explore the ever more important realm of digital olst Society Chairman, Chris Cope, in late September 2024 will be an all exclusive communication further with the new updates us on their forthcoming plans Holst programme. website now ‘live’ and ready to be Hto celebrate Gustav Holst’s 150th In addition, four recordings have developed further according to our birthday anniversary in 2024. been sponsored. These include two CDs wishes. In January 2024, Paul Hindmarsh, devoted to part-songs, a joint project will the With the help of Revolution Arts, we artistic director of the RNCM Brass Band Vaughan Williams Society to include works successfully staged our first AGM on Festival, will feature a number of works by for voice and piano by Vaughan Williams and Zoom on July 31 and were pleased with the number of members able to attend. Holst as a precursor to the launching of a Holst and a CD devoted to Holst’s Christmas The age group was wide ranging from major CD of music for brass band by Holst and organ music. newer members in their twenties to including the Moorside Suite, First and Future recording plans include: those in their eighties, and there was Second Suites, St Paul’s Suite, Marching Song, * a CD of Holst’s sacred music with Will Vann greater geographic diversity as might be Fugal Overture and The Perfect Fool. The conducting the Royal Chelsea Hospital Choir. expected with some members attending Society is also arranging a brass transcription * a recording of Holst’s operetta Lansdown an AGM for the first time. of Holst’s Scherzo and Mr Silkret’s Folly Castle. We welcomed two new committee (Capriccio). * a project with the BBC National Chorus of members: Dirick von Behr was voted in On the May Day bank holiday Wales to feature a number of previously at the AGM as Secretary and Dr. weekend there will be a Holst festival unrecorded choral works.. Jonathan Clinch who joined online during the AGM! Our thanks also to conducted by Adrian Partington (one of the As members of the British Music Kevin Mandry as a new contributor on Society’s vice presidents) at Gloucester Society will appreciate, the recording of music Geoffrey Atkinson’s Review Panel. It’s Cathedral. Later that month the English Music is an expensive project. As always, we are fully great to see our members being more Festival will also feature Holst’s music. dependent upon external funding. We hope ‘hands on’ and I would like to encourage The Society hopes that the Three that members of BMS will be able to assist this growing trend. Remember, a Society Choirs Festival in Worcester and the Proms with these exciting projects. is very much a reflection of its members will also feature music by Holst. The Holst For details and how to be a member email: and their interests. Birthplace Museum annual birthday concert [email protected] Excellent reviews of the latest BMS recording of Matthew Schellhorn performing Howells’ piano music are in circulation; the CD took pride of place on the cover of International Piano Meet the new BMS trustees Magazine as well as being placed at number 4 in the Classical charts by July M y name is Dr Jonathan 19. Search for Gramophone magazine Dirick von Clinch is online to read an article highlighting Behr and I Lecturer at the Matthew’s unique relationship with “ live in the Royal Academy composers both past and living. It was Netherlands. of Music, where great to hear Matthew as an invited For he teaches guest on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ recently some years I courses in to promote the disc. have been a British music, member but musical analysis, With all good wishes never an active listening skills one - I read the Newsletters and News. and music history. - Dr. Wendy Hiscocks The last few months have made Previous posts include me look again and rediscover what Organ Scholar of Keble College Oxford, British Music Society committee seemed forgotten or even lost and I re - Research Associate at Cambridge alised how valuable these publications University Faculty of Music, and Frank The committee comprises: still are. Bridge Research Fellow at the Royal Wendy Hiscocks (Chairman), John Gibbons Nothing is as straightforward as College of Music. (Vice Chairman), Stephen Trowell it used to be and I would like to extend His current work focuses on (Treasurer), Dirick von Behr (Secretary), my support of the Society beyond paying Herbert Howells, Frank Bridge, Edmund Dominic Daula (Journal Editor), Dr Jonathan my membership over so many years - Rubbra and Rutland Boughton. Clinch. Advisory role: Karen Fletcher even though I can't recognise a single note of music...” Printed News designed by Revolution Arts

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NEWS Wanted: information about two composers

He was a reputable pianist, com - poser and teacher. The British Library have copies of some of his compositions. The RNCM Collection includes a

locket which once belonged to Charles y m a i

Davieson containing a small piece of cloth l l u V which is, reputedly, a fragment of a n i

Beethoven’s shroud (pictured below). l r e Z

Charles was the son of David

: o Davieson an eminent doctor from the t o h

Manchester and Liverpool area. He was P also apparently a great, great nephew of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Charles seems to have studied at Violinist performs three European music conservatories but mainly in Leipzig. He returned to England first socially in 1867 after gaining his Diploma and win - NICHOLAS MAW ing a prestigious prize. distanced concert Ian Rutland Boughton has been in contact with the British Music Society about his was delighted to give my first concert cousin’s research into the life of Nicholas since lockdown on 12 August to an Maw. Iaudience of 12 in a Highgate garden. “My cousin William Boughton...is The programme for solo violin seeking anyone who may have known consisted of music ranging over exactly Nicholas Maw or worked with him or can 300 years from Bach’s Chaconne and provide any material. Sarabande of 1720, to 2020. The platform "William conducted the recording was unique – wooden scaffold boards of Maw’s Spring Music and Voices of Mem - below and above, with the Victorian house ory with the BBC National Orchestra of wall acting as sound board. Wales for Lyrita. I’d previously given a concert of William now lives in the USA and Beethoven Quartet op.131 for the host, is keen to explore as much about the com - During the 1870s it appears that Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, widow of poser as is available. he lived in London and then Bath. After his the well known recording producer James If you have more information, marriage to Fanny Elizabeth Whattoff in Mallinson, at whose memorial concert I’d email [email protected] or call 1883 at West Malvern they lived in Torquay been asked to perform with pianist Joanna 07703 584 152. for a while before moving to Gloucester MacGregor the last movement of and later Cheltenham. Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time – CHARLES DAVIESON By 1901 they had retired to St Leonard’s on from my first album, in 1994. Sea. I’d then invited Michelle to my Do any BMS members have any information If you have any further details own Loft Concert which inspired her to about Charles Davieson 1845-1914? email [email protected] set up salon soirées in her home. During lockdown I’d gone back to the classics – solo Bach, Beethoven Violin Concerto etc. I had been thinking Sir Mark Elder introduces about repertoire for an all solo violin concert after recording a piece specially written for me by Richard Blackford called Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad Worlds Apart . This was dedicated to those separated during lockdown, for the album n 8 May 2020, the ‘Many Voices on a Theme of Isolation’ anniversary of VE supporting HelpMusiciansUK. ODay Sir Mark Elder, Caprice (1990) by Wendy music director of the Hallé Hiscocks made a fine pairing with Orchestra introduced the Grazyna Bacewicz Kaprys Polski (1949), Hallé's recording of Stuart Jones’s Kothektche (1987, from my Butterworth's A Shropshire NMC album) and Joseph Horovitz's Lad from the 2003 album Dybbuk Melody . I also performed Elliot English Rhapsody: Carter Riconoscenza per Goffredo Petrassi Butterworth, Delius & (1984), a piece from my New York days as a Grainger. Fulbright Fellow. To see it visit: The weather was kind and it’s https://youtu.be/spyKRvi- made me want to do more! Ls Madeleine Mitchell -3- BMS Printed News - autumn 2020 .qxp 23/08/2020 11:24 Page 4

NEWS

Distinguished organist Jennifer Bate dies

distinguished Life member of the recording under the composer’s guidance British Music Society since 1980 as acknowledged by a Grand Prix du Disque. Awell as a Vice President, Jennifer Her recordings of the complete Bate OBE lost her life to cancer on 25 organ works of Mendelssohn, made in All March. Saints Margaret Street, London, were also Having received professional highly acclaimed. training from an early age from her Bate’s highly successful organist father H. A Bate, Jennifer chose performing career demanded her being to focus on a career as a concert organist abroad for up to ten months of the year with her life and repertoire reflecting her touring and she made four appearances special affinity with living composers. at the BBC Proms. These included Sir George As well as receiving an OBE,

Thalben-Ball to whom she was married Bate received an investiture as Officier s r e h

1968–72, Andrzej Panufnik and Peter des Arts et des Lettres and Chevalier de la t w o

Dickinson. The most famous of these, Légion d’Honneur (2012). r C

however, was Olivier Messiaen whom she The BMS, on behalf of its m l o c first met on home ground in Muswell Hill members, would also like to remember l a M

through a BBC connection. Jennifer for her significant contributions : o t

A long- lasting friendship and as a performer to our events over many o h collaboration with the French composer years. P resulted in her giving the world premiere of Messiaen’s Livre du Saint Sacrement in Jennifer Bate OBE; born 11 November 1944; Jennifer Bate is pictured above in 1987 playing the organ 1986 with the quality of her subsequent died 25 March 2020 of La Trinité, Paris, with Olivier Messian registering

Obituary: composer Gerard Schurmann aged 96

Gerard Schurmann's life and 'opera-cantata' Piers Plowman for soloists, compositional career has followed mixed chorus and orchestra [Three Choirs Festival, 1980]. a somewhat unusual trajectory. There is also a substantial output Birth and childhood in the of fine chamber and instrumental music, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) with, much of it written since his move to the following his father's death in 1929, a USA and recorded on the Toccata Classics short intervening period in Europe label. between the ages of four and seven. A CD of suites from his film scores Aged 17 a move to England, was released by Chandos last year, and a where he had volunteered for wartime recording is planned to include his last flying duty, joining the Netherlands orchestral work Gaudiana , inspired by squadron of the RAF (four years' Barcelona's still unfinished cathedral La service); after the war, first as acting Sagrada Familia, and his earlier Piano cultural attache at the Netherlands Concerto. embassy, where he was responsible for Gerard was an extremely self- introducing Rawsthorne, Tippett, critical and correspondingly unprolific Lutyens and others (also Sir Adrian seems to be indelibly lodged in my composer, but such a varied body of work is Boult) to Holland. subconscious'. And such experiences have still impossible to sum up. Patric Standford Then a two-year stint as left their mark on his compositional style. spoke of: 'A composer who knows exactly conductor with Dutch Radio at Hilversum, Settled in England, Gerard what is to be said and, in terms of the followed by settlement in England for the embarked on a career divided between the orchestra, exactly how to say it with skilful next 31 years; a final move to Los Angeles in composition of concert music, conducting lucidity'. 1981 where he died on 24 March at the age of in the UK, Europe and elsewhere and But let Gerard himself have the 96, at his home in the Hollywood Hills, with writing film scores; the entrée to the latter last word, in a sentence to which, I think, his second wife Carolyn at his side. occupation stage-managed for him by Alan the whole of his musical output attests: 'In Gerard has written of his Rawsthorne – 'in some ways like a father to the chaos in which we live, a strong childhood in his fascinating but me' – and with whom he remained on terms personal statement is in the end the only unpublished memoir Gardens of Exile. His of close friendship until Alan's death in 1971. thing of any interest'. father was Dutch, his mother of mixed He also became friends with Dutch, Hungarian and Javanese ancestry Francis Bacon, the initial inspiration of Nigel Bonham-Carter and a gifted pianist. 'Our house was within whose work gave rise to his earliest Chair, The Schurmann Foundation earshot of the local gamelan orchestras...at acknowledged orchestral masterpiece Six Festival time celebrations and the sound of Studies of Francis Bacon (1968). Gerald Schurmann, born 19 January 1924, gamelan music continued uninterrupted for Full-scale concertos for piano, died 24 March 2020 days and nights on end...the sound of it violin and cello followed, also a major

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NEWS A farewell tribute to BMS member Oliver Davies who has died aged 81 t is with great sadness that I report on Recording website and Mike has kindly broadcasts on early pianos to modern the death of pianist Oliver Davies on allowed us to reproduce Oliver’s short British premières at the Wigmore and IWednesday July 1 from pancreatic biography below. Queen Elizabeth Halls. cancer at the age of 81. As a chamber-music player he Oliver is one of those Dr Wendy Hiscocks has appeared with many distinguished irreplaceable figures in British music artists including the flautists Sir James making. His enthusiasm and knowledge Galway, Michael Cox and Philippa Davies, were truly remarkable, and when I last saw and the clarinettists Colin Bradbury and him over a year ago he was working Dame Thea King. tirelessly on another project close to his He is particularly known for his heart, the Museum of Music History programmes on special themes, including (http://www.momh.org.uk) of which he was scholarly reconstructions of historical curator. concerts (for Aldeburgh and the BBC), I took the opportunity to drive surveys of the musical histories of great down to Dorking where Oliver housed the British houses, and re-assessments of collection and he took pride in showing me historically significant composers and some of the rare concert programmes performers. among much other material housed in the Further reconstructions have Museum. been of period balls (the National Portrait He was an extraordinarily Gallery and the V&A), melodramas (the talented individual and an English Theatre Museum) and silent film scores eccentric, but his modest manner was (The National Film Theatre). refreshing and it was evident that his Recent projects included The genuine love of music took precedence Great War and the Violin (2014) and Great over self-promotion. Oliver Davies studied at the Royal College Violinists at Drury Lane (Theatre Royal One of his last CD recordings of Music, where he won the Tagore Gold Drury Lane, 2016), both with violinist with flautist James Dutton (pictured here Medal as outstanding student of his year Robert Gibbs, and a double CD with cellist with Oliver) was reviewed by the BMS but and for many years was both a piano Adrian Bradbury of the operatic it is worth revisiting as a great example of professor and Keeper of the Department paraphrases of Alfredo Piatti. the breadth of Oliver’s interests and of Portraits and Performance History To read Norman Lebrecht’s extensive research. (which he founded). posting and performance by Oliver Davies Idyll: The English Flute Unheard His playing career covered many and Adrian Bradbury, visit can be bought from the Mike Purton styles, from recordings, recitals and https://slippedisc.com

‘Hurlstone man’ dies Musical lives lost ohn will probably be best chaeologist We record with regret the sad death of violinist remembered as the ‘Hurlstone discovering Ida Haendel (1923 (or 1928) - July 1st 2020. She Jman’, having spent the last 20 years another will be remembered for her masterly performances of the classic violin concertos, trying to bring the music of William Fishbourne Yeates Hurlstone (1876 – 1906) to including especially the Sibelius, the Britten Palace.’ and the Walton, all of which she played both in public notice, writes Audrey Williams . In 2006, the public and for the gramophone. He did give a talk to the centenary Also, the death of guitarist British Music Society and also at the of Hurl - Julian Bream (1933- August 14th 2020) who English Music Festival, amongst stone’s popularised his instrument to the post-war many others. Despite his best efforts, birth, we put on several concerts of generation. He will be remembered by BMS in which I was also trying to help, members particularly for his work with his works at Haywards Heath Music Benjamin Britten, whose ‘ Courtly Dances from sadly Hurlstone’s music is still largely Society, of which I was Chairman at Gloriana ’ became a best-selling RCA recording unknown and efforts to have him the time. in the 60s. He also played lute music by such as with Composer of the Week Occasionally something by Dowland and others and recorded Elizabethan have not come to anything. him is played on Radio 3 but the lute songs with Peter Pears. An architect by profession, general reaction, on hearing his Sadly, we also report the death, due to cancer, of the well-known and respected he took early retirement and started name, even from many well known giving talks on various subjects, in - lecturer on music, Terry Barfoot on 12 August musicians is ‘who?’ John described 2020. He contributed to books on music cluding the London Marathon in him as the missing piece of the history, presided over summer schools at which he took part 11 times. English Musical Heritage and Oxford and was also a frequent reviewer of He also studied singing whereas this may be something of an new recordings. He will be missed by many, with Fabian Smith, who was a good exaggeration, his music does deserve especially those whose own musical knowledge was enhanced and enlivened by his own friend of Hurlstone’s youngest sister more recognition. infectious enthusiasm. Kay and thus came to hear about her John Humphries, born 3 February brother, describing his find as ‘an ar - 1934, died 11 March 2020. Andrew Youdell -5- BMS Printed News - autumn 2020 .qxp 23/08/2020 11:24 Page 6

NEWS: AGM 2020

This report covers the key areas of the BMS's activities during 2019-20 as follows:

E-News Nicholas Keyworth of Revolution Arts con - tinues to do a splendid and reliable job on the monthly E-news released to members on the 1st of every month. The original charge of £100 per month is still in place.

Printed News Revolution Arts produced three 16-20 page Printed News at a cost of £600 per issue. Al - though the product is of high quality and very much enjoyed by its recipients, the numbers receiving the Printed News contin - ues to fall. It is estimated that roughly 25% of members receiving the Printed News are also subscribing to the E-news. The Society is still able to afford the considerable cost of BMS members taking part in the online AGM held via Zoom this year due to the coronavirus pandemic producing the Printed News for another year but this expense will eventually need a Two more artists were highly commended: Disappointingly, there were no 'takers' for review. baritone James Williams and pianist Adam the Bantock song. BMS member Amy Yuan, McDonagh (not part of the same duo) who made the decision to move the competition Recordings received the Chimes vouchers unclaimed online for the summer of 2020. We are pleased to announce the Naxos digital from the Amy Yuan Competition earlier in The Society responded by download release of the BMS recording of August. sponsoring a single prize of £100 for the best Fricker’s five movement Serenade No. 5, Opus There are no plans for BASC 2020 performance of a British composition 81 (8.571381). This was recorded in 2015 by the due to the current health. composed after 1860. The deadline for those Villiers Quartet with James Dickenson (vio - wishing to compete in the third New Talent lin) and Nicholas Stringfellow (cello). Amy Yuan Academy New Talent Music Youth Music Competition is August 3rd 2020. The AGM saw the BMS' official Contest 2019 launch of Matthew Schellhorn's world Stephen Trowell and Wendy Hiscocks BAX Blue Plaque premiere recording of Herbert Howells attended the prize giving ceremony held in BMS member Chris Bye successfully guided piano music; this project was jointly funded the Old Speech Room at Harrow School in an application to Historic Environment with the Howells Trust. There was ample Middlesex on 10 August 2019. Numbers Scotland for a bronze plaque in honour of Sir enough material for Naxos to propose two attending had swelled from the previous Arnold Bax at the Morar Hotel in the Scottish volumes resulting in the launch of volume year with participants ranging from four Highlands. Unfortunately, the proposed one this year. A second volume is proposed years of age to budding professionals in their unveiling of the plaque on 17 April 2020 had for 2021 subject to sufficient funding. We are early twenties; there was a well balanced mix to be abandoned owing to Covid-19. We are delighted with the amount of press coverage of Asian and Western competitors. informed that the plaque will still be made and favourable reviews the CD has received The BMS awarded two prizes for by the foundry and are awaiting a new date so far. Our sincere thanks to Matthew for all the best performance of its own editions of for the unveiling. his hard work. scores by the following composers: Approved wording for the plaque is as follows: Sir Arnold Bax 1883-1953, BASC 2019 and BASC 2020 * Sir Charles Stanford Arietta Variations (vio - Composer, A winter resident 1928-1940 BMS member Nigel Foster, as Director of the lin and piano) completed many of his finest compositions London Song Festival, skilfully guided the * Thomas Dunhill The Sailor’s Hornpipe in this hotel. 2019 British Art Song Competition (BASC (piano solo) 2019) to fruition. With the poet Walt Whitman * Granville Bantock ‘Desolation’ (voice and Journal as the compulsory element for competitors, piano). Journal editor Dominic Daula, initiated the some lesser known repertoire surfaced such BMS Fortieth Anniversary Essay Competi - as Knussen's ' The Dalliance of the Eagles ', The two prizes consisted of a British Com - tion. Matthew McCullough of Durham Uni - Maconchy's ' Sun, Moon and Stars ' and Harty's poser Profiles and a £30 Chimes voucher versity wrote the prize winning essay titled 'Sea Wrack '. Ten vocal and piano teams were with which to purchase British music. One 'A history and analysis of Gerald Finzi’s Dies selected from the round of auditions to par - prize was awarded to violinist Naori Taka - Natalis '. ticipate in the masterclass with Roderick hashi, a scholarship postgraduate student at The essay was published in Volume Williams on December 10 at the 1901 Arts the Royal Academy of Music, studying violin 41, 2019/1 and Matthew was awarded a prize Club in London. performance under Professor György Pauk of £100 donated by a generous member of The masterclass concluded with at the time of the competition, for her inter - the Society who wished to remained Roderick Williams awarding the single £800 pretation of the Stanford. anonymous. prize (£400 from the BMS and £400 donated The other was given to HanYang Dominic fulfilled the role of by our Treasurer Stephen Trowell) to the Liu, a young Chinese pianist about to move internal adjudicator and engaged Dr Brian team of Olivia Boen (soprano) and Camille to London to study at Harrow School for his Inglis of Middlesex University to act as Lemonnier (piano). performance of the Dunhill. external adjudicator.

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NEWS

Report on the Journal by Dominic Daula this was so, and what should I do with them; Volume 41, which aligns with the 2019 calen - they suggested I should give them to the local dar year, is the last which comprises of two university library, which of course I was editions. happy to do. The first was published in October Reviewers are encouraged to be of 2019; the second will be delivered to the positive, but not to hold back where there are printers at the end of July. Thus, deliveries perceived failings, though always trying to be may be expected from the middle of August tactful, ‘more in sorrow than anger’, and not onward. showing personal animosity. Sometimes This forthcoming edition comprises three es - items offered are of poor quality either in says: the first dates from 1980 and is a reprint performance of recording (and both) and this of a short article on John Raynor; it concludes can pose a dilemma. the Journal’s 40th Anniversary Series. There are about 10 active members The second article is a profile on of the review panel. When the CDs or books John Locke, who lived in Derby. The article is appear I have two options. Where I know an Rubbra Piano by his daughter, Dr Elizabeth Manning. The individual has a known affinity, knowledge or third article is on the relationship between special interest, they have first refusal. Where Michael Tippett and Wilfred Franks. The this is not the case, items are offered via e- Concerto identity of the author may not yet be mail on a first come first served approach. I must both correct my colleague revealed, as the review process is currently Sometimes a reviewer may ask for a new issue Gary Higginson - somewhat pedanti - cally - and add an anecdote, concern - underway. before it is generally announced, and I am ing his review of the Rubbra Piano Book reviews have been happy to oblige such keenness. Concerto. contributed by Tonya Chirgwin, Dr Jürgen The reviews come back to me, usu - Ali Akbar Khan was an Schaarwächter, and Philip Wheldon- ally, and helpfully, quite quickly. I then sub- Indian and not a Pakistani and I had Robinson. edit them, sometimes abbreviating the text to the privilege of meeting him at the Concerning the sole edition for conform approximately with the 400 word Calcutta School of Music in 1975 whilst 2020, I have received three submissions—two limit for CDs (books are allowed more lee - on a British Council tour. of these are articles, and one is an obituary of way). It has to be said that some people’s Ali attended a recital I gave Nicholas Temperley; this has been con - grasp of the principles of punctuation are, on a brand new and bright-toned tributed by Emeritus Professor Stephen Ban - shall we say, vague. Yamaha grand which included works by Purcell, Bridge and Rawsthorne. field. This edition of the Journal will I then submit the review to Nicholas He invited me to his studio on the realistically be released in the first quarter of Keyworth, who may again sub-edit, and then following day when he played his 2021. format for the Newsletter. Finally, I send sarod to me and discussed the music. copies of the E-News to all suppliers who I in return played him the BMS Treasurer's Report have had an item reviewed. Sarabande from Arnold Cooke’s Suite This report is available by contacting Stephen In closing there are two points I in C. He had heard in the recital Trowell would like to stress: Purcell’s Saraband from his own Suite in C, as well as the Arioso from Review panel Co-ordinator and Editor * New reviewers would be welcome - just get Arnold’s Suite No.2 which I was Report from Geoffrey Atkinson in touch with me. preparing for its world premiere in London’s Purcell Room. In the year to July 2020 the newsletter has * Please don’t forget we have a ‘Bite-back’ fa - We mentioned many living carried approximately 60 reviews of CDs and cility where anyone can comment on matters British composers, including Rubbra, 10 of books, so these clearly are an important of interest raised by a review - either positive Sir Arnold Bax and Ali was stimulating and fascinat - feature of our activities. or disputational. ing company as well as being a fine In particular, the relevance of CD erudite musician. reviews is apparent from the fact that of the Website ones we have covered only about 15% have The new website is now live and Revolution Richard Deering been noticed by the ‘Gramophone’ (the lead - Arts officially launched the site at today's ing periodical in this field). You might say AGM. Bantock’s not this is a reflection of the apparently limited regard some in authority have for our subject, 2021 AGM lost manuscript and therefore our raison d’etre. We propose the 2021 AGM take place in the Following the recent Book Review Members may like to know how the summer at the Three Choirs Festival in ‘Granville Bantock: A Guide to present system works. Most companies Worcester and it is hoped that the luncheon Research’, readers may wish to know (about 12 are active) send out PR announce - AGM idea can be explored again. Details to be that the manuscript full score of ments about new issues, and I am invited to announced. Bantock's song-cycle The Sphinx is request such as are relevant. Sometimes not in fact lost. discs appear out of the blue. It is actually located at As regards books, there are fewer University of Birmingham's Main publishers, again we are usually offered items Library (not the Cadbury Research of interest. I have asked the major ones eg Library), shelf mark GB 2/1/37. Boydell & Brewer, and Wiley to offer first, be - Andrew H. King cause sometimes the subject is not relevant. On one occasion I was sent three Bite-Back features members’ and (very expensive!) books which were not of readers’ responses and feedback. interest, and I told them, apologetically, that -7- BMS Printed News - autumn 2020 .qxp 23/08/2020 11:24 Page 8

FEATURE

BMS MEMBERS RESPOND TO CALL TO NAME PLAQUES HONOURING FAMOUS BRITISH MUSICIANS Never forgotten

Since 1866, hundred of blue plaques honouring famous BRITTEN AND IRELAND Also there is the plaque (pictured below) at The Old Mill, Snape, where Britten names have graced buildings lived as well as a standard blue plaque at across the capital and increas - 4 Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh. ingly further afield, writes Nicholas Keyworth . BMS members were asked to let us know about blue plaques in their area which celebrate British musicians? Or maybe they are not blue at all? They were also invited to submit details of a building near I also know of one in Hove where Roger them which is connected with a Quilter used to live and the two in British musician but is not iden - Chelsea for Ireland and Warlock. tified in any way but they think it The picture (above) is of John Ireland’s It will be good to see pictures in E-news should be. at Rock Mill, Washington (Ireland's old of plaques which people are aware of home), taken a couple of decades ago and it's also a brilliant idea for a hard- As artistic director of copy book! Corsham Festival in 2000, I when it was possible to see it, before Biffa made such a mess of the site. commissioned a mason to carve a Dr Andrew Plant plaque in Bath stone for the Corsham home of composer Michael Tippett. HOLST

The organ in St. Laurence church at Wyck Rissington (pictured left) was played by Holst as a teenager in one of his first professional en - gagements as a resident organist and is still in use. Holst would have passed the Vic - torian duck pond and drinking fountain on the village green on his journey from Cheltenham to the church and these can still be seen today.

Picture of Holst plaque below by BMS chairman Wendy Hiscocks.

The plaque was unveiled by Meirion Bowen (pictured above) in the year 2000.

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FEATURE

TIPPETT This involved making overtures 24 June 2000 saw the opening of ~ to the new owners, getting the the newly relaunched Corsham Festival funding, contacting the local au - with a concert of music by British com - thority to apply for the necessary posers with Tippett’s Little music for consents, and creating a suitable Strings, Finzi’s Clarinet concerto, Elgar’s design. I was very keen that it Serenade for Strings and Britten’s Varia - should be in local materials - our tions on a theme by Frank Bridge. wonderful Bath Stone. It was performed by the Cor - So I found a young stone sham Festival String Orchestra compris - mason called Simon Boardley who ing of students from the Royal College carved the plaque so beautifully and the Royal Academy of Music. and edged the inside edge of the It was also 40 years since Sir letters in gold so the summer light Michael Tippett moved to Parkside House would bounce off his name in the in Corsham’s High Street which was to be summer light. his home from 1960-1970. Tippett’s companion and It was here that he completed biographer, Meirion Bowen un - his operas ‘King Priam’ and ‘The Knot veiled the plaque (pictured right Garden’ from a little gazebo in the garden with Nicholas Keyworth and stone - and also when he took up the reins of the mason Simon Boardley, centre). It always amuses me overhear - Bath Festival. Afterwards we explored the ing passersby who, 20 years on, still read As artistic director for the new beautiful house and gardens which had the plaque with a mixture of fascination festival it seemed fitting that we should been much improved since their day and bewilderment! mark this historic event with a plaque on when it was a rather run down part of the his house. Corsham Court Estate. Nicholas Keyworth

RUBBRA GORDON JACOB

May I propose blue plaques for the major Following your request for information on English composer Edmund Rubbra plaques for musicians I enclose two pictures (1901-1986). showing the blue plaque for Gordon Jacob. To my knowledge, no plaques to The location is 1 Audley Road, him are extant at present. There are several Saffron Walden, Essex, where Gordon and surviving buildings where either he was Margaret moved into in 1959 when they resident or taught which may be suitable: married. The house is still lived in by * Birthplace: 57, Margaret and her husband Bruce today. The Cambridge Road, George and his parents lived at the photos are part of an A4 collage of smaller Northampton NN2 house in Driffield Terrace from 1891 to 1910. photos given to me. * London Resi - Although George was away at Eton, Oxford Although I was not able to be dence: 25, Hillcrest and London for much of the time, it re - present at the unveiling on 17 June 2013, Avenue, London mained his home base until the family I became a close friend of Gordon Jacob NW11 during the moved to Chelsea. The house now forms over the years after I first met him in 1958. 1920s. part of The Mount School for Girls. * Residence: Valley In 2016, another plaque was un - Dr Geoff Ogram Cottage, Highwood veiled by Petroc Trelawney at Radley Col - Bottom Speen HP27 lege, where Butterworth taught for a year. Pictured below are Margaret Jacob Hyatt - from 1935 to 1957 There is also a splendid monu - Gordon’s widow - and David Jacob, Gordon * Teaching: Former ment to Butterworth's memory in the village and Margaret’s son. Faculty of Music Building, University of Ox - of Pozières on the Somme near ford, Holywell, Oxford 0X1 from 1947 to 1968 where he fell, erected by the vil - * Residence: 'Lindens', Bull Lane,errards lagers and which forms the cen - Cross, Buckinghamshire SL9 from 1961 to trepiece of a moving annual 1986 tribute. I tried to have another Adrian Yardley placed on Butterworth's London home at 19 Cheyne Gardens, BUTTERWORTH Chelsea some years ago but En - glish Heritage declined as they This photograph is of a plaque in York dedi - didn't consider him 'famous cated the composer George Butterworth enough'! which, as his biographer, I was kindly in - I guess the person I was vited to unveil in 2016 at his boyhood home dealing with was no musician. by the York Civic Society on the centenary of his death in the Battle of the Somme. Anthony Murphy

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FEATURES Life in lockdown

In June we asked readers to tell us Finzi, Rubbra, Lennox Berkeley, Bowen, Ma - Lumby, Dorothy Howell, Leslie Heward, how lockdown had changed their conchy, Howells, Bridge and others.... Percy Young, Hayford Morris, Constance lives. Thank you to everyone who Warren, Elaine Hugh-Jones, Gunilla Lowen - responded. Here are lockdown I look forward to reading what other musi - stein, Lawrence West, Peter Wishart in addi - stories from three BMS members. cians are doing during these strange tion to many other composers of various weeks... ” nationalities. ”

Judith Bailey (pictured below left) Michael Jones

------

“Like many musicians, I have been unable to “I started ‘Sundays at 4’ in 2016 – a short pursue all regular musical activity since concert in our local parish church, mid-March. But looking positively on this Hoylandswaine, between Sheffield and outwardly-imposed situation has enabled Huddersfield. me to get on with lots of writing, research - and more importantly, the time to get on It’s a small village and the church is quite with digitising onto USB memory sticks my noteworthy, designed by William Crossland entire collection of original manuscripts with a mural by Roddam Spencer Stanhope (mostly photocopies) – a process subjected and a window designed by Burne-Jones. The “I live by the sea in Cornwall and am in the past to endless procrastination! acoustics are superb, especially for singing. fortunate to have a wonderful view and daily walks on the beach. There has been much to In doing so it has been quite an experience I have been giving a concert about every do in home and garden and I've been playing going through all my music cupboards to be month and getting quite a decent following, the piano regularly - though rarely the bearing in mind where we are. clarinet although it is my main instrument. I sang my last concert on 15 March and the As conductor of two local orchestras we had rest of the spring and summer concerts, to cancel our last concert in March but I look featuring Beethoven songs, have gone by the forward to resuming work with them in the board. So I have been live streaming a short autumn. performance every Sunday at 4.

My native Cornwall has inspired much of the I have no pianist here at home so I have pre- music I write though at present progress on recorded my own accompaniment and I sing a string quartet is very slow. I aim however to that. At first I did songs unaccompanied to finish it by the end of lockdown! but that was very restricting.

I play a CD last thing at night and have I shall continue to do this for as long as I covered much listening ground mostly need to, hopefully soon I will be able to go chamber music and orchestral works: Bach, into church, maybe even with a live pianist. ” Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn to Hindemith, Stravinsky, Nielsen, Enescu and much reminded of what has been accumulated Elizabeth Charlesworth British music including Britten, Tippett, over nearly 50 years from many sources. More importantly, the vast majority of the photocopies are very likely to be the only second copies in existence. This work is al - most complete and I am now working on a comprehensive catalogue.

Of the many composers listed the ones most immediately relevant to BMS will include: Edgar Bainton, William Gillies Whittaker, Armstrong Gibbs, Edward Isaacs, Peter Pope, Christopher Edmunds, Peter Collins, Mervyn Roberts, John Graves, H. Yeaman Dodds, Gaze Cooper, Richard Walthew, James Walker, Percy Sherwood, Herbert

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BOOK REVIEWS

Granville Bantock: A Guide to 1892, but he remained at the RAM until 1895 throughout, being at pains to clarify his Research as a sub-professor, a position which held no terms of reference from the outset. John C Dressler salary but brought with it a reduction in fees, The chosen subject has, as he remarks, allowing Bantock to continue his studies. ‘received remarkably little scholarly CLEMSON UNIVERSITY PRESS Curiously, Dressler confuses the attention’. Further, the author warns the ISBN 978-1-942-95479-8 Birmingham and Midland Institute (now the reader against what he regards as ‘a set of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) and the anachronistic assumptions’ derived from University of Birmingham of which Bantock modern baton conducting. was simultaneously Principal of the School What, asks Holman, is the conductor of Music (from 1900) and Peyton Professor for? He was not a maestro ‘enforcing his (from 1908 following Elgar’s resignation) personal interpretation in performance’. respectively, conflating them into one Instead, throughout this book, the author is establishment when they were (and, indeed, keen to emphasize the importance of the still are) entirely separate. collaborative nature of the conductor’s role. There are also mistakes in the works list. Quite early on (Holman takes us far as The librettist of Bantock’s one-act opera back the ancient world) there was a per - Caedmar, for example, was the composer ceived need for an element of control, which himself, not Frederick Corder, and the Holman terms as ‘a controlling hand’. Time unpublished full score of The Sphinx, which beating was one of a range of strategies can allegedly be found at the Cadbury that instrumentalists developed to direct Research Library is, in fact, lost. ensembles effectively while playing. Whilst these are only a few examples, In the light of this, a range of repertoire further biographical and source inaccuracies is discussed in detail: 17th century Italian remain, and the reader is urged to check polychoral music from Venice, and poly - details with original sources. The list of choral music from German speaking areas. bibliographical sources, however, is a gift to Around 1700 there developed a technique any researcher looking for Bantock literature of time beating comprising a roll of music of all shapes and sizes from academic paper which became “a common 18th Bantock’s compositional output was research to historic press reviews. century time beating implement”. enormous, which may partly explain the Whilst noting some of this book’s use - Other areas are examined exhaustively: absence of the monograph on his life and fulness to Bantock scholars, at the consider - directing from the organ, French choral works that so many of his contemporaries able cost of £95, this is a project that might music, large scale Italian secular music, as have enjoyed. have been better restricted to an online well as Italian and French opera. Holman Even to compile a list of sources is a resource (the Cyril Rootham website is an identifies two traditions of directing opera massive undertaking and as such the present excellent example) that could be constantly ‘until the 1750s Italian opera was directed by volume, John C. Dressler’s book is a very updated and easily corrected rather than an the maestro Al Cembalo placed against the welcome and useful addition to Bantock expensive print run likely to appeal only to stage in the left-hand corner of the pit with research. libraries. his bass players reading over his shoulder’. It includes a great deal of information, There was a second continuo group that including the location of manuscript - Andrew H. King enabled the singers to hear themselves and sources, a discography, and an impressive the accompaniment. bibliography including general references, Andrew is a doctoral student at the University Opera music direction undertaken by obituaries, a list of Bantock’s own writings, of Birmingham, where he is scheduled to sub - the harpsichord continuo player soon trans - and details of archival material relating to mit a thesis on Bantock’s life and songs in early ferred to a violinist. Holman quotes from a Bantock at various libraries. 2021. bilingual pamphlet describing the violinist Trevor Bray’s 1972 PhD thesis ‘ Granville Bantock: His Life and Music ’ incorporated the Before the Baton: Musical Direction first complete Bantock catalogue but was and Conducting in Stuart and heavily criticized in the Bantock Society Georgian Britain Journal (Vol.2, Winter 1997, p.43) for its Peter Holman myriad inaccuracies. Dressler’s book, whilst a laudable BOYDELL PRESS, WOODBRIDGE achievement, must similarly be used with caution. It is disappointing that the ‘Bio - This beautifully produced volume is a graphical Sketch’ contains a number of er - remarkable achievement - clearly the out - rors that could easily have been cleared up come of exhaustive, wide-ranging research. by consulting original sources. The book is arranged in two strands: part Genealogical research has found that one, choral music and oratorio and part two, Bantock was one of eight children, not six opera and theatre music. (of which only four survived infancy). British music is the book’s primary His student record confirms that he entered focus although performance practice on the the Royal Academy of Music during in the continent up to around 1700 is also Lent Term of 1889, only after winning the considered. first Macfarren Scholarship. The author, professor Peter Holman, His studies formally concluded in July adopts a consistently rigorous approach

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BOOK & CD REVIEWS

Pugnani as ‘dominating the orchestra I hope she will record some more masterfully like a stalwart general in contemporary music. Meanwhile there the midst of his troops’. is much here to admire and enjoy, and I The book concludes with a heartily recommend this CD. consideration of two significant tran - sitions: from harpsichord to piano - Nigel Bolland and (a retrograde step in the author’s opinion) from piano to the conductor’s - - - - - rostrum. This last development was a product of the increasing complexity ETHEL SMYTH of opera in particular. Songs and Ballads Orchestral music was not far behind with the foundation, in 1813, Lucy Stevens contralto of the Philharmonic Society. The Elizabeth Marcus piano presence of baton conducting was in Berkeley Ensemble part due to the appearance of lumi - Odaline de la Martinez conductor naries such as Mendelssohn and Spohr ‘although it took time for the SOMM RECORDINGS SOMMCD0611 Philharmonic’s piano conductors to come to terms with baton technique This timely issue provides a useful and the new possibilities for control it reminder of the wide range of Dame seven variations present one of the out - offered’. Ethel Smyth’s output. In addition to six standing British violin sonatas. And this Professor Holman concludes his operas, an oratorio, a double concerto for performance is superb. formidable survey of the developments in the usual combination of violin and horn, Leighton’s sonata, written when he was musical direction with a fiery polemic, she also composed a large number of only 19, is highly accomplished and deeply questioning the appropriateness of the smaller-scale works particularly an felt. In three movements, the piece shows modern baton in pre 19th century music. extensive collection of songs. real quality in its varied ideas and moods. He maintains that in the 17th and 18th The present disc comprises a number Although lasting less than 18 minutes this is a centuries time beating was simple and of works for voice and piano as well as four substantial piece which deserves to be functional, maximizing precision and songs for the imaginative combination of widely heard. I cannot imagine a better minimizing control. voice and chamber ensemble. performance. Holman is a distinguished practitioner The Four Songs for mezzosoprano (here William Alwyn’s Sonatina, an early work in the field of early music and is particularly the admirable Lucy Stevens) flute, violin, from about 1933, was unpublished and un - interesting in issues such as orchestral and viola, cello, harp and percussion open the known for 75 years. It is attractively tuneful choral layout. CD. This unusual combination demonstrates and full of interesting ideas. Altogether, this is a stimulating and the composers flare for textural integration. As Geoffrey Atkinson wrote in a recent thought provoking read. The first three songs entitled ‘ Odelette ’, review of the recording by Tasmin Little and ‘Dance ’ and ‘ Chrysilla ’ demonstrate an Piers Lane, it ‘has poise and elegance’, and I - Alistair MacDonald almost Debussyan delicacy - an illustration would add, considerable charm also. of Smyth’s wide compositional range. The The short pieces by Jacob, written - - - - - fourth song ‘ Anacreontic Ode ’ portrays a between 1959 and 1975, unlike the other more robust musical language with a more works here, reveal all they have on the first BRITISH VIOLIN SONATAS vigorous energetic approach. Odaline de la hearing. I even found ‘ Little Dancer ’ quite Martinez remarks in the accompanying irritating the second time I heard it. Clare Howick violin notes ‘No wonder Debussy described these Alan Rawsthorne’s “Pierette: Valse Simon Callaghan piano songs as tout à fait remarquables. Caprice,” written in 1934, is more interesting, The disc continues with a cycle of though still slight. Played as well as it is here SOMMCD 0610 Smyth’s early Op 3 songs that remind us of it would be a delightful encore. Lennox Berkeley’s ‘ Elegy ’ and ‘ Toccata ’, All the music on this CD, apart from the Op. 33, Nos. 2 and 3, are from 1951. Both are three short pieces by Gordon Jacob, which engaging and beautifully written for the receive their first recording here, was writ - violin. These would also make fine encores. ten between 1933 and 1951. The major works Clare Howick’s tone is lovely and her are the sonatas by William Walton and technique impeccable, while Simon Kenneth Leighton, both written around 1948. Callaghan is an able and sensitive partner. Walton’s is the best-known and longest The recording is excellent and the balance piece. It was written for Yehudi Menuhin between instruments is ideal. They sound and Louis Kentner, who gave the first intimate but not uncomfortably close. performance and made the first recording. Howick has recorded works for violin Menuhin described Walton’s ‘supreme and piano by Scott, Elgar, Delius, Bridge, joie de vivre, his exuberance, his love of Smyth and Maconchy, amongst others, and physical sensation… His music is life-giving, concertos by Leighton, Jacob and Paul Pat - life-embracing.’ terson, the latter having been written for her. The two movements, an Allegro It is good to know that British music for tranquillo, in sonata form, and a theme with the violin is in such capable hands.

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CD REVIEWS

the composer’s German background. She PENELOPE THWAITES studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire and was From Five Continents - Choral Music thoroughly immersed in German Texts. Op 3 and Songs were subtitled ‘ Lieder und Balladen ’ although they are performed in the composer’s En - Ex Cathedra glish translation. All the songs on this disc Jeffrey Skidmore conductor receive ardent, committed performances from Lucy Stevens and Elizabeth Marcus. SOMMCD 0612 In her enlightening notes De La Mar - tinez makes interesting reference to these If you have come across Penelope Thwaites songs as reflecting Smyth’s singular life and before it will probably be as a pianist. She is character - ‘Her drive, her uncompromising Australian and has often performed, public and private life and her passionate recorded and promoted contemporary desires’. Australian composers, but now it is her turn Of the opus 4 songs of particular note is for a moment in the sun with this, the the ‘ Tanzlied ’ in which the text (by Georg première CD of her music. Büchner) is beautifully set with more than The first four tracks are devoted to hint of Mahler in evidence. skill, there is still much to say in a late tonal choral psalm settings including the well- Smyth’s debt to the lieder style can also idiom which, as well as its debt to Finzi, known Psalm 23 ‘ The Lord is my Shepherd ’, be found in the witty Schumannesque seems to derive succour from the music of followed by a succinct ‘ Missa Brevis ’ (which ‘Nachtreiter ’. The song ‘ Nachtgedanken ’ (Night late Holst and Howells. means there is no setting of the Creed) Thoughts) illustrates one of Smyth’s chief This is, make no mistake, a superb disc written for St. John’s Church Canberra. preoccupations, that of motherhood from – the third to feature Venables’ song The disc ends with sacred works such as the woman’s point of view. repertoire. Cliché alert: it is difficult to ‘Christmas Songs’ with very touching poems The CD concludes with songs that date imagine this music better sung or played by Thwaites herself, and by her father from Smyth’s period of political activism and recorded. Michael, a setting of ‘ Lead Kindly Light ’ and specifically the Suffragette movement. As the very full programme notes ending with ‘ St. Teresa’s Bookmark ’, which The ‘ Three Songs ’ of 1913 date from the mention there is much that is slow and was also set in the 80s by Rubbra. composer’s time in prison. Here the musical contemplative here, so firstly, I would sug - In between, are three ‘ Love Songs ’ language has a flavour that (among other gest listening in small doses. divided between a soprano, baritone and composers) recalls Prokofiev. Secondly, to appreciate the full richness tenor with piano, and ‘ Five Shakespeare Thus this is an intriguing disc, providing of this offering, I recommend reading the Songs ’ for the three soloists, SATB Choir, insights into a composer who was so much poems – and the admirable commentary in piano, with the imaginative use of more than a caricature from the world of the notes – very carefully before and after percussion utilizing the most famous of the women’s lib. It is well worth investigating. listening to the music. bard’s texts like ‘ O Mistress Mine ’ and ‘ It was The disc opens with six intense love a lover and his lass ’. - Alistair MacDonald songs for soprano and piano, the verse, as Lastly and, especially, interestingly is a often with Venables, carefully chosen to ex - piece entitled ‘ India-Australia-Africa ’ very - - - - - plore the mysteries of love and loss. This se - rhythmic settings of three texts in a sort of lection is followed a major work, ‘Remember Radio 2 style, if I may say, for which the IAN VENABLES This’, a cantata for both soprano and tenor various voices are joined by a guitar, piano, Love Lives Beyond the Tomb with accompaniment from the string quartet percussion and a saxophone, hence the CD and piano. covers five continents as indicated by its Mary Bevan soprano This is a quite remarkable setting of a title. Allan Clayton tenor longish poem by the former laureate Andrew The composer has been especially Carducci String Quartet Motion, celebrating and reflecting on the life fortunate in the performers involved and Graham J Lloyd piano of the Queen Mother following her death in the intimacy of the recording, all seem to be 2002. firmly committed to this music which must SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD 61 It comprises eight sections, four of which are sonnets which are interleaved with a Ian Venables is now recognised as one narrative that recounts the Queen of the leading song composers of his genera - Mother’s journey from death to burial. tion. He continues the tradition established The poetry is direct and approachable, by Gerald Finzi for exquisitely poised set - and Venables is quoted as saying it chose tings of poetry which is chosen with great him ‘rather than the other way round’. discrimination. The final selection on the disc is for The melodic lines always faithfully tenor, viola and piano and sets lines contour the poetic rhythm, and there is a written by WW 1 poets. The bosky tone of Finzi-esque ability to conjour up a telling the viola certainly adds colour to the musical phrase to fit the sentiment. gloomy sentiments. Sassoon’s ‘Suicide in His piano writing also is highly the Trenches' is treated to a setting of resourceful, imaginative, and occasionally savage sarcasm, which is in contrast to very dramatic, as though infused by the the general elegiac mood of this group. spirit of an English Rachmaninoff. It further proves that, given sufficient - Geoffrey Atkinson

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CD REVIEWS

be quite different from their usual repertoire and they are rewarded with some very pleasing melodies and gratifying and sensitive word setting, but, I have to say, not much of this music is especially memorable, none of it will ‘frighten the horses’, and the style (not that this necessarily matters) is mostly of 50 or 100 years ago with few disso - nances or harmonic surprises. The Shakespeare settings, which I enjoyed the most, have a feeling of the era of Miss Marple about them, and sing of a long lost England (or Australia) a period, which perhaps only exists in the imagination. Incidentally, Jeffrey Skidmore commented to the composer on the Englishness of ‘ A Carol for Christmas Morning ’. The texts have been clearly provided and Penelope Thwaites writes briefly about the background to the disc and intriguingly on each of the pieces and how they came to be written.

- Gary Higginson

- - - - -

ARNELL & BATE Violin & Piano

Patrick Wastnage violin Elizabeth Dunn piano busy with triplet figuration, while the violin violin melody in the Lento over haunting TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0492 soars above. slow chords for the piano. The Marcia 3rd The theme for the ‘ Passacaglia for solo movement is a lively scherzo with running Both these British composers were in New violin ’ is based on falling thirds in a slow triplets for the piano. York during the war enjoying early successes tempo, and develops through several The final Presto has driving discords on with their orchestral pieces taken up by variations, with skilful double stopping to the piano, with a more lyrical central Thomas Beecham in the USA. make a satisfying piece. episode. Richard Arnell (1917-2009) was a pupil of Returning to London in 1947, Arnell’s The playing is full of vitality and convic - John Ireland at the RCM from 1935-39. In 2nd violin sonata was premiered in a BBC tion and deserves to give a new lease of life New York for the World Fair, he was lucky to radio broadcast in February 1950. It opens to these worthy pieces which were victims of get a commission from Elizabeth Coolidge to with a dramatic rising figure of detached the Glock-Keller austerity regime. write a violin sonata, composed in summer chromatic octaves on the piano, to which the 1940 on Long Island. violin responds with a calmer and quieter - Richard Carder The 1st sonata’s opening Allegro, is in a version in legato, and these form the main jovial neo-classical mood, nearer to ingredients of the movement. - - - - - Hindemith than Stravinsky in style, followed The Andante slow movement starts with by a brief and mysterious, Adagio, which the calm version of the rising chromatic FAÇADES leads to a final Vivace, where the piano is scale, contrasted with a legato figure of Walton and Lambert rising and falling thirds. The final Allegro movement is a skittish Andrew West & Ronald Woodley piano Scherzo in triple time, culminating with a James Geer tenor decorated violin scale rising three octaves. ‘Variations on an American Theme ’ are a SOMMCD 0614 delightful set, but the mystery of the source of the theme seems to have led to various The entertaining charm of this coquettish confusions with the dates and the number - piano combination is a perfect way to ing of the track numbers. brighten up those lacklustre Lockdown Stanley Bate (1911-59) was born in blues. Plymouth, and had written an opera before William Walton’s engaging Façade Suites studying at the RCM with Vaughan Williams, 1 and 2 are here candidly delivered in a and later with Hindemith. His sonata was spritely arrangement by Constant Lambert. written in Brazil in 1946. These engaging, infectious transcriptions for The lively opening Allegro leads to a sad two keyboards, speak for themselves in

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CD REVIEWS

no uncertain terms and are delightfully presented here, Mr Preece has made an HOWELLS entertaining. engraving from the original manuscript. Missa Sabrinensis Purists might decide they cannot The set of Four Carols , dating from 1916 compare with the classic version featuring to 1918, need to be explored by choirs The Bach Choir the lyrics of the great Edith Sitwell. But the globally; it includes the familiar Lullay my BBC Concert Orchestra impact of modern audio-engineering and liking and the not-so-familiar Bring us in David Hill conductor accomplished keyboard and vocal work make good ale , which showcases brilliantly the men this engaging rendition an essential part of of the choir both in unison and in harmony. HYPERION CDA68294 any respectable collection. The listener will immediately compare The fun and impish amusement enjoyed and contrast Holst’s Dives and Lazarus (1917) Herbert by Messrs West and Woodley bubbles with the popular work of RVW but of some Howells throughout this well-executed release. The 20 years later. In particular, I enjoyed the (1892-1983) bouncy energy of Polka , Tarantella , Tango , chord progression Holst uses in the final like his Country Dance , Popular Song and Fox-Trot verse. friend (to name just a few of the intimate The listener will be pleased with Holst’s Vaughan performances on this 28-track bonanza) settings of especially To Sylvia and Come Williams, benefits from agile finger-work, thoughtfully away Death - part of the set of Five Part was not a balanced piano pedalling and a clear rapport Songs composed just prior to 1900; they believer, between these skilled four hands. display solid imitative singing style of the yet he The sultry, but at the same time gently women against that of the men. created a commanding, voice of tenor, James Geer, The stand-alone It was a lover and his vast amount of religious music for the successfully brings home songs of a more lass is remarkable for its more reflective Anglican church, seeing in the text expressive mode. The Long-Departed Lover narrative of the poetry than the more lusty architecture of ‘immemorial prose’. shows Lambert – himself a notable pianist intent style sometimes set; several beautiful David Willcocks commissioned the and 30-years friend of Walton -- at his chordal structures are brought forward in Missa Sabrinensis (Mass of the Severn) for the plaintive composing best and here they this primarily note-against-note setting. 1954 Worcester Three Choirs Festival. benefit from Geer’s beautifully-restrained The disc concludes with a setting of After its premiere it had few perfor - tenor voice, guaranteed to pull on the heart Thomas Hood’s I love thee . In similar fashion mances until October 1982 when the Bach strings. to Now rest thee that opens this recording, Choir performed it at the Royal Festival Hall This attractive release also includes the setting highlights the roundness of in celebration of Howells’s 90th birthday. polished versions of Walton’s masterpiece, timbre the CCC has. Why this should be is a puzzle. It is a Siesta , as well as Lambert’s legendary Four Another early work from around 1900 challenging work for performers with its Poems by Li Po. this setting features a wonderful series of complex contrapuntal textures, requiring This release revels in the music’s chords smoothly moving about in peaceable artists of high calibre and adequate folksy/jazz roots and excellent sound manner, almost forecasting those used by rehearsal time. But it is a masterpiece, one engineering (wonderfully captured at Potton Walton and Howells. of the great works of 20th century choral Hall, Suffolk) brings the deftly played instru - This is a most welcome disc to acquaint music. ments and crisp vocal sound right into the us with Holst’s vocal writing less heard today Although some portions of the work are listeners room! in concert halls or sanctuaries than his large reminiscent of Vaughan Williams, Holst and and smaller orchestral works. Many of these Walton that is only because their works are - Chris Bye pieces given us here by Mr Preece and the more familiar. Howells was his own man and CCC have now received world-première there was a reason Bliss in his autobiography - - - - - recording status. described Howells as ‘the outstanding talent’ of his generation. GUSTAV HOLST - John Dressler In a letter to Walter Emery, Howells Choral Works described his overall vision, ‘Each [move ------ment] builds itself in obedience not only to Caritas Chamber Choir the text but to the logical sequence of purely Benedict Preece director musical ideas’. In this recording Mr Hill and his Available online from Caritas Chamber performers allow us to hear and appreciate Choir Howells’ magnificent detail in all its glory. ’The logical sequence of purely musical This disc contains a compilation of part ideas…’ is laid before us as impressive as a songs, a folk song and carols, brought medieval cathedral; ornate, intricate and together to create a varied CD of some of wholly satisfying as a work of art. The Gustav Holst’s lesser-known works for recording quality is superb as are all the voices. Founded in 2011 the CCC has performers, though Helena Dix stands out in members from the East Kent area; the group her liquid navigation of the high soprano often performs at Canterbury Cathedral. lines.The disc finishes with a stirring Mr Preece chose to open the disc with arrangement of Howells hymn tune Michael. a wonderful note-against-note part-song, Now rest thee from all care, demonstrating - Paul RW Jackson the choir’s truly satisfying balance, diction and phrasing. Like several other works - - - - -

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CD REVIEWS

SOMERVELL Roderick Williams, writing in the away death ’ with the electrifying agility of A Shropshire Lad & Maud booklet ‘ A Singer’s Perspective ’, seems to both voice and piano in ‘ When I was and a almost apologise for the song-cycle and I little tiny boy ’. Roderick Williams baritone have to agree that Somervell seems to be Maconchy’s daughter, Nicola LeFanu’s Susie Allan piano generally deliberately oblivious to the trauma piece, ‘ The Swan ’ is described as a ‘scena’. suffered by the poet and to its consequences Both stunningly imaginative and quite filmic SOMM CD0615 only occasionally stressing the deeper it uses sections of a Latin medieval text and a moods. modern English exposition by Fleur Adcock. These cycles are complemented by Some of the text is spoken by two other quite poignant songs ‘ A Kingdom Jeremy Huw Williams, other sections sung by the Sea ’ (Poe) and with words translated with considerable dramatic ebullience from the German ‘ Shepherds Cradle Song ’. against an expressive piano background. These performances have much Welsh composer Hilary Tann sets three beauty, empathy and sensitivity. This music poems by Gwyneth Lewis on the story of may be out of fashion and may be restricted Saint Melangell who saved a hare being in its emotional depth but it still should have chased by hunters by hiding it beneath her an audience and still provide pleasure and skirts. She uses a quartet of strings, as refreshment. backing. Soprano Yunah Lee is used in some respects like an extra instrument. The music - Gary Higginson is more tonal in its expression. More tonal still are the four poems set by - - - - - Jamaican born composer Eleanor Alberga based on colourful pictorial texts. WOMEN'S VOICES ‘A Girl by the Ocean ’ by Barbara Jazwin - It seems that Arthur Somervell’s setting of Vocal Music by Women Composers ski sets a poem by her daughter Maria. It is 10 poems from A.E. Housman’s now iconic dramatic, and very much on the modern poems may have been the first to gain Jeremy Huw Williams baritone side. permission and approval from the famously Paula Fan piano Cecilia McDowall’s settings of three curmudgeonly and unmusical poet. Lauren Rustad Roth, Timothy Kantor violins poems by Dylan Thomas, though still They were written at the time Molly Gebrian viola modern, are the closest to more tonal music, when young men were leaving to fight, and Theodore Buchholz cello possibly the most instantly appealing music to die, in the far-off Boer war, but are now on the CD. The others need repeated listen - inextricably linked with the awfulness of LORELT LNT143 ing demonstrating the difference between World War I. popular and classical music. Listen to Dating from 1904 Somervell’s ‘ A popular music and it is the same each time Shropshire Lad ’ is clearly of its Edwardian you hear it. With modern classical music, era. It is diatonic with no hint of the often each listening reveals something new and pained modality and wounded harmonies often impressive. found in the younger Butterworth’s settings of just a few years later. - Alan Cooper Four of the poems were set by both composers including ‘ Loveliest of Trees ’, - - - - - which opens both. Somervell singularly fails to plumb the depths of ‘On the idle hill of RUBBRA, BLISS & BAX summer ‘compared with Butterworth’s The Romantic Piano Concerto Vol 81 setting in another cycle. However Somervell can write a The Orchestra Now telling melody with expressive harmonic Leon Botstein conductor shifts as in ‘ White in the Moon ’. The cycle is Piers Lane piano said in Jeremy Dibble’s excellent essay to “communicate a narrative of a young man HYPERION CDA68297 who wistfully contemplates nature, life and This collection of vocal settings by six women love at the age of 20”. composers, is coloured by their musical I have wondered for years why Rubbra’s ‘Maud ’ sets Tennyson, the Victorian upbringing in a period in the 20th century, Piano Concerto has not been recorded since poet-laureate, and dates from 1898. Ten - when lavish tonality tended to be frowned 1956 when Denis Matthews was the soloist nyson calls ‘ Maud ’ a monodrama, and it is on. Actually, none of the music is completely under Sargent. one of considerable length. Somervell sets 13 atonal, indeed some is definitely tonal, but I suspected that it would eventually of the poems. stretched to its outer reaches. appear in Hyperion’s Romantic Piano The poet is infatuated with a young Elizabeth Maconchy (1907 – 1994) was in - Concerto series and here it is in a highly woman ‘not yet seventeen’ and fantasises spired by composers like Bartók, Alban Berg desirable coupling with Rubbra’s friend and about wanting to be with her, in her and Janáček. Her ‘ Four Shakespeare Songs ’ all colleague Arthur Bliss. There is also a short garden or in the fields. But this is only after feature the ‘astringency’ mentioned in the work by Bax who had preceded Bliss as discovering the body of his father who accompanying programme note but she still Master of the Kings’s Musick. committed suicide and then, at first, hating manages very skilfully to mirror and indeed Rubbra was a fine pianist and his con - Maud before becoming obsessed with her. amplify the moods of her very different texts. certo, written when he was at the height of Compare the brooding darkness of ‘ Come his powers and popularity, is dedicated ‘in

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romantic qualities. He is supported by the There are a few glimpses of RVW’s strong sympathies of Leon Botstein and the styling here and there, no doubt inherent in orchestra. Gurney’s own setting of Housman’s poems In between the concerti is one of Bax’s which those of RVW had so inspired him to late works, one of his shortest and sunniest, examine more of A.E.H.’s output. ‘Maytime in Sussex ’, the county which There are plenty of moments of became his home after the Second World exquisite lyricism as well as intensity for the War. listener to enjoy and appreciate. The four Throughout the disc Lane, Botstein and selected songs of Herbert Howells also the orchestra play with fervour and total included on this disc ( There was a Maiden , understanding. I like their sometimes more Girl’s Song , King David and The Mugger’s relaxed tempi and the essence of the best of Song ) include several delightfully bouncy British music is captured to perfection. sections juxtaposed with moments more dark and powerful in nature. - Gary Higginson These provide a wonderful microcosm of Howells' vocal writing. Known better homage’ to the Pakistani musician, Ali Akbar - - - - - for his choral works, these songs were Khan. The latter played a ‘sorod’, which composed at the end of his time at the Royal Rubbra described as “ a complex Indian GURNEY & HOWELLS College of Music. string instrument”. Those Blue Remembered Hills The terrific timbre and unanimity of Rubbra was fascinated with Asian music phrasing and articulation of the Bridge for much of his life. He heard Khan play and The Bridge Quartet Quartet is showcased within a marvellous he loved the way ‘he felt his way into the Roderick Williams baritone interpretation of Gurney’s String Quartet in improvisation’; here the first movement does Michael Dussek piano D Minor completed in 1925. just that. This four-movement chamber music But this arch-shaped movement is EM RECORDS EM-065 gem illustrates Gurney’s adeptness at high- entitled ‘ Corymbus ’. Rubbra explained to me quality and ingenious that he had taken a strong interest in Botany instrumental compo - whilst living on the Chilterns, and that this sition that one might word describes a ‘cluster of blossoms whose not expect from a stalks of the lower flowers are longer than composer so much those of the upper’. He drew the shape for me more known for being in my miniature score. Musically, ideas are a song craftsman. stated then they flower and enlarge. In this work The middle movement is called Gurney pays homage ‘Dialogue ’, proving that this concerto is not to the Romantic-era a typical Romantic, confrontational work string writing similar but one in which the material is evenly to that of Beethoven divided, almost spiritually, between the along with Gurney’s soloist an orchestra. own characteristic The bumptious finale, a ‘ Danza alla melodic construction Rondo ’ has a cadenza towards the end which throughout. quotes from the earlier two movements but All the typical late its slightly menacing atmosphere might be nineteenth-century explained by another, curious quotation in instrumental ele - the score, from Dante’s ‘Inferno’, which ments such as sonata translates as ‘Speak not to them (the form, cyclic use of damned) but look and pass’. In this work material from move - Piers Lane is at one with the work’s ment to movement, transcendent qualities. contrasting textures, Bliss’s longer concerto is more in the off- as well as on-beat Romantic tradition. It is in three movements jagged rhythmic with the last having an andante maestoso figures are here all introduction before launching into a One is struck from the start of Ivor expertly presented by the Bridge Quartet. tarantella-like molto vivo. This is a bravura Gurney’s The Western Playland by the clarity This disc focuses on the various shapes, concerto as witnessed right from the start and musicianship of diction and phrasing moods and degrees of colour change the with its towering double octaves from the displayed by Mr Williams; this proves to hold listener will associate with English chamber piano which even scared the great Solomon across the entire disc. music of the period. for whom it was written. Written for baritone, string quartet and There is a wonderful and satisfying The British Council commissioned it for piano, this work is realized with terrific selection here of Gurney’s huge output, a first performance in America under Boult, balance throughout among singer, pianist much of which remains in manuscript at the and Bliss, who, having American relatives and ensemble. The dialogue nature of the Gloucestershire Archives for performers and and also being a man to produce music for 8-poem cycle setting is stunningly rendered editors to explore. the grand occasion, was the ideal composer to the listener by all the performers high - for the job. Piers Lane is as much in tune lighting every aspect of imagery and - John Dressler with the virtuosity as he is to the work’s meaning in the poetry. - - - - -

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organ music into something like a Fantasia for solo organ?

- Alan Cooper

- - - - -

HERBERT HOWELLS Piano Music 1

Matthew Schellhorn piano

NAXOS 8.571382

This disc is a welcome issue from the collaboration of the BMS and Naxos, and therefore available at a modest price, yet with no compromise on quality of recording and performance – Mr Schellhorn is clearly a very fine pianist. The 21 tracks on the disc concentrate mainly on relatively early and late works. The early works evince a fine compositional technique, with passages, in some pieces, of rapid filigree work which recall the styles of Rachmaninov and Ravel, and, in others, the added-note harmony of Debussy. The main item in this group is the seven movements of ‘ Summer Idylls ’, pleasant enough music to be sure, though one’s ‘innocent ear’ would, understandably per - haps, be unlikely to identify the composer. FRANCIS POTT orchestral accompaniment. Soon however, Howells devotees will doubtless be At First Light & Word the choir assumes centre stage, and in the familiar with Lambert’s Clavichord of 1927 central Latin Hymn of Praise, ‘Laudibus in and Howells' Clavichord of 1961. Commotio Chamber Choir sanctis’, an electrifyingly complex Scherzo- The much stronger material in the Matthew Berry conductor like choral passage, the cello is absent. Siciliana of 1958 and the Pavane and Galliard The Latin texts express the universality of 1964 exult in the style of the later collec - NAXOS 8.573976 of the Requiem but the English texts express tion.These pieces are absolutely splendid. depths of feeling on a more personal level, I am most reassured by Jonathan Two attractively tonal yet modern choral heightened by Pott’s choral writing, particu - Clinch’s comment in the liner notes which compositions by Francis Pott (b. 1957) are larly where he brings in solo voices from the states that Howells always played these brought together in these world première chamber choir. Overall, this is a carefully pieces on the piano. Frankly it is absurd to recordings. thought out and complex work that is rather think that the clavichord with its tiny tone ‘At First Light’, commissioned by Eric moving. would be adequate. In the final group of Bruskin of Philadelphia USA, is related to the The second piece ‘Word’ was commis - pieces, the ‘ Petrus Suite ’, the idiom has idea of a Requiem in memory of Bruskin’s sioned by the Reverend Dr Nicholas late mother (although in his detailed pro - Fisher who provided the choice of gramme note Pott writes that it is not really a texts, interspersing sections of the Requiem as such). prelude to the Gospel of St John with Several Latin texts including ‘Requiem the poetry of R. S. Thomas. The work aeternam’ are set along with English poetry explores the more mystical side of by Thomas Blackburn, the Welsh poet Alun the search for belief. Lewis, Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran and the The choral writing, expressed American Wendell Berry. Bruskin’s own in the marvellously clean, well Jewish faith is represented by his own balanced and clear singing of the English translation of the Hebrew Liturgy of Oxford based chamber choir Internment. Commotio, is augmented by alluring I mention this because I feel it is some - organ playing from Christian how reflected in the impassioned free- Wilson, whether in accompaniments soaring music for solo cello, which is at for the chorus or in solo passages, times reminiscent of the singing of a sometimes rich and lavish but with Jewish Cantor. The piece opens with the solo delightful moments of outstanding cello played vehemently by Joseph Spooner. delicacy too. It was that which When, after a while, he is joined by the particularly impressed me. chorus, it sounded to me almost like an Perhaps Pott could expand this

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become rather more spare and emotionally restrained, in line with Howells’ late idiom. The alert will notice the ‘1’ in the disc title, so it is hoped that further explorations of this composer’s piano music will become available. However admirable the preceding may be, there is an issue which I find troubling. This is based on the possibly quaint idea that pianists might wish to play at least some of the simpler music featured here themselves. For a start, there is no informa - tion as to the sources of the music. Novello is stated as the publisher, but none of the items here appear to be listed, even as archive. If you refer to the HH Society website, which is the obvious step, the list of his works is behind a paywall – ie you have to join the society, which is irritating, old- fashioned and counterproductive. The websites of, for instance, Ronald Stevenson and Robin Milford, are admirable examples of how to do it. Further, In this 21st century, computer typesetting and print-to-order means that items of niche interest may be made easily and cheaply sourced, and indeed would provide an additional supply of funds for the society.

- Geoffrey Atkinson arranged in multi-parts. Gray’s music IAN VENABLES handles the textures in a thoroughly Requiem - - - - - Stanfordian manner with a Gloria set with a confidant response to this familiar text. Gloucester Cathedral Choir HUBERT PARRY The Nunc Dimittis provides a comple - Adrian Partington director Songs of Farewell mentary contrast with a tender and Works by Stanford, Gray & Wood atmospheric mood in evidence. SOMMCD 0618 Stanford now makes a second appear - The Choir of Westminster Abbey ance in the programme with his superb A major work from Ian Venables is always James O'Donnell conductor neo-Bachian setting of the Latin Magnificat . most welcome, but a masterpiece like this This fine work was composed for R.R. Terry leaves me almost speechless. Having HYPERION CDA68301 the organist of Westminster Cathedral. played the CD twice, I bought the score James O’Donnell was formally the which very much helped to reveal some of The programme of this imaginatively organist and choirmaster of the cathedral the skill and intricacies in the evolution and planned CD is enhanced by music making and hence knows the repertoire well. construction of this work. of the highest order. A second setting of the Nunc Dimittis Venables states that when the idea of a From the magical opening – Stanford’s follows by the Irishman Charles Wood commission to compose a full Requiem was Three Motets Op 38, by way of canticle set - demonstrating this underrated composer’s suggested, he felt it would be ‘too daunting tings by Alan Gray and Charles Wood, lead interest in plainsong and the contrapuntal a creative challenge’, but he did agree to to Sir Hubert Parry’s magnificent Songs of textures of the Renaissance. compose a short work memorial work for a Farewell where is evoked an atmosphere of The most substantial pieces on this funeral service. peace and tranquility that imbues the whole disc are Parry’s magnificent cycle of Six This was a setting, as an introit, of the disc. Motets composed between 1914 and 1915. ‘Requiem Aeternum ’ text, (recorded on The gentle finality of the musical style Technically demanding, each SOMM 0187). This had the unexpected is beautifully caught by the Westminster piece is delivered with sensitivity and effect of firing him up with an ‘overwhelm - Abbey Choir in the experienced hands of (where appropriate) panache by the abbey ing desire’ to set the whole thing, which James O’Donnell their director of music. choir with James O’Donnell completely at quickly turned into an 18 month Following the Stanford Motets there home in the style and idiom of the music. compositional odyssey. comes a worthy companion – a fine These are particularly well-judged Op 48 may be a fortunate omen. Fauré’s setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis and controlled performances, which are much loved work also bore this magic in F Minor by Alan Gray, Stanford’s well-nigh faultless. number. However, the style is much more successor as organist of Trinity College reminiscent of Duruflé’s Op 9 although the Cambridge. - Alistair MacDonald melodic lines are modal rather than derived Like the other pieces on this disc it is

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from plainsong. The harmonies are VAUGHAN WILLIAMS & FINZI A sprightly woodwind section – yes, iatonic with various degrees of dissonance, including two clarinets! - also make their some quite strong, some achingly beautiful. Philharmonia Orchestra telling mark. This pastoral work oozes a Venables makes his own compilation of Michael Collins conductor / solo clarinet definitive calmness that will help us all face the texts. There is a ‘ Pie Jesu ’, but for choir down the ugliest after a short solo. The ‘ Dies Ira e’ scares BIS (BIS 2367) of difficulties. rather than terrorises the listener, but Indeed, this most strikingly, there is no ‘ In Paradisum ’. Britain's eminent version seems Rather the conclusion is the ‘Lux clarinettist, Michael to encapsulate aeterna’ because the text has ‘a transcen - Collins, makes a that lovely dental resonance, one that connects our spectacular impres - adage: “Music is inner world with the spiritual world that sion in his debut as the medicine of lies beyond the veil.’ a sublimely con - the mind!” Thus, the work ends ‘in a mood of trolled symphonic RVW (1872- radiant optimism’, rather than the Faure’s conductor. 1958) and the resigned scepticism or Durufle's perfumed He coaxes the lesser-known, tranquility. very best from Ralph Gerald Finzi Listening with the score, the subtlety Vaughan Williams’ (1901-1956), were with which two extraordinarily simple divine Fifth sym - two of Britain’s organ and choir motifs are woven into phony. This perfor - eminent 20^th subsequent passages is more evident. mance ranks with century com - Ian says the ‘ Libera me ’ ‘proved to be the the very best of posers who biggest creative challenge’ in which case recordings over recent decades. knew how to use orchestral timbre to I would suggest it became his ‘biggest’ A finely structured interpretation liter - engender intense emotional sounds. success. ally bursts on the music scene as a real ear- Collins’ tender version of the Finzi Clarinet opener, sitting comfortably among the Concerto makes a perfect stablemate. 30-plus different recordings made since its An arresting forte string opening premiere in war-torn 1943 with immediate melts away into the seductive sway of the success. Past masterful interpreters have mellow-moody clarinet, which goes on to included Boult, Barbirolli, Menuhin, Previn, flourish with hypnotic themes throughout Haitink, Hickox, Elder and Manze. this irresistible Finzi concerto. Without any doubt, Collins can Collins’ distinctive and articulate join this pre-eminent list. clarinet playing captures a satisfying Collins’ carefully nursed emotive nimbleness, sharply contrasting with those sweeps are superbly controlled with an ad - elongated phrases, particularly in the mirable discipline which adds considerable plaintive adagio. A crisp, well-engineered, weight to those ever-so popular goose- release that makes a definite antidote to pimply moments. Philharmonia strings and those Covid blues. smooth brass embellish those atypical RVW melodies and harmonies, which sweetly - Chris Bye teem from this symphonic masterpiece. - - - - - I loved coming across the directions ‘spaventato’ (fearful’) and ‘minnacciando’ (menacing) in the approach to the ‘ Dies Irae ’ which is set as a sinister march (the outline deriving from the second of the original motifs). This leads to a spectacular dissonance which slowly unwinds to an unsettled pianissimo. The performance is exemplary. Sopranos and altos (boys and girls) are absolutely rock-solid and pure in tone but the men sometimes sound a bit woolly. That may be a consequence of a difficult acoustic. I also noted that the pedal part from the organ could have had more definition (and my set-up does include a sub-woofer). There are four additional anthems on the disc, but you would want to hear these on a different occasion than the Requiem which, as you may gather, I have found overwhelming.

- Geoffrey Atkinson

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