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THE GLITTERING PLAIN ARTIST’S NOTE This CD is quite different from my previous disc has a minimalist figure which repeats throughout for Signum Classics, in that I have commissioned the track, with pedal notes adding to the texture 1 The Sparkling Heavens Will Todd (b.1970) [9.04] British composers active in the field of jazz but as the piece ebbs and flows. It is an evocation also working with classical music (or vice versa) of the imagined timelessness of heaven, the 2 Graham Lynch (b.1957) [5.55] Milonga Azure so the project is a classical crossover of sorts. beauty and the strength of eternity.” I wondered what would happen if I asked Will Todd 3 Winding Wind Tim Garland (b.1966) [5.34] composers to write (or arrange) something 4 The Moon For Her Tim Garland [5.29] that was essentially drawing on classical form Will Todd’s music includes works for choir, or style but borrowing jazz harmonies, inflections stage and orchestra, and has been performed The Glittering Plain Ian Lawson (b.1955) and improvisatory influences. This CD is the worldwide. Will’s flagship work is his electrifying exciting result of that concept and features jazz work Mass in Blue, which has been performed 5 Movement 1 [5.12] some stylistically varied, beautifully melodious almost 100 times since its 2003 premiere. 6 Movement 2 [6.16] and rhythmically vital new works. It has been For more information see www.willtodd.com 7 Movement 3 [4.26] a pleasure to work with the Pavão String 2 8 Evensong Mike Hall (b.1957) [4.19] Quartet and the Will Todd Trio in recording Milonga Azure these pieces. Graham Lynch 9 No More Sorrow Tim Barnes (b.1990) [2.42] Lara James, 2012 “Milonga Azure captures the ambience of a beach 0 A View Through an Open Door Dave Stapleton (b.1979) [7.43] NOTES ON THE WORKS café at St Ives on a lazy summer’s lunchtime - the title suggestive of the intense blue of the sea q Is It August Yet? Huw Warren (b.1962) [5.11] 1 The Sparkling Heavens and sky. But the music also evokes other moods Will Todd including a sense of melancholy and sadness, Total timings: [61.48] because the enjoyable moments in life are “Commissioned specially for this album, The only ephemeral.” LARA JAMES SAXOPHONE Sparkling Heavens is a long winding melody Graham Lynch PAVÃO STRING QUARTET for soprano saxophone with constantly shifting WILL TODD TRIO textures in the strings and percussion. The piano www.signumrecords.com - 3 - Graham created a new arrangement of Milonga was no percussion in this arrangement, plenty 5 The Glittering Plain recording ‘lowbrow’ pop and show tunes. This, Azure for this project, scored for alto saxophone, for the strings to do, and the inclusion of a Ian Lawson of course, is a limited view. I wonder, for string quartet, piano and double bass. His written solo for the saxophonist with the option example, how many works in the core classical music has been recorded and broadcast by of following changes (or a combination of both). “The Glittering Plain (for alto saxophone, string repertoire don’t combine elements from different leading orchestras and ensembles in over 30 quartet, and jazz piano trio) is the fourth piece musical spheres – the essential process in any countries, including the BBC Symphony The second piece is quite different in character. in a series of works that are, in all but name, form of crossover? Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, As Tim provided both alto and tenor parts, I play multi-movement sonatas. So far, each piece Orchestra of Opera North, and the BBC Singers. alto saxophone instead of tenor, for which it was has been written for a different, often unusual, When combing elements of Classical and Jazz, His works have been played in venues as originally conceived. This piece too, uses no drums combination of instruments. If this reminds however, there are specific problems. Jazz is diverse as the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, Merkin or percussion. anyone of the series of works Debussy was essentially a groove-based music; the rhythmic Hall, New York, Paris Conservatoire, Palace of working on at the end of life I wouldn’t be entirely syncopation typically found in jazz is heard Monaco, and from the Freiberg Jazz Club to a The composer writes; “I wrote The Moon For Her surprised, particularly as the first piece in the against the backdrop of a clear pulse. It is this cake shop in Japan and everything in between. when my daughter was very young and regularly series is scored for flute, viola and harp! This groove that makes the syncopation workable www.grahamlynch.eu watched a classic cartoon about a father who latest work, commissioned by Lara James, is and meaningful, and also leads to a performance catches the moon for his daughter. For the most different from the others in that it is also an practice in which rhythmic precision is a central 3 Winding Wind part it is an embellished two-part invention.” attempt to write a genuine jazz/classical requirement. Harmonic rhythm (i.e. the rate 4 The Moon For Her Lara James crossover work. at which the harmonies change) on the other Tim Garland hand tends to be relatively straight forward Tim Garland, composer, Grammy-winning arranger, The title is derived from the novel ‘The Story of in jazz. In ‘classical’ music harmonic rhythms I have long admired the playing and writing virtuoso saxophone and bass clarinet player is the Glittering Plain’ published by William Morris tend to be more varied, and there is also a greater of Tim Garland, and the way in which his works one of the UKs most prolific creative musicians. in 1891. The novel itself has elements of tradition of development during which rhythmic interweave different sound worlds, genres and First forging an international reputation working ‘crossover’ combining fantasy and the patterns are often subverted in a way that influences. I first heard Winding Wind on a CD with Chick Corea, Bill Bruford and Storms/ supernatural with the progressive social ideas would not ‘groove’ in a jazz sense. he recorded with his fantastic group Lammas, Nocturnes, his diverse musical skills are now that interested Morris. and was caught by its energy and folk-inspired evident in a growing repertoire of orchestral It would be pointless of me to try and explain in rhythmic vitality. In asking Tim to create a new compositions which fuse the approaches of jazz I’m aware that the term ‘crossover’ is problematic: detail how I came to cope with these issues arrangement for saxophone, string quartet, piano, and contemporary composition. He is based in When associated with classical music its meaning because the results can be more meaningfully bass and drums/percussion, I wondered in which London and is a Fellow of the Royal Northern is usually synonymous with ‘dumbing down’ – heard in the music. But as a starting point ways it might differ from the original. The result College of Music. www.timgarland.com Mozart with a disco beat or operatic singers perhaps it’s worth pointing out that the structure - 4 - - 5 - and development are essentially ‘classical’. There 8 Evensong 1990, the fourth and last child in his family. Only 0 A View Through an Open Door is no improvisation. Although there are moments Mike Hall five months old, Tim was rushed into hospital Dave Stapleton when the music might sound as if it has reached after suffering from numerous fits. He was the start of a jazz solo, these moments are The composer writes: “Evensong started as an diagnosed with encephalitis, meningitis & Dave composed this piece at my request then developed in a more classical way by exercise in moving a particular chord shape pneumonia. Tim recovered, but shortly afterward especially for this CD, scored for soprano re-routing the harmony in different directions around and writing a really simple melody over was registered as partially sighted and diagnosed saxophone and string quartet, piano, bass rather than presenting improvised melodic the top. The resultant, almost hymnal, effect with Asperger’s Syndrome & dyspraxia. Even at a and drum kit. It has a spacious, atmospheric variations over a fixed harmonic form.” lent itself perfectly to a string quartet, a format young age it was clear Tim would more than quality to it, and includes an improvised section Ian Lawson which I have been working with for a number compensate for his conditions with his incredible for the saxophonist. The composer explains; of years now.” ear for sounds and music in particular. By “In writing this piece, I wanted the silence The Glittering Plain was composed between secondary school Tim had either developed or and space to be as important as the music itself. November 2010 and February 2011 and is Mike Hall is a jazz saxophonist and educator. He discovered his perfect pitch. He points out that: From the beginning there’s a recurring theme dedicated to Lara James. plays with the Echoes of Ellington Orchestra, “Every sound has a pitch. Fridges, car engines, that appears in conversation between the string Sax Assault and with his own jazz quartet as footsteps and voices are made up of several quartet and the saxophone, piano, bass and Ian Lawson was born in Liverpool in 1955 well as freelancing with the North West’s frequencies that I like to pick out. People don’t drums that has a sense of mystery about it, and brought up in Wrexham, North Wales. He is, professional orchestras.