BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY

nFebruary 2020 ews Ailsa Dixon A musical revival

THE MUSIC OF JAMES MACMILLAN Book review

FINDING THE ‘LOST’ REBECCA CLARKE An interview with John York News Chairman’s welcome British Music Society’s news and events

Dear Members,

ou’ll find reports on the New BMS Essay Competition Talent British International YYouth Music Festival, the winner 2019 40th Anniversary Essay and the BASC 2019 competitions in this edition of the Printed News. t gives me great pleasure to announce There is the inclusion of a Matthew McCullough (Durham feature article on Ailsa Dixon and IUniversity) as the winner of the BMS an interview with John York Fortieth Anniversary Essay Competition. His regarding a new publication essay, titled A history and analysis of Gerald of Rebecca Clarke’s music. Finzi’s Dies Natalis, will be published in a The review panel continues forthcoming edition of British Music. In to do an impressive job even addition, he was awarded a generously though we can only reproduce a donated prize of £100. fraction of their output in this Lastly, I would like to thank Dr Printed News version, but I Brian Inglis (Middlesex University) for acting continue to encourage members as external adjudicator. to contribute feature articles and Dominic Daula, Internal adjudicator to interview people with valuable information or memories of atthew McCullough was born in musical life in Britain during the Ireland and studied at St Malachy’s previous century. MCollege, Belfast, before taking up a AGM music scholarship to study at Winchester Matthew McCullogh, BMS Essay Plans for this year’s AGM are College for sixth form, where, with the Competition 2019 Winner taking shape with a private room College Chapel Choir, he toured Russia and booked at the Diglis Hotel in recorded a disc of music by C.V. Stanford. work, which has been aided by his position as Worcester on July 31. After the brief spell at Winchester, Matthew one of Sing for Pleasure’s 2018/19 Young The idea is for members to sang as a choral scholar in Portsmouth Conducting Scholars. Matthew graduated in attend a short piano recital by Cathedral Choir alongside roles working at July 2019 with First Class Honours, including pianist and BMS member Matthew The Portsmouth Grammar School and the a first for his dissertation, Requiem for a Schellhorn at 11.30am in St. city's arts festival, Portsmouth Festivities. Dream; Sir ’ Morning Heroes as a Martin’s, London Road; this In 2016, Matthew took up a place to read Cathartic Requiem, supervised by Professor recital is part of this year’s Three music at on a Vice- Jeremy Dibble. Choirs Festival and marks the Chancellor’s Scholarship, with a Choral At present, Matthew sings as a Lay Clerk official launch of the latest BMS Scholarship at Durham Cathedral. During his at Newcastle Cathedral and is studying for a recording of Herbert Howells time as an undergraduate, he was Director of Masters in Musicology at Durham, with piano music released on the Naxos Music at Hatfield College and the Dunelm research focusing on the work of Ernest John label. Consort and Players, and sang with the Moeran, and hopes to continue on to doctoral Members will then gather at University Chamber Choir. studies following the completion of his the Diglis Hotel for an AGM Matthew also undertook other freelance Master’s degree. luncheon starting at 1.30pm. singing, accompanying, and conducting Places will need to be booked in advance together with members’ choice of a meal from our pre- NAXOS ANNOUNCES RECORDING OF FRICKER SERENADE selected bar menu. We are very pleased to announce that Naxos has Please note that members can bring a guest providing there issued the British Music Society recording of is room but only members’ meals Fricker’s Serenade No. 5, Opus 81 (8.571381) as a will be paid for by the BMS. digital release. More details will be provided This was recorded in 2015 by the Villiers in the April Printed News. Quartet with James Dickenson (violin) and Nicholas Stringfellow (cello). Best wishes The delightful Serenade comprises five movements: Prelude, Scherzino, Serenata, Elegy in - Dr. Wendy Hiscocks memoriam R.G. and, Postlude. The total running time is 13:43. -2- New talent: British International Youth Music Festival and Competition 2019

SCHELLHORN RECORDS HOWELLS PIANO MUSIC

n August 10, Stephen Trowell and I They later wrote with a little more The recording sessions are now complete travelled to Harrow School in information about themselves: for the next BMS recording: Matthew OMiddlesex for a very well attended Schellhorn performs piano music by prize giving ceremony in the impressive Naori Takahashi is currently a scholarship Herbert Howells. surroundings of the Old Speech Room. postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Matthew Schellhorn recording in The The Chinese violinist, Amy Yuan, has Music, studying violin performance under Menuhin Hall, Surrey with Rachel Smith succeeded in creating a vibrant competition Professor György Pauk. (Producer), Ben Connellan (Engineer) and for musicians as young as four years of age to This season she has upcoming Dr. Jonathan Clinch (editor of the new budding professionals in their early twenties, concerts at Regent Hall, Southwark Cathedral editions of Howells piano music). and the mix of Asian and Western competitors and at the Notting Hill Music Festival, as well looked balanced. as regular appearances on stage at the Royal Music by W.H. Squire, Frank Bridge and Academy of Music playing solo, chamber and JOURNAL TO BE CHANGED Ralph Vaughan Williams had been performed orchestral concerts. She is a selected member Dominic Daula writes in the Editorial: in the competition alongside standard of the LPO Foyle Future Firsts Scheme 2019- “With regard to operational matters, I repertoire by the likes of Mozart and 2020. would like to announce that as from Rachmaninoff. volume 42, the Journal will be released The BMS’s initiative encouraged a further Young Chinese pianist HanYang Liu started once per annum. This does not amount to five performances of our nominated Dunhill learning the piano at the age of three. He a reduction of material in real terms; piano solo Sailor’s Hornpipe and one studied with professor Chen Lan, and is now rather, the decision to publish once a year interpretation of Stanford’s Arietta Variations studying with London based Chinese concert aims to consolidate the redundant for violin and piano. There were no takers at pianist Yaoying Wang. administrative tasks that are associated all for the Bantock song ‘Desolation’ which was HanYang will be moving to London with the publication process.” disappointing. to study in the Harrow School as a music The Society extends its sincere scholar this autumn and has been awarded congratulations to our two winners who 2nd prize at the International Chinese Music British Music Society Committee feature in the photograph above: Naori Art Festival global final in 2018 and first prize Wendy Hiscocks (Chairman), John Gibbons Takahashi (violin) and HanYang Liu (piano) at the Golden Vienna International Piano (Vice Chairman), Stephen Trowell who were presented with a copy of our Competition in 2017. (Treasurer), Dominic Daula (Journal Composer Profiles publication, a BMS CD and Editor), Advisory roles: Karen Fletcher a £30 Chimes voucher. Report by Wendy Hiscocks Printed News designed by Revolution Arts

-3- NEWS Adrian Williams appointed Composer-in-Association at ESO

The English Symphony Orchestra Dodderidge, son of Morris Dodderidge, again announces Adrian Williams as its John from Presteigne, features the trumpet, and is McCabe Composer-in-Association for based on the first movement of J S Bach's 2019/20. Brandenburg Concerto No 3 - which Richard referred to as 'the laughing Bach'. he English Symphony Orchestra Born in Hertfordshire in 1956, Adrian announces Adrian Williams as its John Williams showed precocious talent from the TMcCabe Composer-in-Association for age of four, spontaneously improvising at the 2019/20. piano. He began piano lessons at five, started During this period, Williams' music will composing at ten and took composition be showcased by the ESO. In addition to consultation sessions with Lennox Berkeley performances, recordings will also be made. from the age of thirteen. Ken Woods, the ESO's Artistic Director, says: In 1972 a large-scale choral work by "I only discovered Adrian's music very Williams was performed at the Royal recently in 2017, but as soon as I encountered Academy of Music in London, and he went it, I realised I was listening to the work of on to win a double scholarship to the Royal one of the greatest composers of his permanently renamed its Composer-in- College of Music, where director David generation. Association Chair in memory of McCabe. Willcocks conducted Williams' Symphonic "Adrian is just the kind of composer we Philip Sawyers became the first McCabe Studies. had in mind when we established the 'John Composer-in-Association (2015-18), followed Whilst Composer in Residence at McCabe Composer-in-Association' chair, a by David Matthews, for the 2018-19 season. Charterhouse School, Williams' music creative artist of the highest calibre who will Plans for Adrian Williams' first year as developed a tougher harmonic style and become an active part of the ESO family, and Composer-in-Association include an ESO became more adventurous, though retaining who we will try our utmost to support concert at Malvern Priory on 29 April 2020 its central melodic vein. Williams then through performances and recordings. We featuring Williams' string orchestra work moved to the Welsh Border Marches, his couldn't be more excited to get to work with Migrations. There will also be a performance long-term spiritual home, and became the him this year." of Russell's Elegy, which pays homage to founding light of the area's Presteigne ESO founder William Boughton first conductor, pianist and broadcaster John Festival. established the tradition of working closely Russell (1916-1990), who was a close friend of He was artistic director until 1992, with composers including Michael Tippett , and of film director Ken Russell commissioning, for his final festival, works and Nicholas Maw. When Ken Woods was (1927-2011). by young composers from all the member appointed ESO Principal Conductor in 2013, Williams' acclaimed string orchestra states of the European Union. Williams was one of his first actions was to invite John transcription of Richard Wagner's Prelude to also responsible for first introducing the late McCabe to be ESO Composer-in- Tristan und Isolde, commissioned by the Basil Ramsey to Keith Bramich in 1998, Association. Sadly, the partnership only Amsterdam Sinfonietta, can also be heard resulting in what has now become Classical lasted from 2013 until McCabe's untimely during the 2019/20 ESO season. Music Daily. death from a brain tumour in 2015. THREE GIFTS More recently, in an extremely varied Woods commented: "It will forever be a On Sunday 5 April 2020 at the Shirehall, and interesting career, Williams has source of deep regret that John's Hereford, HR1 2HZ, UK, two orchestras - the collaborated extensively with musicians in appointment as composer-in-association ESO and Herefordshire Youth Orchestra - Poland and The Netherlands, has written with the orchestra coincided almost exactly will join forces to play Adrian Williams' Three much music for TV and films, and is with the onset of his illness. There were so Gifts. Written for the National Children's currently writing his first symphony. many more projects we wanted to do, and I Orchestra, for a concert in aid of what used The Dutch connection has produced the know John bitterly regretted the times he was to be called the Spastics Society, Three Gifts large-scale cantata The Idea of Peace to a unable to travel to join us. is a touching series of character portraits of libretto by Arjen Eigjenraam, for chorus, "John was so excited about the prospects three of Williams' late friends who each lived children's chorus, soloists and chamber for the partnership and was infinitely with some kind of disability. orchestra, performed in St Paul's Cathedral, generous with his wisdom and energy, Each is represented by a movement London, at the 2013 City of London Festival, helping us to put his music in the right which features a solo instrument and and then at Vredenburg, Utrecht. More contexts. The video interviews we recorded orchestra. Michael Smith, a chemistry recently in 2018, the Polish connection as part of the association are fascinating - teacher from Presteigne in Powys, Wales, is produced a celebration in Poznań of John could speak with awe-inspiring fluency represented by the cello, and a movement Williams' music, including all his music for on any musical topic. based on Herbert Howells' hymn tune bassoon, and featuring the first performance "He was someone who could inspire and Michael. Angela Tomblings, daughter of of Spectrum, a concerto for bassoon and instruct the most expert professional Philip Tomblings, a former director of music string orchestra with percussion and harp. musicians and engage with a general at All Saints Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, is audience with wit and warmth." honoured by a movement featuring the For further information visit: Following McCabe's death, the ESO clarinet, and the final Rondo for Richard www.adrianwilliamsmusic.com

-4- NEWS

Time & Space: Holst Society News

he Holst Society makes no apologies A series of folk songs is followed by for reminding members of the BMS Holst’s Four Songs for Voice and Violin. Tabout our new recording of songs by The album concludes with the contest Holst and Vaughan Williams on the Albion between the two composers to set Darest record label. Thou Now, O Soul, Walt Whitman’s famous This is a joint project between the Holst poem from Sea-Drift. Society and the Ralph Vaughan Williams James Altena of Fanfare writes: “Mary Society. The album includes 14 world Bevan sings both beautifully and premier recordings – 10 of songs and expressively. arrangements by Holst and four by Vaughan Violinist Jack Liebeck is a delicate, Williams. The two composers were friends silver-toned and equally eloquent partner and musical mentors; they would go off on to Bevan in the two cycles. Roddy Williams BASC 2019 walking holidays and ‘field trips’ and the is at the pinnacle of his career, arguably cover photograph of the album records a England’s finest male exponent of vocal oderick Williams awarded the blissful moment on a summer’s day from song. single £800 prize to this year's just such an adventure in 1921. Will Vann is once again everything one RBritish Art Song Competition The recording alternates the two could desire in a piano partner – not merely (BASC) 2019 winning vocal and piano composers, beginning with an earlier set of an accompanist – in this repertoire.” team of Olivia Boen (soprano) and six songs by Holst, followed by Vaughan Members of the BMS can obtain this CD Camille Lemonnier (piano) - pictured Williams’ rarely recorded song cycle Along for £12.99, payable to Albion Records at the above. the Field for voice and violin. We contrast RVW Society, North House, 198 High Street, There were two artists who were the two composers in settings of cradle Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE Highly Commended: baritone James songs. You will not be disappointed! Williams and pianist Adam McDonagh (not part of the same duo) who received the Chimes vouchers unclaimed from the Amy Yuan Competition earlier in Composer ’s son dies August. Olivia and Camille’s two songs were Ned Rorem/Walt Whitman That shadow my likeness, and Elizabeth Maconchy’s Sun, Moon and Stars. In Nigel Foster's words it was: "A duo very worthy of winning in my opinion, and Roddy’s masterclass was outstanding – he was erudite, entertaining and very inspiring for everyone; pianists as well as singers." The BMS would like to thank our member and Director of the London Song Festival Nigel Foster for his tireless work in making this very successful masterclass/competition an annual event, and to our Treasurer Stephen Trowell who has regularly attended and given financial support to this project.

We regret to have to report the death on 9th November of our long time member Desmond Cyril Scott, the son of the composer and author Cyril Scott (1879 - 1970), Welcome to new who is pictured above. Born in 1926, Desmond emigrated to Canada in 1957 where he was an actor, Society members theatre director and TV writer. Also a sculptor, he was a past president of the Sculptors Society of Canada. Desmond was also involved in the promotion of his father and his We would like to welcome the following music and contributed to our increased knowledge of this in more recent years. members who recently joined the British Music Society: Volunteer indexer is needed! * Leah Broad, Oxford * Tim Dinsley, London We are on the lookout for some kind volunteer to help compile indices for the BMS * Matthew McCullough, Durham E-News, Printed News and Journal. This will be invaluable for looking up things like * Leslie Porter, London CD reviews or commissioned articles. If you are able to help, please contact our * Dawn Weeden, Gainsborough secretary Stephen Trowell at [email protected]

-5- FEATURE Ailsa Dixon

A MUSICAL REVIVAL

While there were a handful of perfor - composer and violinist who co-founded mances during the 1980s and ’90s (notably the first Edinburgh Festival. by Ian Partridge, Lynne Dawson, and the She studied the piano with Hilda Bor, Brindisi Quartet led by Jacqueline Shave), took her LRAM, and went on to read music there followed several decades of almost at Durham University in the early 1950s. complete neglect. Then, in 2017, a work There was no formal tuition in composi - that had been lying in manuscript for tion, but it was there that she wrote her thirty years was chosen for premiere as first work for string quartet (now lost), part of the London Oriana Choir’s Five15 though it was to be some decades before project highlighting the work of women she returned to composition in earnest. composers. These Things Shall Be an an - The intervening period was spent them setting verses from a prophetic poem teaching, singing and playing the lute, but by John Addington Symonds, received its her musical life took a new turn in 1976, first performance in the spectacular glass- when she undertook a production of Han - roofed concert hall surrounding the keel of del’s Theodora , in which she sang the title the Cutty Sark, just five weeks before she role, with her husband Brian conducting died. and a cast formed largely of her singing ‘The opening chords of the first movement It was sung again at memorial con - pupils. The project left her with such with - are reminiscent of Debussy and Britten in certs in London and Bristol, and is now drawal symptoms that afterwards, to fill their distinct timbres, and the entire work showing signs of entering the choral the gap, she began to conceive an opera of has a distinctly impressionistic flavour. [The repertoire, with subsequent performances her own. Letter to Philemon , based on an composer’s] admiration of Fauré… is also ev - by choirs in Oxford and Cambridge, and episode in the life of St Paul, was per - ident in the harmonic language, while the id - festivals from Little Missenden to Romsey formed in 1984 and proved to be the start ioms of English folksong and hymns, and Abbey. Since her death, discoveries in of her most fertile period as a composer. melodic motifs redolent of John Ireland and Ailsa Dixon’s musical archive have stimu - In the following two decades she the English Romantics remind us that this is lated a succession of new performances, wrote three works for string quartet (Noc - most definitely a work by a British composer including posthumous premieres for Airs turnal Scherzo, Sohrab and Rustum, and with an original musical vision.’ of the Seasons in 2018, and a cycle of songs Variations on Love Divine), chamber works for soprano and string quartet, The Spirit including a set of three Fugues on Biblical Frances Wilson on ‘Airs of the Seasons’, a of Love , forthcoming at St George’s Bristol subjects, and the sonata for piano duet (4 sonata for piano duet in February 2020. A recording of her com - hands) Airs of the Seasons. Among her plete works for string quartet is planned vocal compositions are many songs and f readers were asked to guess the sub - for 2021. Her manuscript scores are now duets, including settings of two Shake - ject of this review of a work premiered being digitised as part of a project in Fin - speare sonnets for soprano and tenor, a Iat St George’s Bristol in 2018, how land to preserve the work of neglected fe - cycle of 5 Songs of Faith and Joy for mezzo many would be able to identify the com - male composers, and there are plans to soprano and guitar, and Shining Cold, a poser as Ailsa Dixon (1932-2017) - indeed deposit her archive at Heritage Quay, vocalise for high soprano, ondes Martenot how many would have heard her name at home to the British Music Collection. and strings. all? Religious themes are a strong element Among the many women composers Born Ailsa Harrison, she came from a in Dixon’s work, and many of her compo - side-lined in musical history who are be - musical family background: next to the sitions were inspired by literary texts, from coming the focus of new interest, Ailsa piano in the cottage where she grew up medieval Latin lyrics to Shakespeare, Dixon only began to receive her share of was a portrait of her musical ancestor Matthew Arnold and Walter de la Mare. recognition in the last months of her life. Feliks Janiewitz (1762-1848), the Polish When asked about her musical influences

-6- FEATURE

Ailsa with lute and contemporaries at Durham

in an interview shortly before she died, she last works. As for many British composers, performance, and for a quarter of a century cited ‘Fauré (for his harmonic suppleness), a sense of place was often important to her her music went unheard, until the score of Britten (for his powers of evocation and writing, and whereas a move to Sussex ear - her anthem These things shall be came to empathy), and Bartók (studying his compo - lier in her composing years had prompted the attention of conductor Dominic Ellis sitional processes at Durham stimulated an a song of great contentment in New Home, Peckham, and plans were set in motion for interest in his lively variations of time sig - a copy of the manuscript of one of the late the premiere at the Cutty Sark in 2017. nature and the elasticity of musical motifs)’, Fugues suggests a more wistful nostalgia Setting that performance by the Lon - while observing that ‘the Greats preside for an earlier home. don Oriana Choir in the context of their over it all’. Psalm 137 (which many composers have wider enterprise to highlight the work of Her interest in counterpoint is espe - responded to as a song of exile) was the in - women composers, Peckham reflected in a cially prominent in the three instrumental spiration for this fugue; at the end of the recent interview, ‘That experience of en - fugues and the quartets, and was often de - score she wrote out the opening verses: abling Ailsa to hear her piece for the first ployed to figure the interplay and resolu - time at the very end of her life made us re - tion of conflicting emotions. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and alise how important this project is… [in] In Letter to Philemon a farewell fugue wept; giving recognition to the many female com - interweaves the contrasting impulses of We hung up our harps upon the willow: posers over the centuries whose music has four central characters at a pivotal point in How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange been neglected.’ the drama, while in the Nocturnal Scherzo, land? The premiere of The Spirit of Love in the contrapuntal treatment of musical February 2020 will be programmed along - themes enacts a dream vision in which a And afterwards in brackets a dedica - side the string quartet in E Minor by Ethel pair of commedia dell’arte characters rep - tion, ‘To Lincoln Green’, her first married Smyth, which also had to wait over a decade resent the contest and reconciliation of two home in Oxfordshire, which she and her for its first performance. halves of the psyche. husband Brian had built themselves, where Together with the increasing number By the late 1990s the impulse to com - they had raised their family, and where Let - of recent and forthcoming performances, pose seems to have diminished. In a letter ter to Philemon had been written at the out - these are welcome signs of a musical revival dated 2001, accompanying the scores of set of her most fertile period of for one of the many female composers ‘Fire’ and ‘Water’ (two duets from an unfin - composition. missing from the history of British music in ished cycle The Elements), she wrote ‘I Was this sense of loss and displace - the twentieth century. might take a break in composition now.’ In ment felt as a signal to hang up her harp? fact, these two songs were to be among her It was some years since the last public More details at www.ailsadixon.co.uk

-7- Feature interview: New publication of ‘lost’ Rebecca Clarke

Wendy: In your opinion, how does the Rhapsody stand in the British repertoire Cyril Scott for cello?

John: Raphael and I can confidently state that we have played pretty much every piece of music written for the cello and piano, so to discover a substantial late- Romantic British work inhabiting the same sort of inter-war world as the great sonatas of Frank Bridge, John Ireland, and Ernest Moeran was, for both of us, a real piece of good fortune - and a labour of love to bring to fruition. I really do love the work. The writing for both instruments is astonishingly id - iomatic and effective, thrilling to play and satisfying. There's a lot to do! But the character of the music, its cleverness, its expressive passion, its quirkiness - all these add up to something really fine and very special.

Wendy: Where can cellists buy a copy of MS Chairman Wendy Hiscocks showpiece for viola and piano in homage your recently published score of the caught up recently with our Presi - to Clarke. I remember suggesting to Rhapsody? Bdent Raphael Wallfisch and John Raphael Wallfisch that we should present York who were performing at the Stow that sonata to the world in a cello version. John: Following our recording on Lyrita Festival. She was delighted to receive It seems we found out somehow that the (Lyrita SRCD 354) of the Rhapsody , the their 2016 Lyrita recording of Rebecca BBC Music Library had a photocopy of the Sonata and all the other Clarke pieces and Clarke’s music for cello and piano which manuscript of the cello and piano Rhap - my own homage piece, Dialogue with Re - included a forgotten Rhapsody for cello sody and they supplied it to us - small, becca Clarke, it was proposed by Nimbus and piano and was intrigued to hear of cramped, spidery, taxing to say the least, records that they should publish the John’s first edition of the manuscript. but I transferred the cello part for Rhapsody in a beautiful first edition (NMP This brief interview explores a wonderful Raphael, using a well-known desktop 1079). I took care to tidy up all the dis - new addition to the cello repertoire. publishing app. My skills were not up to crepancies which I'd stumbled over in the producing the whole score so I learnt it manuscript, adding my own comments Wendy: Cellists have long wanted more painstakingly from the script! and suggestions where appropriate. It's a music by Rebecca Clarke but have faced beautiful score from which to prepare a difficulties in obtaining the manuscripts. Wendy: Clarke withdrew the Rhapsody for great work, demanding a lot less patience How easy was it for you to surmount these cello and piano in 1923 and your CD sleeve than I needed with that manuscript! Bet - difficulties as I also gather it is pro - notes mention revisions and cuts in the ter late than never - nearly a hundred hibitively expensive to order copies from manuscript. How much editing was years after its composition! - and it is my the Library of Congress where I believe needed by you to make this version ready ardent hope that all cellists and pianists much of her material is housed? for publication? who enjoy this sort of late-Romantic chal - lenge will welcome it and take it up. John: There is an album of three beautiful John: There are quite a few amendments short Clarke pieces, Epilogue, Passacaglia in Clarke's handwriting and several vigor - The Wallfisch/York cello and piano duo and I'll bid my heart be still, available from ous deletions and revisions, additions and dates back over 36 years. The repertoire OUP - and the easily available 1919 Sonata instructions in the manuscript. Amaz - they perform and have recorded is huge, for viola and piano, her most beloved, ingly, in spite of the evidence of careful probably unmatched by any duo in the most often played piece (Chester Music) preparation in all these things, the work profession. It ranges across the entire was also sanctioned for cello by the com - never got performed. But the notes were spectrum from Bach onwards to the latest poser, thanks to the input of May Mukle - for the most part accurate and clearly leg - works written for them by leading British but otherwise not another note, even ible. Accidentals proved difficult initially composer James MacMillan. John’s own though the 1923 Rhapsody for cello and but, with familiarity and patience, most Cello Sonata also features in their pro - piano was known to exist. things were clarified - or at least guess - grammes. My personal enthusiasm for Rebecca able. It was a case of getting used to the Clarke was fired by the viola sonata which chromaticism and the harmonic language I have so frequently played with violists. I which is very special. was even inspired to write a short concert

-8- BOOK REVIEWS

Elgar

Peyton Professor of Music at the recently from that of his predecessors. The England Resounding built University. Elgar’s lectures clearly younger man was often critical, even demonstrated the composer’s commit - mocking, of Vaughan Williams and was Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten and the ment to the developing musical life of the less than enthusiastic about Elgar. Alldritt English Musical Renaissance Midland metropolis. In addition, on the focusses his attention particularly on Brit - Keith Alldritt musical side there is a detailed and often ten’s operas – especially Peter Grimes , Billy ROBERT HALE B07VRT2Q18 insightful commentary on the Enigma Budd and Turn of the Screw . There is also Variations and the first and second sym - an account of the genesis of Peter Grimes . his concise and useful volume phonies. This is an interesting, personal places in historical and cultural Keith Alldritt already has a biography of (although not always terribly well focused) Tcontext three major figures in En - Vaughan Williams to his credit and gives consideration of three geniuses, but who glish musical composition. They were ac - us an enthusiastic, if not always com - had perhaps less in common that this tive from the mid-19th century (Edward pletely balanced account of that remark - book tends to suggest. Elgar) through the early to middle 20th able canon of works, his nine symphonies. century (Ralph Vaughan Williams) con - Alldritt writes: ‘Taken together, the se - - ALISTAIR MACDONALD cluding with the mid to late 20th century quence of nine symphonies constitutes (). one of the greatest musical narratives - - - - - The author makes a brave attempt to produced in England in the twentieth cen - link the three composers together, al - tury. His work in this form is of a quality though the result can be occasionally to make it part of the larger cultural con - somewhat artificial. Alldritt’s approach is, sciousness of the time’. as he remarks in his Introduction, not a Alldritt goes as far as to relate the sym - wholly musicological one but rather one phonies to the works of Stanley Spencer, which illuminates music’s relationships T.S. Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, Jacob Epstein with politics in addition to other arts – lit - and Henry Moore. erature in particular. There follows a detailed and sympa - The first of Alldritt’s three essays deals thetic descriptive analysis of each sym - with Elgar. The reader is given a vivid and phony, as well as that of Job, a Masque for useful account of the composer’s early Dancing . years in Malvern and, most importantly, As Alldritt points out in his essay on the Birmingham. Another interesting detail of composer, ‘Britten’s music, like his social Elgar’s Birmingham years was his role as and political attitudes, differed profoundly

-9- BOOK REVIEWS

Kaikhosru Sorabji's letters to Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock)

Brian Inglis & Barry Smith Routledge ISBN 9781138478435

his slight, though extraordinarily expensive book provides the first Tcomplete edition of the letters of Kaikhosru Sorabji (1892-1988) to Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock) (1894-1930). The central part of the volume presents tran - scriptions of 38 of Sorabji’s letters and postcards; Warlock’s letters to Sorabji have not survived and his voice is provided by commentary or excerpts from his letters to other people. It is divided into three parts, and, as is to be expected in an academic research exercise, it has extensive editorial annotations and refer - ences which are all quite fascinating. This is all prefaced by a substantial and highly academic Introduction which provides a new contextual, critical and Kaikhosru interpretative framework, incorporating Sorabji many different perspectives, particularly Queer theory. Selections of contemporary documents pertinent to the correspon - philosophical concerns and one has to tame Parsee” or on one occasion “The dence are also included, enhancing the pinch oneself and remember Sorabji’s blackamore” (sic), shocking to a contem - sense of narrative and expanding on youth. He comes across as extremely well porary reader but perhaps the normal certain critical discussions. read and full of knowledge of the very parlance of casual racism in Britain of the At the beginning of the correspon - latest musical trends: Scriabin, Strauss, time. Still he is impressed by Sorabji’s dence both men are in their early twen - Debussy, Ravel, et al, whose music he has extraordinary knowledge of modern ties, both from families of independent either heard in performance or from composers and when he hears some of his means and both interested in modern printed music. music does what he can to promote him. music and art. There the similarity ends. The amount of brand new music he is This collection provides an invaluable Heseltine came from entitled English / able to hear or purchase is quite astonish - insight into Sorabji and Warlock’s early Welsh money and standing, and Sorabji ing and puts today’s musical world to musical careers, but also a fascinating from a Parsee/English marriage, at once shame. This knowledge pours forth in a account of their wider socio-cultural the outsider for his looks, his name and torrent of enthusiasms and hyperbole. His world which is so very different to today’s his sexuality. The epistolary relationship excitement in having found someone who new music world. In the course of the began when Sorabji wrote to Heseltine to shares his enthusiasms is palpable, but correspondence Sorabji begins composing congratulate him (a fan letter really) on his there is also sadness when he tells Hesel - and performing for the first time and it is article ‘Some reflections on modern musi - tine “ I have no friends”. “Mr Heseltine” thrilling to hear his thoughts on the works cal criticism’, which had appeared in the gradually becomes “Mon Cher” or “Sweet - which began his long career. Works which Musical Times (produced in full in an ap - est and best” and Sorabji’s writing be - seem to have arrived from nowhere but pendix to the letters). comes more camp as the relationship which formed the basis for much that Sorabji who had been educated at a progresses and he lets his guard down followed. This is invaluable reading but at small private school in London, writes in a regarding his sexuality, which would be £115 perhaps something to request from a florid style, reminiscent of the works of illegal in the UK for many years to come. library. Baron Corvo, “gushing” as Heseltine puts It is unfortunate not to have Hesel - it, full of literary references in Latin, tine’s replies as those letters quoted do - PAUL RW JACKSON French and German. There are side not always show him in the best light. discussions on all matter of religious and Sorabji is described as “my picturesque,

-10- BOOK REVIEWS

The Music Of James MacMillan

Phillip A. Cooke Boydell Press ISBN: 9781783273706

This well-researched and readable biog - raphy reveals the fascinating development of the enigmatic and pre-eminent Scottish composer, Sir James MacMillan. The composer, whose creativity is inseparably linked with his homeland, is depicted here as a figure of firm beliefs and convictions. Readers learn of the evolvement of this resolute Scotsman, an extremely talented artist, who is now lauded as the most prominent British composer of his generation. The spiritual mystique, ethereal quality and traditional history within MacMillan’s compelling music is clearly captured here, the first official biography of the composer. There is detailed technical analysis of the musical structure, and a clear sense that the mystery and esotericism of MacMillan’s music remains beyond words. This biography, by Aberdeen Univer - sity’s Head of Music, Phillip A. Cooke, de - livers facts and anecdotes that vividly depict MacMillan as a fascinating figure whose tremendous musical skills now bask in worldwide fame. His devotion to the Glasgow Celtic football club exposes a deeply rooted ‘down-to-earth’ philosophy. MacMillan’s maternal grandfather proved one of the most popular concertos Sir James MacMillan is a devout first sparked MacMillan’s passion for of our time. These two exceptional works Roman Catholic and has a keen interest in music, taking the young James to brass proved to be the main building blocks that Celticism. Indeed, MacMillan’s “whole - band rehearsals. led Sir James MacMillan to become such a hearted embracing of the Catholic Eminent musical figures like the late, highly-regarded name. Church” is seen as the one thing that has great, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, and Cooke sums up the extensive and in - remained constant in his life and his Durham University’s lecturer and com - fluential MacMillan palette with a persua - music, inspired by his faith, has become poser, John Casken, were influential sive verve and colour. In the ever- legendary. throughout MacMillan’s musical educa - competitive world of contemporary Starting from humble beginnings tion and a subsequent highly successful classical musical art, Sir James Macmillan is portrayed as a classic case of working life. MacMillan’s finely-crafted works have the local-lad-made-good. Cooke reveals MacMillan’s powerful and dramatic created many thought-provoking pieces how, as a bashful child, James MacMillan work The Confession of Isobel Gowdie , was for us all to enjoy and learn from. courageously stood up for the magnifi - premiered at the 1990 Promenade MacMillan remains a composer of cence of musical art and survived the Concerts. The dramatic Requiem, for great passion, integrity, veracity and inevitable school bullies and art large symphony orchestra, based on the thoughtfulness; his work will remain with detractors. stark injustice of the 17th century Scottish us long past his 60th birthday this year MacMillan’s childhood years were witchcraft executions, also made a suc - and Cooke’s penetrating biography leaves spent in the town of Cumnock, Ayrshire. cessful second appearance at this year’s the reader looking forward to future MacMillan’s early education owed a lot to Promenade Concerts. The widely per - MacMillan riches. the dedication of Catholic nuns (he still formed percussion concerto, Veni, Veni keeps in touch with one tutor) together Emmanuel (premiered at in - CHRIS BYE with the encouragement of loving parents. 1992), dedicated to his parents, has also

-11- CD REVIEWS

John McCabe: Works, Volume 1

Jane Ford piano PRIMA FACIE 054

ohn McCabe had a wide and varied career in music for over 60 years. He Jtaught at University College, Cardiff as resident artist of piano and from 1983 until 1990 served as Principal of the London College of Music. He was granted the award of CBE for his services to music. Repertoire on Jane Ford’s first disc of McCabe’s piano music spans 50 years of creativity. She has arranged the pieces chronologically as well giving the listener insight to the stylistic influence and changes in his technique over those years. I enjoyed the quartal harmonies in the ‘3 Impromptus’ a great deal, so nicely adapted into his predominantly lyric de - sign. The slightly more dissonant and somewhat serial, but still lyric, ‘5 Bagatelles’ interject all sorts of twists and turns, sometimes abruptly, to hold your attention throughout. The ‘Paraphrase’ work is based on one think as you listen, perhaps a tip of The difference between them is that themes from his own ballet, Mary Queen of the hat to his academic background and Bright was born in 1862 and Gipps in 1921, Scots and is structured in prelude-and- experience. Never frivolous this is solid so the style and content of both concertos fugue form in a slow-fast tempo piano repertoire that deserves to be stud - reflect the idioms of their respective differentiation. ‘Afternoons and After - ied and heard in the concert hall. I look times. wards’ is a seven-movement set of pro - forward to Ms. Ford’s next disc of more of Bright’s style is derived, I would sug - gressively “graded” technique in the McCabe’s piano works. gest from Schumann, via the French sug - manner of Bartok’s ‘Mikrokosmos’, part of ary lot (eg Litolff), finally to MacDowell, so Novello’s series edited by Richard Rodney - JOHN DRESSLER we can expect a sort of well-digested late Bennett. The final movement is perky and - - - - - 19th C. lingua franca. She was clearly an certain to please any pianist and audience expert composer (and indeed pianist). member with its running notes in the Bright & Gipps: Everything fits and is in place. right hand. There is nothing very profound in the The one-minute ‘Lamentation’ is a Piano Concertos music but it is entertaining. There is more clever, quirky piece commissioned by the depth in a later piece of hers on the disc, BBC for observance of Haydn’s 250th Samantha Ward piano the ‘Variations for Piano and Orchestra’ birthday, One will immediately hear the Murray McLachlan piano where she explores the many possibilities ragtime design; the main theme is based Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra of her brief but potent 5-note theme on the musical notes fashioned out of Charles Peebles conductor which ultimately begins to sound very Haydn’s complete name. The ‘Berceuse’ SOMMCD 273 much like early Elgar. with which this disc concludes again high - Happily, with recent recordings we lights contrasting themes and the inter - his is an extraordinarily interesting are beginning to experience a new interest play between them. Here McCabe uses and important release. Superficially in the music of Ruth Gipps, and this new the left hand more melodically than the there are several parallels with re - issue will surely confirm her lasting value. T She was a versatile and expert musician - right. spect to the concertos. This is a wonderful introduction to Both Bright and Gipps wrote these a concert pianist until an accident cur - the listener of McCabe’s piano writing. It pieces in their mid-20s, both pieces are tailed her career, a professional wind is inviting for any future performer and about 25 minutes long with the first move - player, and busy conductor, as well as listener. It is more introspective on the ment longer than the other two together, being, I would suggest, a significant com - whole than aggressive; it requires sensi - and, as has to be expected, both struggled poser. Her famously stroppy refusal to tivity on all levels of the soloist; it makes against masculine indifference. have anything to do with atonality, was

-12- CD REVIEWS alas, to hold back the recognition she was worth getting to know. Lend these endearing musical works due. WBW was in fact a descendant of the an ear. You won’t regret it! The trenchant opening of her con - poet, William Wordsworth’s brother, certo shows a liking for the styles encoun - Christopher -- his great-great grandson. - CHRIS BYE tered in the music of Bliss and In fact, convoluted antecedence apart, this Rawsthorne but then things settle down was a composer who, in his own right, - - - - - and she begins to exploit her characteris - wrote some splendid home-grown music, tic love of bitter-sweet harmony. There are inspired by many British natural wonders. numerous moments of imagination, for John Gibbons BEM, a well-travelled Composers at the instance some very characteristic writing and experienced conductor with a per - Savile Club for woodwind, and a brief dialogue be - sonal penchant for championing unfairly tween soloist and timpani in the first neglected British music, coaxes some con - Alexander Karpeyev piano movement. vincing playing from this accomplished SOMM 0601 There is a final filler on the disc, Latvian Orchestra. It is also comple - Gipps’ late work ‘Ambarvalia’, a gentle pas - mented by thoroughbred sound engineer - ianist Alexander Karpeyev has torale written in 1988 as a tribute to the ing. brought together rarely heard music recently deceased Adrian Cruft. This uncomplicated music encapsu - for the piano by twelve 19th and The soloists in both concertos are ex - lates that inimitable and distinctive pas - P 20th century members of the Savile Club. cellent, with Murray McLachlan being ex - toral style which was brought to a head by Introducing and concluding the disc ceptionally magisterial and persuasive. better-known contemporary names such are two works for two trumpets, a fanfare The orchestra are more at home in the as Vaughan Williams and Elgar. by Julian Anderson commissioned for the Gipps works possibly because the scoring In this release, picturesque topogra - 150th anniversary of the club (2018) built sounds more idiomatic. phy and scenic serenity are beautifully around four notes - for the initials of There is a charming picture of Ruth Savile Club and Gavin Henderson who Gipps in the liner notes. She looks like ev - commissioned the work. The musical eryone’s favourite granny, with a broad representation of S is E-flat and of H is grin on her face as she sits at the wheel of B-natural. her drophead Morgan sports car. Then there is Malcolm Arnold’s Cen - tenary Fanfare from 1968, composed of one - GEOFFREY ATKINSON note (C) which disc-producer Jeremy Bar - low suggests highlights the first letter of - - - - - such words as Centenary, Club, and Con - vivium, thus all within the primary mis - William Wordsworth: sion of the group itself. Mr Karpeyev has chosen a fine Orchestral Music, programme of works demonstrating great variety of style and tempo, some energetic Vol 2 from the start, others introspective, others showing brilliant scalar passages, Kamila Bydlowska violin captured (particularly in genteel, slow some with folk-song character, others Arta Arnicane piano movements suitably marked ‘adagio with a simple melody above a homophonic Liepaja Symphony Orchestra cantabile’) in Wordsworth’s restful piano accompaniment. An unexpected delight John Gibbons conductor and violin concertos. Both are expertly on this disc is Roy Douglas’s piano-solo TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0526 delivered by soloists Arta Arnicane (piano) arrangement of the ‘Popular Song’ move - and Kamila Bydlowska (violin). ment of Walton’s Façade . ne of Britain’s most unfairly over - The sweetly orchestrated ‘Lonely Most of the works here were new to looked composers, William Tarn’, at the heart of a three-movement me, and as such are musically rewarding OWordsworth (1908-1998), may not descriptive work entitled Pastoral to the ear. The contrast in style and have reached the heady artistic heights of Sketches, also projects a dreaminess. In - melodic shapes and rhythmic design his far more famous poetic namesake and tertwining harmonies – especially from serves the disc well in offering differing distant relative. Yet this luscious music eloquently controlled woodwind and moods on each new track, always creating undoubtedly nourishes our musical cul - string sections - are cleverly balanced to interest throughout the generous 65 ture. produce a memorable sound. minutes of repertoire. Here is an engaging taste of some John Gibbons and his polished players Piano works of Savile Club composers charming 20th century music penned by dip enthusiastically into the vibrant included are Herbert Howells, Francis London-born composer, William Brock - Wordsworth paint-box to skilfully pro - Chagrin, Roger Quilter, Arthur Benjamin, lesby Wordsworth. This release is the sec - duce some alluring and vivid colours William Alwyn, Virgil Thomson, Balfour ond of a welcome series of works by a which certainly pull listeners into Gardiner, Elgar and Stanford. I truly en - melodic master whose works are certainly Wordsworth’s colourful music pictures. joyed the wide spectrum of music from

-13- CD REVIEWS

Benjamin’s Scherzino to Elgar’s In Smyrna to Stanford’s Four Irish Dances to Howells’ Procession . Chagrin’s Suite Roumaine and the three of Thomson’s Nineteen Portraits , 1981 couldn’t be more different, both of which performed with meaning, purpose and command. Mr Karpeyev is a Russian pianist resi - dent in the UK. He is currently Music Cu - rator of the Pushkin House Music Salon in London where he regularly appears as soloist and collaborator with other artists. He is working to bring forward a Russian Music Festival in London before too long. You will enjoy his skill at all dynamic levels and tempi as he weaves the differing styles present in this repertoire.

- JOHN DRESSLER

- - - - - Dame : & Mass in D structions on tempo. It is orchestrally rich ways plays on programmes dealing with BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus with many changes, perhaps like film suffragettes. The music on this CD is way Sakari Oramo conductor music? (Although in 1904 that sort of better than that. CHANDOS CHSA 5240 music did not really exist.) I thought at first of Korngold’s ‘The Sea Hawk’ though - ALAN COOPER the music is not at all the same. his CD offers two large scale works ‘The Mass in D’ called up sacred - - - - - by Dame Ethel Smyth. Why is her music by Berlioz, Verdi or Brahms. Theirs Tmusic not better known? Is it be - is probably better but the idea of magni - cause she was a woman composer? Surely tude in compositional style is similar. It Stanford: that no longer matters today. goes without me saying that the perfor - The Travelling Her personal life and her history as a mance by the BBC Orchestra and Chorus prominent supporter of the suffragette is first rate as are the soloists Susanna Companion movement? Interest in such details did Hurrell, soprano, Catriona Morison, alto, tend to eclipse her compositions. Even her Ben Johnson, tenor and Duncan Rock, New Sussex Opera Orchestra & Chorus name? Ethel Smyth. It sounds more like baritone. Catriona Morison was the first Toby Purser conductor one of the friends of Katie Johnson in the British winner of the Cardiff Singer of the SOMMCD 274-2 film The Ladykillers than a great com - World Main Prize as well as the Song poser. This should not matter. Perhaps it Prize. still does? The others are of equal quality. The his double CD is the World Pre - Actually, her musical background was variety of choral and solo parts through - mière recording of the last of exceptionally impressive. When she stud - out the Credo adds so much to its interest TCharles Villiers Stanford’s nine op - ied at the Conservatory in Leipzig she and impact but for me the compositional eras. It contains a narrative element strik - knew Dvořák, Grieg and Tchaikovsky. and indeed the performance highlights in ingly similar to Puccini’s Turandot. Later on, she was closely involved with this recording were the Sanctus with Originally a Persian folktale, the story Clara Schumann and Brahms. Catriona Morison and in the Gloria, the first appeared in Europe in 1762 in a play Her music often involves quite opu - two duet sections featuring Catriona and by Count Carlo Gozzi. In 1801 it was trans - lent orchestral and choral writing. The Duncan Rock. lated and revised by Friedrich Schiller, overture to her opera ‘The Wreckers’ is Before I got this CD, the only music by and in 1835 Hans Christian Andersen used quite fragmented. The accompanying Ethel Smyth with which I was familiar was it as a part of his story entitled The Trav - booklet lists no fewer than seventeen in - ‘March of the Women’ which the BBC al - elling Companion.

-14 - CD REVIEWS

In 1911, the Irish baritone Harry Plun - ket Greene suggested to Stanford that it would make a good opera. They sent a let - ter to the poet Henry Newbolt asking him to provide a libretto. Newbolt simplified Andersen’s story taking the essence of just two of Andersen’s multiple narrative tracts to form what works particularly smoothly as drama. With the attractive tonal colours of Stanford’s music, in particular his orches - tral and choral writing, it provides a fasci - nating and enjoyable experience. The two strands of the drama are de - livered with radically different music. The hero, John, protects the body of a de - ceased gentleman from two “Ruffians” in - tent on robbing the corpse. He gives them all his money. Soon afterwards, he is joined by a friend, the travelling compan - ion, who helps him solve the riddle allow - ing him to marry the Princess and inherit Sir Arthur Bliss half the kingdom. Can you guess who the travelling companion turns out to have been? The opening prologue, noble and sug - The Enchantress of 1951 is a ‘Scena for gesting just a hint of Elgar, belongs to the Bliss Contralto and Orchestra’ written for Kath - Companion, so different from the vividly leen Ferrier. ‘Dramatic’ hardly describes Mary of Magdala, The Enchantress, dramatic and sometimes more light- the somewhat overheated expostulation in Meditations on a Theme by John Blow hearted music of the Princess story. This this translation of a classical Greek text by CHANDOS CHSA 5242 contains the one decidedly memorable the playwright, Henry Reed. theme in the opera covering the words ‘All Frankly, it is all a bit ridiculous and his is another very fine and in a morning Glory’. It recurs tellingly in the histrionics become wearisome, even welcome issue from Chandos. The many guises through the opera. though the whole thing seems to be meat main work is one of Bliss’s best, and Performances are excellent, especially T and drink to Sarah Connolly who is abso - arguably best-known works, the ‘Medita - orchestra and choruses. The principals, lutely magnificent. tions on a Theme of John Blow’ (1955). tenor David Horton as the hero John, a Things calm down a bit with the final Having received a commission, Bliss warm and dependable sounding baritone work on the disc Mary of Magdala (1962-3) was wondering what he could do when he Julien Van Mellaerts as the companion and which is a charming re-enactment of the received a gift of the Musica Britannica a powerful and dramatic soprano Kate events of early Easter Morning as seen volume of John Blow’s Coronation An - Valentine as the Princess are particularly through the apprehensions of Mary Mag - thems wherein he discovered a noble tune impressive. dalene. in the Sinfonia preceding the setting of the I remember long ago listening to The familiar text from John Ch.20 is 23rd Psalm. radio plays before television. My imagina - given an imaginative poetic gloss by He has said ‘At once I was compelled tion was able to conjure up clear pictures Christopher Hassall who also embedded to make a set of variations on it’. The of the action. Listening to the CDs and fol - two 17th century texts. Hassall was to die resulting music thus consists of an lowing the stage directions in the accom - soon after completing his contribution illustration in music of the verses of the panying booklet, in a similar way I and thus the work was dedicated to him. psalm and that ‘as the psalmist does not envisioned a particularly colourful pro - Bliss’s idiom here is much less aggressive reach the joy of the House of the Lord duction of Stanford’s last opera. than in ‘The Enchantress’ and has a very until the end of his song, I could keep the attractive pastoral air about it. full version of Blow’s tune until the finale’. - ALAN COOPER Indeed, I rate it almost as highly as Thus, in effect, to quote RVW, we have the Blow Meditations, and I am pleased to here ‘variations in search of a tune’ and - - - - - have made its acquaintance. the idea works splendidly. In passing I The performances and recordings would note that in its full orchestral are uniformly excellent. Strongly sumptuous dress the ‘tune’ could only recommended! have been the product of English musi - cians, so utterly characteristic is it in its - GEOFFREY ATKINSON expression.

-15 - CONCERT REVIEWS

Llewellyn (Mrs Waters) – resulted in an The Boatswain’s engaging interaction with the audience. Rather oddly Part 2 differs from Part 1 Mate in that all the dialogue is sung, and partic - ularly effective was the way in which Mrs St Albans Chamber Opera Waters and Travers (Shaun Aquilina) con - Abbey Theatre veyed in asides to the audience their October 2019 growing attraction to each other. David Woods was impressive as the hapless thel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate Benn, and Clive Webb was a good village is a delightful comic opera that is bobby, surely the only one in all opera to full of as many unexpected twists in E sing the familiar caution ‘Everything you its plot as there had been with its first per - say may be used in evidence against you’. formance. The Boatswain’s Mate takes on a rus - The outbreak of the First World War She has her revenge on Benn by pre - tic air with the inclusion of a number of had caused the cancellation of the opera’s tending to have shot Mr Travers dead and folksongs. The only slight disappointment première in Frankfurt in 1915 (as well as a making Benn dig a grave for the body. The of the evening was that it was given no planned production of The Wreckers at final comic twist is that Mrs Waters and doubt for financial reasons with piano ac - Munich the same year). Mr Travers fall for each other and the companiment. With no discredit to Julian With Covent Garden closed for opera opera ends with them agreeing that Barber the excellent pianist, the reduced for the duration of the war, Beecham had Travers (hoping to become landlord) is to accompaniment could not match and sup - agreed to take on both The Boatswain’s return that evening when they will see port the vigour and sparkle of the onstage Mate and Stanford’s The Critic with his Benn’s reaction on finding Travers very action. own opera company at the Shaftesbury much alive. Nevertheless, all credit to St Albans Theatre, but at the last minute, because he The production by St Albans Chamber Chamber Opera and director John Smith was ‘feeling rather tired’ he decided to Opera at the Abbey Theatre on 24 October for such a memorable staging of this rarely take a holiday in Italy and engaged the 2019 was outstanding. It benefited from performed opera, and it was a pity that so young Eugene Goossens to conduct in - being held in the smaller more intimate fine a production should only have two stead. setting of the Abbey Theatre studio. performances. Goossens had much success with the Simple staging suggested (Part 1) the In October 1916 Ethel Smyth and the Stanford opera but when a fortnight later, outside and (Part 2) the inside of the Bee - original three principals recorded sub - on 28 January 1916, it came to The hive, with a window for Travers’ entry and stantial extracts from The Boatswain’s Boatswain’s Mate Ethel Smyth insisted on a table for him to hide from Mrs Waters Mate that were reissued in 2016 on Retro - conducting the première herself, which, as (dramatically more suitable than the cup - spect Opera’s complete recording of the Goossens recalled in his autobiography, board in the original story). The singing work conducted by Odaline de la Martinez ‘necessitated additional last-minute re - and diction of all the performers were ex - (RO001). hearsals which she directed with a maxi - cellent so that not a moment of humour in mum of fuss, pomposity and ineptitude’. the text was lost, and their expressive - STEPHEN LLOYD He conducted the later performances. faces – especially of Sarah Hartley The Boatswain’s Mate is the second short story in W W Jacobs’ collection Cap - tains All, first published in 1905, a drama - tized version appearing two years later. The original story has only three charac - ters: retired boatswain George Benn; Mrs Waters, widowed landlady of the Beehive pub to whom Benn has repeatedly - and unsuccessfully – proposed; and ex-soldier Mr Travers (the eponymous ‘mate’) whom Benn persuades to pretend to burgle the Beehive so that Benn can ‘rescue’ Mrs Wa - ters, gain her gratitude and marry her. The opera differs significantly from the short story with the action and the hu - mour being much enlarged by the addition of six new characters: a woman who works for Mrs Waters, four agricultural labourers who drink at the Beehive, and the local po - liceman. Benn’s plot of course goes astray when Mrs Waters produces a double-bar - relled gun.

-16-