RES10139 Journey toAldeburgh Young Britten Thomas Kemp Chamber Domaine Journey to Aldeburgh: Young Britten Frank Bridge (1879-1941) arr. for 12 instruments by Benjamin Britten 1. There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook * [10:31] Chamber works composed and arranged by Benjamin Britten Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) 2. Introduction and Allegro * [14:14] for piano trio

3. The Moon * [2:59] Chamber Domaine for violin and piano conductor 1, 10-11 & violin 2, 4-9 4. Allegro * [1:10] Thomas Kemp for piano Jon Mills violin 1 1, 10-11 1, 10-11 Suite for Violin and Pianoforte, Op. 6 Matt Ward violin 2 5. Introduction [0:35] 1, 10-11 Carmen Flores viola 6. March [2:35] Matthew Sharp cello 1, 10-11 7. Moto perpetuo [3:39] Ben Russell double bass 1, 10-11 8. Lullaby [4:27] Rowland Sutherland flute 1, 10-11 9. Waltz [5:23] Ruth Bolister oboe 1, 10-11 1, 10-11 Sinfonietta, Op. 1 Nicholas Cox clarinet 1, 10-11 10. Poco presto ed agitato [5:27] Adam McKenzie bassoon 11. Variations & Tarantella [11:34] Steve Stirling horn 1, 10-11 About Chamber Domaine & Thomas Kemp: Laure Genthialon harp 1 Matthew West percussion 1 'Committed performances from Chamber Domaine, Total playing time [62:42] 2 definitely an ensemble from whom much can be expected, Adrian Bradbury cello under the incisive leadership of Thomas Kemp' Sophia Rahman piano 2-9 Gramophone * world premiere recording

'[...] superb artistry too, with pungent playing from Chamber Domaine' The Times Journey to Aldeburgh: Young Britten 1928, when he began his studies at Gresham School, Holt, and June 16th, 1938 when he Britten by all accounts was a complex and was blazing a trail as a composer. All of his contradictory personality. Paul Kildea in compositions – numbering over 600 before his book, Benjamin Britten – A Life in the he finished his studies in 1933 at the Royal Twentieth Century, neatly summarises College of Music, London (RCM) – were kept the opinions of Britten's contemporaries: and carefully stored by the composer. Later, ‘Loving, spontaneous, loyal, corrupt, they were to form part of the collection of humorous, humourless, soulless, his life and works – an exhaustive collection courageous, weak, abnormal, flawed, brilliantly promoted and preserved by beautiful, ugly, petulant, secretive, the Britten-Pears Foundation. Another wonderful, crippled, sadistic, charming, legacy is Britten’s Aldeburgh Festival, an great, hateful. To those who knew him, English Bayreuth. Britten allowed his life and knew him well, Benjamin Britten and work to be fastidiously documented. displayed all these characteristics, He wanted a lasting monument to his and more besides.’ achievements – even in his lifetime there was an entire industry built around him This summary chimes with Britten at which continued after his death in 1976. the pinnacle of his career. Darling of Witness the extraordinary Britten 100 the British establishment, yet an outsider. celebrations which took place in 2013 A public figure. An intensely private man. across the world. A ruthless operator. A profoundly creative artist. Urbane yet parochial. A contradiction. Robert Tear – the great British Tenor who Performer – composer – entrepreneur. worked with the composer – described Someone that is not easy to pigeon hole. Aldeburgh when Britten was at the helm: ‘Pope, King, a couple of sycophantic Early on, Britten had one eye on posterity. academics and perhaps a handmaiden or His mother Edith wanted him to be the two strewing palms […] an atmosphere Fourth B – after Bach, Beethoven and laden with waspishness, bitterness, cold, Brahms – recognising Benjamin’s prodigious hard eyes, with cabalistic meetings under talents as a performer and composer. the Cherry Tree with Pimms, with the Perhaps with such a sense of destiny, he inscrutability of the elite. It was an kept a diary between September 20th, atmosphere of secrecy.’ Britten as Pope, Chamber Domaine record in St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London Peter Pears as the King, a cabal of assorted was a pacifist and this deeply influenced There is a willow grows aslant a brook, Frank Bridge died in 1941, whilst Britten was courtiers and plotters – it is the stuff of opera! Britten – who was to later write the War That shows his hoar leaves in the in New York. A period when the rather prim Requiem (1961) and Owen Wingrave (1970) – glassy stream; and proper Britten and Pears lived in a What is obscured with such anecdotal works which expose the horror and futility Therewith fantastic garlands did she make colourful, bohemian household at 7 Middaugh evidence is that the music and some of of war. Bridge was also strongly influenced Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long Street, Brooklyn, with W.H. Auden, Gypsy the music that Britten wrote as a youngster by composers such as Alban Berg and purples Rose Lee, Christopher Isherwood and That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, is remarkable: fresh, varied, eclectic and Maurice Ravel and this too left a deep many others. Britten was to champion But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers idiomatic. mark on Britten’s artistic outlook. Indeed, call them: Bridge’s music, which was almost Britten nearly studied with Alban Berg There, on the pendent boughs her coronet completely shunned at the time, writing Perhaps the single biggest game changer at Bridge’s suggestion but in the event weeds the Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, for the precocious Britten was his meeting this did not happen. Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke; Op.10 in 1937 and performing several of with Frank Bridge. Britten’s viola teacher, When down her weedy trophies and herself his works despite him being so unfashionable. Audrey Alston – a college friend of Frank Bridge successfully combined the harmonic Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes Bridge – took Britten to hear The Sea at and textural elements of Berg and Ravel spread wide; Something of the mysterious opening of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival in with an English lyricism rooted in late And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up: There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook 1924. It was an event which, according romanticism. This can clearly be heard in Which time she chanted snatches of old seems to have influenced the opening to Britten, knocked him sideways. By 1927, There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook – lauds; bars of the piano trio – Introduction and he was studying with Bridge and this was a work Bridge composed for chamber As one incapable of her own distress, Allegro, which was written in the autumn to have a profound influence on his orchestra in 1926. Britten first heard this Or like a creature native and indued of 1932, whilst he was a student at the Unto that element: but long it could not be development as a person, performer, piece and Enter Spring at a BBC Symphony Royal College of Music. It was a period Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, composer and even thinker. concert of contemporary music in March Pull’d the poor wretch from her when rehearsals for his Sinfonietta Op.1 1931, commenting in his diary that the melodious lay were going particularly badly. Frank Bridge came from a different music was ‘rather badly played, but To muddy death. background and era. Born in 1879 in magnificent, inspired works.’ Britten’s Introduction and Allegro shows Brighton, Bridge was from a working The chamber version of There is a Willow the influence of Ravel, particularly his class background and had to earn his There is a Willow grows aslant a Brook is Grows Aslant a Brook, arranged by Britten, Piano Trio in A (1914) and the Introduction living – performing as a violist and based on Queen Gertrude’s monologue was premiered at the inaugural Aldeburgh and Allegro for Harp, Clarinet, Flute and conductor and composing. His strong in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet reporting Festival in 1948. Britten annotated a score, String Quartet (1905), which Britten first work ethic and total immersion in music that Ophelia has died. The music is based removing some of the wind instruments heard as a teenager. The jaunty sections was something that rubbed off on on the following lines and brilliantly captures and adding percussion to fill out the of the work echo the lyrical pastoralism of Britten, who performed internationally the sombre and mysterious atmosphere of more dramatic sections of the work. He Frank Bridge’s Phantasy Piano Quartet as a pianist and conducted in tandem the text: also redistributes some of the solo lines to and interestingly Britten was writing his with his composing activities. Bridge fit the ensemble of twelve musicians. own Phantasy Oboe Quartet, Op. 2

concurrently with the Introduction and youthful optimism but has some of the and taught work in just three weeks. a real voice, imagination and flair. Music Allegro – an entry for the Cobbett Prize for asymmetry and crystalline qualities of Again, contemporary music from the that brims with passion and energy but chamber music at the Royal College of Stravinsky, another influence. This partiuclar continent is an influence, notably the that can equally be moving and profound. Music – an award which Bridge himself influence is most heard in the Suite for Schoenberg Chamber Symphony, which had previously won with the Phantasy Violin and Piano Op. 6, which was composed Britten knew. The horn solo heard at © 2014 Thomas Kemp Quartet. between 1934 and 1935 and which received the opening of the first movement its premiere in March 1936 as part of a echoes that in the Schoenberg. The Britten studied with John Ireland at the BBC broadcast, during a period when Britten Sinfonietta is dedicated to Frank Bridge RCM but it was still from Frank Bridge that was collaborating with W.H. Auden at and the Variations again hark back to the he regularly sought advice – almost on a the GPO Film Unit in Blackheath, making pastoral lyricism of early Bridge and weekly basis. Britten’s music was modern. groundbreaking films such as Night Mail. even Vaughan Williams, the latter When he won a scholarship to the RCM at The death of his father in 1934 profoundly a composer Britten later detested. the age of sixteen, one of the professors affected Britten, and something of this can asked him why a public school boy was be heard in the ‘Elegy’ of the Suite. The Tarantella that ends the work is a writing that kind of music. The institution Stravinsky’s Duo Concertant of 1932 seems riot – all the musical material comes from in the 1930s was starchy, conservative to be a model; one of the most lyrical the opening of the first movement and and traditional, and Britten did not works that Stravinsky wrote, and one this gives the work a compact construction, particularly enjoy his lessons at the that Britten had performed in 1936. His coherence and unity. It is very assured RCM. There were very few performances great admiration for Stravinsky shows in and an early masterpiece. of his music at the college. But he had much of his music and some of the the wit to generate professional procedures he uses – particularly pastiching What strikes the listener of these early performances and develop the contacts the music of others, for example the works is the freshness of ideas, the to perform elsewhere, a fact which Britten brilliant Rossini pastiche in Soirees embrace of the new music by Stravinsky recognised stating: ‘My musical education Musicales Op. 9. Composed for the violinist and the Second Viennese School, yet was more outside the college than in it.’ Antonio Brosa, the violin Suite is a brilliant with a sense of lyricism and even show case – in particular the ‘Moto perpetuo’ pastoralism, something that we would He did make several friends including the and the ‘Finale’, a rollicking waltz. not associate with Britten, but certainly violinist Remo Lauricella, who performed something that is there and is very touching the Introduction and Allegro as well as The period after the RCM was one of leaps in its employment. Something that seems The Moon, a short, exquisite miniature and strides, yet his Sinfonietta was written whilst to be lacking in much of his later music. written in June 1931. still a student at college; a great work and Written within a few short years of each one that Britten felt confident to call his other each of the early works in this The short piano Allegro is also full of Op.1. Aged just 19, he penned this assured programme demonstrate a composer with

Chamber Domaine reviews and have been picked as ‘Editors Choice’ in Gramophone. The ensemble Under its artistic director, Thomas Kemp, has regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Chamber Domaine has become renowned ORF, Austria; SR, Sweden; WNYC, New York. for its virtuosity and its ambitious and distinctive programming that range from Chamber Domaine are resident at the Baroque through to the Contemporary. Music@Malling – an international festival Chamber Domaine bring passion and of music in West Malling, Kent and have commitment to a diverse repertoire that received much acclaim for their work with makes music come alive whilst placing it many of the world’s leading composers. into its cultural context. Chamber Domaine are recording artists Gramophone magazine recently commented with Resonus Classics. on the group: ‘[...] a wealth of timbral subtlety […] utterly magical […] www.chamberdomaine.com a tremendous sense of vitality and commitment.’ The Guardian described a recent concert as ‘[...] an extraordinary performance […] with a fluency that came over brilliantly under the baton of Thomas Kemp, while The New York Times praised the ensemble for its ‘[...] intriguing programming and unabashed lushness.’

The ensemble gave its highly praised South Bank and Wigmore Hall debuts in 1999 and has since performed at leading festivals and concert series in the United Kingdom, Europe and North America.

Chamber Domaine have a distinguished and highly acclaimed discography. Their recordings regularly receive five star Thomas Kemp and Mark-Anthony Turnage have received Thomas Kemp is a highly acclaimed musician much acclaim. Thomas made his recording and one of the most versatile and eclectic debut as a conductor in 2009 with world conductors of his generation acclaimed for premiere recordings of Henryk Górecki, which his innovative programming and passionate received universal five star reviews. Thomas advocacy in concerts and opera. has also recorded for ASV, Blackbox and Sony Classics and has frequently been Thomas is the Music Director of the Editor’s Choice in Gramophone. internationally acclaimed ensemble Chamber Domaine, which is at the forefront of Thomas has conducted and performed at ensembles focussing on 20th and 21st many leading festivals in the UK and overseas. century music. He made his conducting He has broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3, debut in a series of concerts celebrating Classic FM, ORF (Austria), ABC (Australia), Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of WNYC (USA), RNZ (New Zealand) and SR Dreams at the Victoria and Albert Museum, (Sweden). He is a guest artist at Bargemusic, London. He has directed Chamber Domaine New York and since his debut in 2000, in festivals and concert series in the UK, Thomas has been a regular performer at Europe and North America and has an Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre and acclaimed discography with the ensemble. Carnegie Hall, New York.

He is also Artistic Director of Music@Malling Thomas has given many world premieres – an international festival that promotes and has worked closely with composers such the works of contemporary composers as Arvo Part, Thomas Ades, Julian Anderson, alongside masterworks from the classical Mathew Hindson, Brian Ferneyhough, Judith and romantic periods. Bingham, Judith Weir, Najii Hakim, Piers Thomas Kemp conductor & solo violin Hellawell, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Brian (Photographer: Anders Nyman) In 2012, he made his operatic debut in a Elias, Ned Rorem, Ulijas Pulkis. He has new production of Così fan tutte for Opera conducted and collaborated with leading ‘[…] utterly magical […] a tremendous sense of vitality and commitment’ Holland Park with the City of London Sinfonia singers such as Elizabeth Llewellyn, Nicky Gramphone to widespread praise. Spence, Andrew Staples, Anna Grevelius, Yeree Suh, Stephen Wallace, Wendy www.thomaskemp.eu Thomas is a recording artist for Resonus Dawn Thompson, Jonathan McGovern, Classics. His recordings of Judith Bingham Marcus Farnsworth and Sara Fulgoni. More Chamber Domaine titles from Resonus Mark-Anthony Turnage: A Constant Obsession Nicky Spence (tenor) Chamber Domaine Thomas Kemp (conductor & solo violin) RES10106

'Nicky Spence flatters the tenor lines, while the musicians of Chamber Domaine capture the moody luminosity of the instrumental score Financial Times

Landscapes, real and imagined: Chamber works by Judith Bingham Yeree Suh (soprano) Chamber Domaine RES10102

‘A generous and varied showcase for this most communicative of composers. […] Copious, user-friendly presentation sets the seal on an exemplary issue. Do investigate!’ Gramophone

© 2014 Resonus Limited è 2014 Resonus Limited Recorded in St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford on 24-25 April & 15 June 2014 and St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London on 8 July 2014 Producer, Engineer & Editor: Adam Binks Photography © Resonus Limited Recorded at 24-bit / 96kHz resolution Cover image: Aldeburgh, Suffolk (adapted) by John Walker (flickr.com - Creative Commons) DDD – MCPS

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