PRESTEIGNE PREMIERES

Amy Dickson saxophone Rebecca Afonwy-Jones mezzo-soprano Katherine Baker flute Suzy Willison-Kawalec harp

Presteigne Festival Orchestra George Vass conductor Presteigne Premieres Variaons on ‘Lovely Joan’ Hugh Wood (b.1932) New Music from the Presteigne Festival Thomas Hyde (b.1978) Beginnings: Three Early Songs, for 1. Prelude – Tema – Tema elaborata [2:26] mezzo-soprano and string orchestra, Op. 54 David Mahews (b.1943) 12. Tom O’Bedlam’s Song [3:33] 2. Variaon I: Molto vivace [1:57] 13. Why East Wind chills [5:38] Amy Dickson saxophone 14. O Unicorn among the Cedars [5:35] Rebecca Afonwy-Jones mezzo-soprano Adrian Williams (b.1956) Katherine Baker flute 3. Variaon II: Adagio molto [2:59] Joe Duddell (b.1972) Suzy Willison-Kawalec harp 15. Mnemonic, for flute, harp and [12:25] Michael Berkeley (b.1948) string orchestra 4. Variaon III: A Frolic for Lovely Joan [3:47] Presteigne Fesval Orchestra Hugh Wood George Vass conductor Christopher Gunning (b.1944) Divermento, Op. 51 5. Variaon IV: Andante [4:27] 16. Maestoso – Andante, calmo ma con moto [3:45] Huw Watkins (b.1976) 17. Adagieo [3:11] 6. Variaon V: Allegreo [1:15] 18. Allegro molto, feroce [2:47]

Sally Beamish (b.1956) 7. Variaon VI: Adagio; very sll [2:23] Total playing me [80:37]

Mahew Taylor (b.1964) 8. Variaon VII: Finale: Presssimo [3:56]

Marn Butler (b.1960) About George Vass: All world premiere recordings Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Strings ‘The saviour of contemporary classical music’ 9. Lively, but heavy and grounded – [7:12] BBC Radio 3 Amy Dickson records by kind 10. Canlena – [8:07] permission of Sony Music 11. Presto [5:04] ‘George Vass conducts with commied precision. Playing and recorded sound are both excellent. It’s a fascinang achievement, beaufully done’ Gramophone Introducon all live performances in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As an alternave, the Founded in 1982 in the former county town organisaon presented its first digital Fesval, of Radnorshire, the Presteigne Fesval has sustained with generous donaons from become a significant part of the Welsh Fesval supporters and re-purposed grant cultural calendar. Internaonally renowned funding from charitable benefactors. for its commissioning of new work, support of living composers and with a long tradion In addion to ‘Presteigne Digital’ this for the encouragement of young arsts, the recording was arranged, featuring premiere organisaon works closely with composers recordings of five of the most striking and performers to create and curate larger-scale commissions from the last inspiring events for an ever-widening seventeen years, performed by a collecon Fesval audience, bringing experience- of superb soloists and the excellent Fesval broadening opportunies to its host Orchestra. community. New Music for String Orchestra: Presteigne In its relavely short history, the Fesval Fesval Premieres has commissioned well over 200 new works and has hosted many eminent The string orchestra Variaons on ‘Lovely musicians as composer-in-residence, Joan’, commissioned as a sixeth birthday among them Sally Beamish, Cecilia McDowall, gi for Arsc Director George Vass and to Joseph Phibbs, Peter Sculthorpe, Pēteris mark the Fesval’s thirty-fih anniversary, Vasks, Huw Watkins and Dame Judith Weir. was first performed on 25 August 2017 by the Presteigne Fesval Orchestra. The In 1989, the Fesval founded its own resident English folk-tune Lovely Joan has long been chamber orchestra – a group of twenty or so a favourite with George Vass, so the idea young professionals who make Presteigne of commissioning a collecon of variaons their home at the end of August each year, from a group of Fesval stalwarts seemed performing under George Vass, the Fesval’s an extremely good one. Arsc Director since 1992. Thomas Hyde was instrumental in organising In common with many cultural organisaons, the project and it is quite brilliant that, the Presteigne Fesval was forced to cancel despite the variaons being from eight different composers, they form such a The music of Marn Butler is widely performed raw rendion of My Favourite Things and equally eloquent. He typically prefers chamber homogenous work. and broadcast both in the UK and abroad. thirdly, a ny, bagpipe-like soprano music genres, though large-scale works such Commissioners include the BBC, London saxophone phrase in his work Hootenanny as the Symphony and the two Violin Aer Hyde’s brief call to arms and statement Sinfoniea and the Brighton, Cheltenham, (1994), which he thought deserved a more Concertos are amongst his most striking. of the theme, seven variaons unfold; first, Canterbury and Presteigne fesvals. His prominent role elsewhere. and without a break, comes David Mahews’ chamber opera A Beer Place was In 2010, Hugh Wood responded to a compound-me vivace in which the theme premiered by English Naonal Opera in The result is a single-span concerto, which commission from the Presteigne Fesval appears in the cellos and basses. Adrian July 2001, and the choral work Two Rivers breaks down into three extended secons – with a beauful reworking and compleon Williams, founding arsc director of the was commissioned by the Oxford Bach Choir fast, slow, faster. The musical language of a sequence of Beginnings: Three Early Fesval, provides the mysteriously and Brien Sinfonia the same year. From throughout relates to a number of Butler’s Songs, Op. 54 for mezzo-soprano and string beauful second variaon, marked ‘adagio 2006 to 2008 Butler was ‘Composer in Focus’ other pieces – among them Hootenanny orchestra that had its origins in the late molto’, which employs rhapsodising from a with the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, itself, Songs and Dances from a Haunted 1950s when Wood was at the beginning of his solo viola and solo cello before dying away this residency culminang in a major Place and American Rounds – all of which composional career. Wood himself states, to nothing. The third is an extended orchestral commission, From the Fairground try to find resonances between his own ‘these are realisaons of a youthful project tongue-in-cheek ‘Frolic for Lovely Joan’ from of Dreams. His chamber nonet, Rondes creave voice and the various forms, styles which has involved a thorough rewring of Michael Berkeley, who has served the d’Automne, was premiered at the and performing pracces of folk music; what already existed and a degree of Fesval as President for many years. Cheltenham Fesval in 2011. For many hence the somemes raucous, griy and compleon of the missing bits which varies Christopher Gunning, a recognised master years Professor of Music at Sussex ornamented solo part, and the prevalence from song to song; but which I hope has of film and television music as well as being University, Butler now spends more me of open strings and double-stopping in the resulted in beer composion of the whole’. a well-represented symphonist, provides the composing and as a pianist, also orchestral wring. He has also commented that the choice of beaufully-paced fourth variaon. Welsh co-direcng Club Inégales in London. texts, ‘seem to me – not enrely through composer Huw Watkins is next with a brief, Having had a musical upbringing, it was only hindsight – to have, if not a common theme, fragmented waltz which ends quietly with The Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and aer graduang in History from Oxford that then a similar atmosphere, to do with violas alone. Composer and viola player Strings was commissioned for the 2009 Hugh Wood decided to dedicate his energies mystery, magic, innocence, childhood’. Sally Beamish provides the sixth variaon, Presteigne Fesval with funding from to composion, moving to London in 1954 to marked ‘very sll’, in which the exquisite the Colwinston Charitable Trust and study with William Lloyd Webber, Anthony The first song, ‘Tom O’Bedlam’s Song’ is the wring for solo violins and viola is premiered that August by Amy Dickson Milner, Iain Hamilton and Mátyás Seiber. most substanally recomposed. Indeed, only parcularly tender. The presssimo finale, and the Presteigne Fesval Orchestra. the musical idea at the words, ‘I know more an orchestral tour de force, is provided by Somemes violently expressionisc, than Apollo’ remained unaltered from the Mahew Taylor. Aer a long and excing There were three things that fuelled somemes poignantly lyrical, his music is twenty-five-year-old composer. From its build-up to a huge climax, the piece ends Butler’s imaginaon from the outset: powerfully communicave and intensely felt, opening upward flourish on strings, the voice quietly with a solo five-note double bass Amy Dickson’s wonderfully stylish playing, though when creang lighter moods, such is projected against constantly shiing, figure on which the enre variaon is based. John Coltrane’s disconcerngly earthy and as in the jazzy Piano Concerto, his wring is but always precisely focused, textures. In contrast, the second song, ‘Why East Wind towards his tenth decade, the velcro might Commissioned jointly by the Presteigne Shellard. Inhabing an ambient sound world, chills’, needed the least revision with yield enough for a few more opus numbers. and Hampstead & Highgate fesvals, it is Dri Chamber creates a mix of classical and some original passages allowed to stand Hugh Wood is as much an Elgarian as dedicated to George Vass on the occasion electronic soundscapes. They released their and others cleaned up or purged of Schoenbergian, and so it seemed enrely of his fiieth birthday. debut album Pulse Nocturnes in February superfluies. This seng of Dylan Thomas natural when in 2007 he produced a work 2019. (‘I have never lost my enthusiasm for him – for string orchestra that adds to that great © 2021 Thomas Hyde or for this not terribly well-known poem in tradion of English string works that started Joe Duddell has kindly provided his own parcular’ says the composer) opens with with Elgar and Vaughan Williams and Joe Duddell is a Brish composer, arranger note for Mnemonic. imitave counterpoint before flowering into connued via Brien, Lennox Berkeley and conductor renowned for his an important descending triadic mof that and Tippe. ‘I planned something collaboraons with arsts such as New Mnemonic: a paern of leers or ideas reappears throughout the song. straighorward and posive’ says Wood. Order, Elbow and Richard Hawley. He grew which aid the memory. This piece, which in up in Manchester and studied at Salford essence is a chamber concerto for flute ‘O Unicorn among the Cedars’, to words by His Divermento, Op. 51 succeeded, but University and later with Steve Martland at and harp with string orchestra, aempts W.H. Auden, is a more intricate and balanced this is not to deny that its intricate textures the Royal Academy of Music, where he to guide the listener through the successive graing of old and new, and it is not too and soaring melodies also ensures that became Composion Fellow. His teaching structural blocks by means of ancipang fanciful to hear a more autumnal mood to listeners drawn into its sound world (it’s posts have taken him variously to Exeter, or revising musical ideas in order to the lyricism, notably in the beauty of the almost impossible not to be) will find here Brunel, Bath Spa and Salford universies. enhance familiarity. In musical terms cascading downward turns passed through a richness of invenon that they will return His music has been performed by Colin this is partly achieved by the material the strings when the music returns to A flat, to again and again. Currie, Håkan Hardenberger, Thomas appearing in four related tempos. This and the final climax of ‘Send strength Carroll, the King’s Singers, and the London, metric modulaon obviously forms part sufficient for our days’. There are three short movements, the Bournemouth and BBC Scosh symphony of the structural blocks and facilitates the first launched with an introducon orchestras. co-existence of musical material. The tle There is something playful, and possibly marked ‘Maestoso’. The central ‘Adagieo’ is borrowed from a play of the same name ironic, in the tle Beginnings, Op. 54, coming is the emoonal core of the work. Its In 2011, he was appointed composer-in- by Théâtre de Complicité which dealt with from a composer who writes so slowly and ternary form starts with a hushed residence for Fesval No. 6 in North Wales, issues about memory and me. whose creave process was once lovingly eight-bar melody on muted strings, creang the UK’s first pop fesval residency, described by Stephen Walsh as resembling which returns extended, and with high over the years creang sets with a range Mnemonic was commissioned by the a man ‘running in socks on velcro’. Wood did solo violin commentary, at the end. The of arsts including Everything Everything, Presteigne Fesval with funds provided eventually reach Op. 60 with his large-scale finale is a vigorous ‘Allegro molto, feroce’ Daughter, Gaz Coombes, Blossoms, Palace, by the Arts Council of Wales and the Epithalamion, another realisaon of a driven forward with a joyful thumping bass Nadine Shah, Charloe Church, Rae Morris, PRS Foundaon. It was premiered on youthful project, at the 2015 BBC Proms. unl the music reaches its apotheosis in The Charlatans and East India Youth. 26 August 2004 by the arsts featured For admirers of his music – of which I am a recapitulaon of the first movement’s In 2018, Joe started a new wring on this recording. one – we keep hoping that as he heads opening bars. partnership with composer/producer Lex © 2021 Joe Duddell Presteigne Fesval Orchestra George Vass (conductor) he premiered Thomas Hyde’s That Man George Vass is an Associate of the Royal Stephen Ward (2008; revival in 2015) and, Academy of Music. From 2014 to 18 he was Violin 1 Described by BBC Radio 3 as ‘the saviour of for Nova Music Opera, Sally Beamish’s Hagar chair of the Brish Arts Fesvals Associaon, Sophie Mather (leader), Bethan Allmand, contemporary classical music’, respected in the Wilderness (2013), Stephen McNeff’s being presented with the 2018 BAFA Mary Brace, Simon Howes, Emma Oldfield, English conductor George Vass studied at Prometheus Drown’d (2014), Cecilia Exceponal Service Award for his outstanding Katharina Paul the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and McDowall’s Airborne (2014), Charloe Bray’s contribuon to the UK fesval sector. From the Royal Academy of Music, London. He Entanglement (2015) and Joseph Phibbs’ 2016 to 2019, he served the Royal Society of Violin 2 was appointed Arsc Director of the Juliana (2018). He has also conducted Musicians of Great Britain as a governor Laura Rickard, Eleanor Bartle, Eulalie internaonally celebrated Presteigne Brien’s Curlew River (Hampstead and and treasurer. Charland, Catalin Chelaru, Ingrid Sellschop Fesval in 1992. Vass made his professional Highgate Springfest, 2009; Nova Music debut at St John’s Smith Square in 1979 Opera, 2013) and Holst’s Savitri (English Viola and, as Arsc Director of the Regent Music Fesval, 2010). Vanessa McNaught, Jennifer Coombes, Sinfonia of London and Orchestra Nova, Diana Mathews, Amy Swain has appeared at many of the UK’s major Over the last thirty years he has concert halls and fesvals. commissioned and premiered new work Cello from such eminent composers as Sally Gemma Wareham, Edward Furse, Tom Wraith As a guest conductor he has worked with Beamish, Marn Butler, Gabriel Jackson, the BBC Naonal Orchestra of Wales, the Paweł Łukaszewski, David Mahews, John Double bass Bournemouth Symphony, Royal Liverpool McCabe, Cecilia McDowall, Paul Paerson, Ben Daniel-Greep, Marianne Schofield Philharmonic, Royal Scosh Naonal and Joseph Phibbs, Robert Saxton, Peter Ulster orchestras, Amsterdam’s Promenade Sculthorpe, Huw Watkins and Hugh Assistant conductor Orkest, London Mozart Players, Malmö Wood, in 2017 being given a BASCA Gold Augusna Kapo Opera Orchestra, the choirs of Royal Holloway, Badge Award marking his support for the Merton College Oxford and Schola Cantorum UK song-wring and composing community. Oxford. He has broadcast for BBC Radio 3 and Channel 4 television. Recent highlights include a crically acclaimed recording of James Francis Brown’s Vass has made over thirty commercial choral and orchestral music for Resonus recordings for Champs Hill, Duon, Guild, Classics, Sweeney Todd at Darngton and the Lyrita, Naxos, Resonus Classics, SOMM and much-lauded premiere of Joseph Phibbs’ Toccata Classics. chamber opera Juliana at the Cheltenham Fesval. Founder Arsc Director of Nova Music Opera, Amy Dickson (saxophone) Award and The Prince’s Prize. Other engagements include the world at the Royal Academy of Music. In 2004, premiere of Joseph Phibbs’ Juliana for she was appointed first flute of the Hallé Brish-Australian saxophonist Amy Dickson Dickson is a keen interpreter of contemporary Nova Music Opera at the Cheltenham Orchestra in Manchester, a post she held has been twice nominated for a Grammy™ music and is devoted to the development Fesval, the Brish premiere of unl 2018, during which me she made award and has been acknowledged by of new repertoire for the classical saxophone. Mendelssohn’s realisaon of Handel’s Israel numerous solo appearances both in concert BBC Music Magazine as one of the world’s Working closely with many living composers, in Egypt at the Three Choirs Fesval, The and on recordings. six best classical saxophonists ever. she has already made a substanal Dream of Geronus for the RTÉ and contribuon to the legacy of the instrument’s Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos with the Katherine has always enjoyed a varied career Dickson has recorded eight solo albums for concerto, chamber and solo repertoire. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. and regularly appears as guest principal with Sony Music. Recognised for her remarkable, many of the UK’s leading orchestras including disncve tone and exceponal musicality, Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (mezzo-soprano) Rebecca has been arst-in-residence at the London Symphony, Philharmonia, BBC she made history by becoming the first the Presteigne Fesval and sang in the Philharmonic and English Chamber saxophonist to win a Classic BRIT Award, Rebecca Afonwy-Jones studied at the world premiere of Oliver Tarney’s St Mark orchestras and the Academy of St Marn in for Breakthrough Arst of the Year, and in Guildhall School, London and in 2010, Passion at the St Endellion Fesval. She the Fields. 2016 she was named the UK’s Young graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of enjoys a close partnership with the Australian of the Year. Scotland with a Masters degree. She began Norwegian Wind Ensemble, with whom Despite the demands on her me that her career at Scosh Opera, in the tle role she has recorded Handel’s Messiah, orchestral playing makes, Katherine tries Amy Dickson began her musical studies at of Carmen, subsequently making her conducted by David Hill for Resonus Classics. to devote as much me as she can to the age of two and took her first saxophone company debut for Opera North at the Rebecca has also recorded Judith Weir’s chamber music. She has performed at lesson in Sydney aged six. She made her Edinburgh Internaonal Fesval in 2012. special commission Sleeping-Mat Ballad. fesvals and music sociees across the concerto debut at sixteen, and on her She performs regularly for the JAM on UK and in Europe, either as a member of eighteenth birthday made her first recording In 2013, Rebecca made her debut for the Marsh Fesval, most recently in a several well-known ensembles or in as soloist with the Sydney Symphony Welsh Naonal Opera as Countess virtual recital broadcast with pianist a solo capacity. Orchestra. That year she moved to London Geschwitz (Lulu) and was invited to remain Anna Tilbrook. to study at the Royal College of Music, then with the company as their associate arst, Katherine has always enjoyed teaching and at Het Conservatorium van Amsterdam. returning as a guest in their acclaimed Katherine Baker (flute) she is currently professor of flute at the Elijah Moshinsky producon of Cavalleria Royal Academy of Music. As well as receiving the James Fairfax ruscana. She has made notable debuts Katherine Baker is principal flute with the Australian Young Arst of the Year award, for Grange Park Opera, Fesval Opera New Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Suzy Willison-Kawalec (harp) she was the first ever saxophonist to win Zealand and in the Longborough Fesval Covent Garden. Her first principal posion the Gold Medal at the Royal Over-Seas Der Ring des Nibelungen as Wellgunde, was with the BBC Naonal Orchestra of Suzy Willison-Kawalec has enjoyed a wide League Compeon, the Symphony which culminates in 2024. Wales, a job she began in 1998 aer and varied career since graduang from Australia Young Performer of the Year compleng her studies with William Benne the Royal Academy of Music, London under More titles from Resonus Classics Professor Skaila Kanga in 1999 with first From 1997 to 2000 she was principal harpist class honours. An Associate of the Royal with the European Union Youth Orchestra Thomas Hyde: That Man Stephen Ward Academy of Music, she was appointed and a finalist in the Royal Over-Seas League Damian Thantrey (baritone), Nova Music professor of harp there in 2018. Music Compeon, winning the Outstanding Opera Ensemble & George Vass (conductor) Chamber Music Harpist Award. RES10197 Suzy has been principal harpist with the ‘Damian Thantrey gives a powerhouse Royal Philharmonic Orchestra since 2015 Alongside her orchestral schedule, Suzy is performance as Ward’ and has a busy concert and recording passionate about teaching, chamber music Gramophone schedule with them. As a guest principal and contemporary works for her instrument. she has worked with the BBC Symphony, A regular visitor to the Presteigne Fesval, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Royal she has premiered works by composers Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Northern including Cecilia McDowall, Richard The Heavens and the Heart: Choral and Orchestral Sinfonia and London Chamber orchestras Dubugnon, Stephen McNeff and Thomas Music by James Francis Brown and has performed in major concert halls Hyde and is delighted to have recorded Benjamin Nabarro (violin), Rachel Roberts (viola), around the world. Joe Duddell’s Mnemonic with Katherine Gemma Rosefield (cello), Catriona Scott (clarinet) Baker – Katherine and Suzy formed their Orchestra Nova & George Vass (conductor) Suzy’s recording of William Alwyn’s Lyra Alwyn Duo whilst students together. RES10227 Angelica for Naxos prompted rave reviews, with Gramophone describing her Acknowledgments ‘A warm, rewarding work’ performance as ‘immaculate’. She has BBC Radio 3 Record Review recorded with soloists including Renée This recording is generously supported by: Arts Council of Wales The PRS Foundaon Fleming, Joshua Bell, Bryn Terfel, Janine The Elmley Foundaon The RVW Trust Jansen and Nigel Kennedy among many others. © 2021 Resonus Limited Concerto appearances, solo and chamber è 2021 Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts Limited Recorded at St Barnabas Church, Ealing, London on 19–21 August 2020 music recitals have taken her to France, Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks Germany, Italy and the Middle East, with Recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution recent solo performances including the Cover image: Presteigne landscape by Alex Ramsay – www.alexramsayphotography.net Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto and RESONUS LIMITED – UK Debussy’s Danse sacrée et danse profane at Produced in associaon with: St John’s Smith Square with the RPO, LCO [email protected] and also as part of the CBSO’s Debussy www.resonusclassics.com Fesval. 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