Reports Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 119, No. 1630 (Dec., 1978), pp. 1067-1071 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/960750 Accessed: 04/06/2009 09:44 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=mtpl. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org LIVERPOOL Among recent concerts,one of the most memorable restraint,and Lutyensis to be congratulatedon the was on a relativelymodest scale. The de PeyerTrio, warm receptionit deservedlyelicited. before a small but appreciativeaudience at Christ's Concision and restraintwere scarcelyamong the College, Woolton (May 12), gave appealing inter- attributes of Anthony Milner's Symphony no.2 pretationto trios by Beethoven(op.11) and Brahms op.35, for soprano and tenor soloists, boys' choir, (op. 114). But even these delights were surpassedby chorus and orchestra, commissioned by the BBC the good-humoured performance by Gervase de and presented by the RLPO under Meredith Peyerand WilliamPleeth of PhyllisTate's Sonata for Davies (July 13) as part of the LiverpoolFestival of clarinet and cello. The central work was Berg's Sacred Music. Its subject is peace and mankind's Piano Sonata op.1. Peter Wallfisch'splaying here need and searchfor it. The huge scale of the music was riveting; every subtlety of phrasingwas there, matches the momentousnessof this idea, but in the the music at one moment meditative,at the next full outcome the symphonytakes on too much and ends of ebullience and splendour. Concert-goers who up by achieving little. The three movements have eschew performancesoutside the city centre have cumbrous titles, and the choral and solo texts, only themselves to blame for missing this most though individuallyappropriate, are diminishedin enjoyable evening, for the concert was well publi- impact when juxtaposed, and the interest is not cized. sustained.The scoringis more or less traditionaland Nevertheless, there has been plenty to attract there is some superb choral writing reminiscentin people into the city, and the RLPO in particularhas places of Bax. The PhilharmonicChoir had a few been enterprising in this respect. Their recent awkward moments, particularlyin the enormous 'Composer in Person' series has done much to woolly fugal section, and were largely outshone by enhance the accessibilityof new works; it deserves the boys whose task was less arduous. Best of all, better status and publicityand a more appropriate despite having to fight to be heard, were John venue than the balconybar at openingtime. When a Elwes and Jane Manning-who, according to the new piece is to be performed,the public are invited programmenote, was performinga 'Bop. Solo'. to hear the composer give a short talk about it Another work with a traditional title under beforehand.Rather than the huff, puff and analysis individual interpretationwas Gerard Schurmann's from which one suspects many people are shying Violin Concerto for Ruggiero Ricci, given its first away, the talks have been more like amiable con- performanceby the RLPO under Walter Weller versationsfrom which much of interesthas emerged. (Sept 26). This delightfulconcerto brims over with Indeed, Elisabeth Lutyens (April 25) talked en- purposeful,rich melody. It deservesa virtuoso like gagingly about music in general,professing interest Ricci to perform it; the remarkablydifficult solo no longer in the work she had just completedfor the part sang and flowed with liquid ease. The cadenza, RLPO under Simon Rattle, but only in composi- not an empty ornamentbut a profoundsynthesis of tions currentlyin hand. Almost her sole commenton the precedingmovement, would almost stand as a the new piece, Rondel,was that 'it could be magic, it piece by itself. Just as remarkablewas the effective could be a deadly bore'. In the event, it was magic. use of single percussion and harp notes in soft The idea behind Rondel is simple; lightly-scored passages, and the prominent role given to the episodes for the orchestra are interspersed with orchestralstrings. The eveningended with a spirited refrains of three chords for which certain of the performance of Brahms's Symphony no.1, most richer, darker-huedinstruments are reserved. The notable for WalterWeller's determined dismissal of playing was excellent, and the urgent dynamismof the self-indulgentsluggishness sometimes apparent some verses contrastedeffectively with the serenity among string playerson reachingthe 'big tune'. of the refrain.The piece is a model of concision and JUDITH BLEZZARD NORTH WALES The small cathedral of St Asaph with its unstuffy Stuart Burrowswho was at his most sensitive in a atmosphere and generous acoustics continues to Straussgroup, and his most eloquent and dramatic house this festival (although its name has broader in Hoddinott's song cycle Landscapes (Ynys M6n). implications), and as usual the varied fare drew A well-balancedand lively programmeof Haydn, large attendances to most of the ten concerts Tippett and Schumanngiven earlierin the week by (Sept 24-30). Two events were early sell-outs: the the Lindsay Quartet with Imogen Cooper should Friday morningappearance of Atarah'sBand which have drawn better support. delighteda capacity school crowd, and predictably, Some prominence was given to the concerto a fine recital the previous evening by the tenor principle in this seventh festival: at the central 1067 Wednesday evening concert George Malcolm harpist Elinor Bennett gave much pleasure in directed the Northern Sinfonia in all six Branden- another morning recital which included Ian Par- burgs, in a presentationwhere strict musicology (in rott's new suite Arfon, a colourful sound-picture terms of instrumentation,deployment of continuo reflecting the craggy and dramatic northern land- and handling of repeats) gave way gracefully to scape. Robin Orr's elegant and likable psalm other musical and aesthetic considerations; what settings Songs ofZion formedthe novelty in a rather might have been a glut of Baroque semiquavers over-eclecticconcert by the BBC Northern Singers became a real feast of Bachianvigour. In Monday's directed by Stephen Wilkinson. A beautiful sound opening concert given by the RLPO under Walter was maintained throughout a longish programme, Weller, Ruggiero Ricci gave an effectiveaccount of but the movement from Byrd through Malcolm the decorative patternsand wry lyricism of Proko- Williamson to Brahms posed stylistic problems: fiev's rarely heard Violin Concerto no.1. For me sensitive phrasing did not prevent the Liebeslieder however the highlight of the whole festival was waltzes from sounding rhythmically stiff and reached on the final Saturday evening with Sir unidiomatic. Clifford Curzon's memorably tender yet incisive The anniversariesof Arne and Schubert were playing of Mozart's last piano concerto, K595,in a noted during the week, the former in an engaging radiant performance well partnered by the BBC harpsichordrecital by George Malcolm, and the Welsh SO under Erich Bergel. latter principallyat the end of the festival with the Three new works (two by Welsh composers)were 'Great' C major Symphony. This was taken at a presented during the week, and Mathias's lately spanking pace by Bergel, curiously recalling premieredRequiescat also functionedas an overture Weller's urgent but effective reading of Brahms's in the last concert. This powerful orchestralelegy First on the opening night. The Schubert finale seems to herald a sea-change in the composer's however emerged as excitable rather than exciting, recent style. Huw Tregelles Williams in this year's losing much of its Olympiandignity. Neverthelessit organ recital capably maintained the very high is to the credit of the Welsh orchestrathat in res- standards previously set, and introduced Richard ponding to Bergel's relentlessdrive they closed the Elfyn Jones's Second Sonata, a substantial and week's music-makingin an impressivelyvirtuoso attractivework whose impactwas not diminishedin manner. the company of Franck, Messiaenand Durufle.The A. J. HEWARD REES WEXFORD Czech domestic comedy, German verismo and artfully suggested the verandahof a large country Italian science fiction made up the programmefor house and still left room for the harvest dances this year'sfestival, the lastto be directedby Thomson arranged by Terry Gilbert. Smetana's score, as Smillie (Adrian Slack takes over next season).