CD Reviews - October 2019

Lutenist Alex McCartneyhas brought to life the music of a composer who was new to him until recently, and will certainly be new to most of us too. Jean Paul Paladin (c.1500-1565) was originally from Milan, but moved to France around 1516 and worked for the courts of Francois I, Charles III of Lorraine, and even Queen Mary of Scotland whilst she was living in France. The music presented here consists of a selection of delightful Fantasias by Paladin, all of which have an emphasis on contrapuntal writing – that’s to say, a number of melodic lines working through the pieces at the same time, not at all easy to write, or indeed play successfully on the lute. Yet McCartney hides any difficulties that these present, and the results are full of remarkably smooth lines and subtle delicacy. He also includes various anonymous stately Praeludiums, taken from Hortus Musicalis Novus, as well as two ‘intabulations’ (i.e. transcriptions into tabular notation for the instrument) by Paladin of madrigals by other composers, Quand’io penso al martir by Jacques Arcadelt, and Anchor che col partir by Cipriano de Rore, followed by Paladin’s Fantasias on these works. These fantasias, particularly the one drawing on the Rore madrigal are full of beautiful lines and invention, and placing the relatively ‘true’ transcription next to Paladin’s imitation fantasias allows McCartney to demonstrate the fluidity of Paladin’s own writing for the instrument, as well as his own deft touch and ability to bring out the singing lines of this delicate music. Another delightful disc from McCartney, well worth exploring.

Paladin, J. P. 2018. Paladin. Alex McCartney. Compact Disc. Veterum Musica VM022.

Back in April I reviewed Oli Spleen’s collaboration with Birdeatsbaby, Gaslight Illuminations. He’s now released his third single from the album, ‘Furnace’, with the B-side being a version of Brahms' ‘Hungarian Dance No. 5’. Furnace is the final track on the album, and it describes a psychological rebirth after the spiritual and emotional decline and death of the preceding songs. You can see the music video to Furnace, directed by Steve Johnson on YouTube (below), and you can download the single and album at olispleen.bandcamp.com.

Spleen, O. & Fitzgerald, M. 2019. Furnace. Oli Spleen, Mishkin Fitzgerald, Hana Maria, Steve Johnson. Digital Download. Bandcamp.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, October 2019)

CD Reviews - March/April 2019

Peter Donohoe launches his series of Piano Sonatas by W. A. Mozart (1756-91) with a disc containing two Sonatas from Mozart's set of six, composed in Munich in his late teens, together with his penultimate Sonata, composed in Vienna a couple of years before his death aged just 35.  Donohoe also throws in the popular Fantasia in D minor, K284 for good measure.  The early Sonatas are full of energy and drive, and as with all Mozart's Piano Sonatas, when played as expertly as they are hear, they sound deceptively simple. Donohoe's tempi are on the well-judged steady side, which means that Mozart's frequent rapid runs and arpeggios are always clear and precise.  The hand-crossing passages in K284 have clarity and poise, and the substantial finale here, a theme and no fewer than twelve variations, has a wonderful arc of development, with more precision in the complexity of triplets against semiquavers and more hand-crossing.  Donohoe holds the final note of the tenth variation over into the lengthy elegiac variation that follows, in which he allows himself a little freedom to allow the elaborate ornamentation to breathe, before the light brevity of the final triple time variation brings the Sonata to a lively close. K280 again appears straightforward, but its first movement surprises with striking chromatic harmonic progressions in the development section, and Donohoe brings out the plaintive lilt of the slow movement, before dancing through the sprightly Presto. His Fantasia is heartfelt and more introspective, less obviously showy, which fits well with the lightness of the D major conclusion, which can sound incongruous if the first half is overblown.  Again, Donohoe takes a measured approach to the opening movement of K570, which allows space for the ranging harmonies in its development section to be registered.  The slow movement here is beautifully contemplative, and Donohoe plays the graceful second half with great delicacy, before enjoying the perkiness of the sprightly finale.  On the basis of this first volume, Donohoe's Mozart is warm, open and precise, allowing the music to breathe, achieving a fine balance, allowing for moments of drama without ever losing classical grace and poise.  Roll on volume 2!

Mozart, W. A. 2019. Piano Sonatas, Volume 1. Peter Donohoe. Compact Disc. Somm Recordings SOMMCD 0191.

Another first volume now, this time Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) String Quartets, from the Doric String Quartet.  Here we have the first and last of Mendelssohn's six published quartets, together with the fifth, spanning from age just twenty to the year of his death, aged 38 (so just 3 years older than Mozart at his death).  If you don't know Mendelssohn's chamber music, then you should - it is always full of life and energy, as well as incredible invention. The first String Quartet, Op. 12 stems from the time of Mendelssohn's infamous Scottish tour that produced the Hebrides Overture and the Scottish Symphony.  Its opening movement never stops flowing, with warm lyricism as well as a turbulent urgency, and the Doric String Quartet never let that sense of perpetual progress to sag.  The canzonetta second movement is light and delicate, and the players skitter through the quicker central section with ease.  Following the passionate and striking third movement, the finale is frenzied and again turbulent, with swirling, dizzying lines for the violins, before a surprising quiet conclusion.  Mendelssohn referred to the late String Quartet Op. 80 as his 'Requiem for Fanny', his beloved sister had suddenly died following a stroke.  It is indeed a work of passion, with its frenzied, nervy opening movement and earnest scherzo with its dark trio section. The slow movement is full of yearning, the Dorics bringing this out with beauty of tone throughout, and the finale, with its hints of Schubert's Death and the Maiden, is wild and heartfelt.  On a short second disc, we have the String Quartet Op. 44 No. 3, completed just before the birth of his first son in 1838.  It is lively and spirited, with a fleeting scherzo and a beautifully lyrical slow movement that moves from light to shade and back, before an energetic finale full of remarkable invention.  The Dorics once again carry the almost relentless energy throughout the work, particularly the lengthy finale.  Highly recommended.

Mendelssohn, F. 2018. String Quartets, Volume 1. Doric String Quartet. Compact Discs (2). Chandos CHAN 20122(2).

Silvius Leopold Weiss (1686-1850), a contemporary of J S Bach, has been a bit of recent discovery for me, and regular readers will have read about several recordings of his music in these pages.  Lutenist Alex McCartney (another favourite) has brought us more of this lutenist-composer’s wonderful compositions on his latest disc, Weiss in Nostalgia.  In the notes, McCartney explains this title in a rather roundabout way, which might seem rather technical – he performs the works on a 13-course lute, basically an instrument with additional bass strings that would have appeared later than when Weiss composed the two early Suites he plays here.  So he has the idea of an older Weiss performing his early compositions on a larger, more ‘up-to-date’ instrument.  This might not be particularly discernible to anyone not versed in the myriad forms of instruments in the lute family, but there is nevertheless definitely a rather wistful, nostalgic atmosphere here.  This might be partly to do with the very resonant, close recording, which makes for strong sense of intimacy in McCartney’s playing.  But the opening Prelude of the Suite No. 1, for example, immediately establishes a serene, calm atmosphere, followed up in the elegiac Allemande that follows. Nothing is rushed, with a gentle lilt to the Courante, and Menuets played with grace and poise. Only the Gigue lifts the tempo with a bounce in its step, and McCartney expertly brings out the melodic bass and tenor lines from within the texture in the closing Gavotte. The shorter Suite No. 13 that follows has richer, thicker textures, yet McCartney’s playing is never too heavy.  The Courante is rich and flowing, and the final Menuet has drone-like repeated bass notes, presumably with added emphasis on the 13-course instrument.  Whilst clearly challenging music to play, this is never overly showy, and McCartney consistently plays with grace and delicacy, making this a joy to listen to.

Weiss, S. L. 2018. Weiss in Nostalgia. Alex McCartney. Compact Disc. Veterum Musica VM019.

We go back at least three centuries now for medieval wind music performed by the ensemble Blondel.  Here we have shawms (early oboes), recorders and even bagpipes, along with the occasional sackbut (like a trombone) or slide trumpet, and an assortment of percussion instruments including tambor, frame drum and tamburello.  So an eclectic mix, and on a disc of a lot of relatively short tracks, this means there’s an incredible variety of textures and timbres. The overarching inspiration for the disc, which is titled ‘Of Arms and a Woman’, is the work of Christine de Pizan (1364-c.1430), described in the notes as ‘a forthright feminist, writer, political theorist, royal agony aunt and author of self-help books’, and most surprisingly perhaps, the author of ‘The Book of Fayttes of Arms and of Chivalrye’, a highly influential manual on modern warfare, of which Henry VII commissioned an English translation.  Although performed here instrumentally, most if not all the pieces were originally chansons or vocal settings, drawing on a wide variety of texts.  There are the usual themes of love and loss, but also a medieval call to arms in ‘A cheval, tout home a cheval’, and the slightly unsettling ‘Gardez le trait de la fenestre’ (Beware the arrow from the window).  Only one text is by Pizan herself, a poem of grief over the loss of her husband, ‘Dueil angoisseus’ (Agonising grief), set by Gilles Binchois (c.1400-1460).  As detailed are the notes about the music, the connection to Pizan and the overall theme is not always entirely apparent.  There’s lots of anonymous music here, as well as settings by Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474), Robert Morton (c.1430-c.1479), Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377) and others.  The contrast between the slightly more rustic, eastern-sounding bagpipes, the lively shawms and the more subdued and subtle recorders, as well as the occasional splashes of percussion, allow the five performers here to demonstrate impressive range and versatility.  From the folky bounce and rhythmic energy of ‘A cheval, tout home, a cheval’ played on shawms to the strange rhythms in canon for recorders of Johannes Ciconia’s (1370-1412) ‘Le ray au soleyl’, and the atmospheric dance for bagpipes with tamburello of Machaut’s ‘Je vivroie liement’, this is a fascinating collection, well worth exploration.

Various. 2019. Of arms and a woman - Late medieval wind music. Blondel. Compact Disc. First Hand Records FHR69.

And by way of contrast, I'd like to highlight a local artist, Oli Spleen, who has joined forces with local indie band Birdeatsbaby for his second studio album, Gaslight Illuminations.  Spleen's work might not be an obvious fit with this column, and he is hard to categorise, yet this album, with its deft writing for strings piano, and Spleen's soulful and expressive voice, should have broad appeal.  Written after the death of his father, it touches on deep and dark emotions, and Spleen's closely miked voice is rich and immediate.  There are touches of French chanson in the poignant 'Almost Young', whilst there's more than a dash of country, with steel guitar, in 'Little Lost', vocals shared between Spleen and Mishkin Fitzgerald. Spleen is Bowie-esque in the darkly self-destructive 'Mother and the Spoon', and the self-destruction, even self-harm of relationships continues in 'Ghost', which Spleen concludes with an otherworldly, pained falsetto.  Their cover of Nico & the Velvet Underground's 'I'll be your Mirror' is pared back, over simple piano and strings (with a snippet of a Brahms Hungarian Dance on music box at the end!).  Hana Maria deserves mention for the strings writing and playing, with some hauntingly glassy strings on 'Mister Crystal' and an improvisatory violin line in the weirdly dark and distorted 'Turning Tide'.  Listen and download from olispleen.bandcamp.com.

Spleen, O. et al. 2019. Gaslight Illuminations. Oli Spleen, Birdeatsbaby. Digital album.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, March & April 2019)

CD Reviews - June & July 2018

I have reviewed a couple of discs in the past of lute/theorbo player Alex McCartney.  Now he is joined (playing theorbo and Baroque guitar here) by recorder player László Rózsa and viola da gamba player Jonathan Rees for a very pleasing collection of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century works by to me mostly unknown French composers, all of whom were moving away from the dominant French style set by Lully to a freer Italian-influenced style.  They begin with the delightful Suite No. 5 by Pierre Danican Philidor (1681-1731), with its tender, melancholic slow movements including a particularly beautiful Sarabande, contrasting with the more urgent quicker movements.  The blend between the three instruments is perfectly judged, and in the final Gigue, Rózsa enjoys the more virtuosic, dancing lines given to the recorder.  A solo Suite by M. de Sainte-Colombe (c.1640-1700) for the viola da gamba follows, and Rees performs this stylish work with great presence and intensity.  It has a strange, slightly stop-start feel, with bursts of more rapid figuration broken up by frequent pauses and breaks. This style prevails throughout its five short movements, which means one feels it never quite gets going as a whole, but nevertheless Rees’ warm tone and command of its demands are highly persuasive.  A Suite by Jacques Martin Hotteterre (1673-1763) next, with its graceful six movements preceded by a solo prelude added by Rózsa.  Here, there is more rhythmic and virtuosic interest in the livelier movements, and the dancing final Gigue is dashed off with energy and panache.  McCartney has a solo spot next, with a Suite for the theorbo by Robert de Visée (c.1655-1732/33).  This has wonderful melodic lines, which McCartney articulates over the harmonies with great precision, making this a particular highlight of the disc.  All three return with a Sonata by Charles Buterne (c.1710-c.1760), and its short central Italian-style Allegro allows for a great virtuosic show from Rózsa.  The disc is concluded with two nightingale-inspired pieces.  The birdlike ornamentation of the recorder is delicate and tender in Le rossignol-en-amour by François Couperin (1668-1733), and McCartney’s gentle introduction on the guitar to Pourquoy, doux rossignol by Jean-Baptiste de Bousset (1662-1725) sets up a beautifully bitter-sweet conclusion to this delightful collection.  

Various. 2017. Rondeau Mélancolique. László Rózsa, Jonathan Rees, Alex McCartney. Compact Disc. Veterum Musica VM017.

Jumping forwards a couple of centuries, we now explore the world of some forgotten Russian chamber music, with violinist Hideko Udagawa joined by pianist Alexander Panfilov.  This recording is the first released outside Russia by the St Petersburg label Northern Flowers, and is a collection of works for the violin in the Russian Romantic tradition.  Despite the influence of what is known as the Russian school of violin playing, much of this repertoire is forgotten, and Udagawa, who learnt with Nathan Milstein and follows in that line of Russian romantic tradition, clearly wants us to reconsider these works.  There are works by Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), through to Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936), so spanning just less than one hundred years of Russian music.  The disc contains a number of premieres, including the world premiere of César Cui’s (1835-1918) Alla Spagnuola in the composer’s version for violin and piano. Glinka’s incomplete also receives its first recording here for violin and piano.  This is in fact a delightful piece, despite being such an early composition, and the second movement in particular contains some beautifully lyrical melodies. Udagawa’s performances here are full of vigour and passion, although the recorded sound is a little on the thin side at times, with more depth of tone needed in places.  These are not the most profound compositions, focusing mostly on melody and with few harmonic surprises.  Glinka’s pleasing Mazurka, and Cui’s lively Alla Spagnuola are cases in point, the latter in particular clearly a technical showpiece for the violin more than anything else.  But Udagawa also convinces in the lighter pieces, such as Anton Rubinstein’s (1829-1894) Romance, and Glazunov’s Méditation.  The one piece that rose above the others for me was by the composer I am least familiar with – Viktor Kossenko (1896-1938). His Two Pieces, Dreams and Impromptu, once again combine lyricism with virtuosic display, but have greater individuality and invention than some of the other works here, with rich harmonies and rippling piano accompaniment.  So despite not being totally won over by all the repertoire here, these are strong and authoritative performances throughout.

Various. 2018. Russian Romantics. Hideko Udagawa, Alexander Panfilov. Compact Disc. Northern Flowers. NF/PMA 99130.

Pianist Michael McHale, most familiar to listeners in this country for his numerous recordings accompanying clarinetist Michael Collins, has joined two American brothers, clarinetist Anthony McGill and flautist Demarre McGill to form the McGill/McHale Trio, and their first recording includes a variety of works from the last twenty or so years.  The centrepiece of their recording is a six-movement suite, Portraits of Langston, by Valerie Coleman (b. 1970), each movement a contemplation on different poems by Langston Hughes, an innovator of jazz poetry and a leader of the Harlem Renaissance in 1920s New York.  The poems, with themes ranging from Helen Keller, to Parisian cabaret and nightlife, and a Harlem summer night, have common links in their messages of strength, power and defiance.  Before each movement, the poems are read here by actor Mahershala Ali, creating highly atmospheric worlds echoed in each short miniature for the trio.  The fight in the Montmartre nightclub in ‘Le Grand Duc Mambo’ is cleverly captured by the duelling flute and clarinet, and the Debussian piano writing under lyrical lines exchanged between the wind instruments in ‘In Time of Silver Rain’ creates an atmosphere of calm and tranquility.  Chris Rogerson’s (b.1988) A Fish Will Rise has an American folk-inspired feel, reminiscent of Copland, but also an insistent rhythmic energy that might hint towards John Adams.  It is a very effective piece, allowing for some lyricism from the wind players in the central section, as well as more edgy, angular rhythms in the outer sections. Even more driven is the breathless, virtuosic Techno – Parade by French composer Guillaume Connesson (b.1970), and here all three players demonstrate impressive technical command, as well as tight and precise ensemble.  McHale’s arrangement of Rachmaninov’s Vocalise, beautifully and sensitively performed here, feels slightly out of place in this programme, but perhaps provides a brief respite between two highly energetic, rhythmically driven works.  Paul Schoenfield’s (b.1947) three movement Sonatina is great fun, subverting jazzy dance rhythms such as the Charlston and Rag, and is once again highly demanding technically.  The trio ends their disc with two more subdued works, a contemplative piece by Philip Hammond (b.1951), The Lamentation of Owen O’Neil, and then McHale’s own arrangement of the Irish traditional song The Lark in the Clear Air.  Both allow for the players to demonstrate their abilities to convey their long lines with warmth and simplicity, making for a calming conclusion to a programme full of contrasts.  

Various. 2017. Portraits: Works for Flute, Clarinet and Piano. McGill/McHale Trio. Compact Disc. Cedilla Records. CDR 90000 172.

Ensemble Libro Primo are Baroque violinist Sabine Stoffer and theorbo player Alex McCartney.  Here, the two players have recorded a varied set of works in the Stylus Phantasticus style of the 17^thcentury.  This is a freer, more improvisatory style emphasises greater virtuosity and contrasts in pace, rhythm and harmony than more formal Baroque structures allow for.  So here we have a highly expressive Passage Rotto for solo violin by Nicola Matteis (c.1670-c.1713) and a delightful Sonata, ‘La Cesta’ by Giovanni Pandolfi Mealli (c.1630-c.1669), in which the violin decorates singing lines over a running bass line on the theorbo.  The disc opens with a Sonata by Giovanni Viviani (1638-c.1693), with a gloriously mysterious opening Sinfonie, and then again making use of a ground bass to underpin the violin’s freer explorations.  They end the disc with the fourth of Heinrich Biber’s (1644-1704) Mystery Sonatas.  Once again, Biber uses a repeated bass pattern, but the variety of variation in both violin and continuo parts here sets him apart, and Stoffer and McCartney combine touching simplicity with full-on virtuosity, McCartney strumming syncopated rhythms like a guitarist at the works core climax.  The sleeve notes are a little on the sparse side, with no mention of the selection of solo pieces for theorbo by Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger (c.1580-1651), perhaps because McCartney included all of these on his solo CD of Kapsberger’s works (reviewed in June of last year).  The Toccatas have some interesting harmonies, and the Gagliarda stands out here, with its cascading, scrunchy suspensions.  In the rest of the programme, Stoffer shows herself to be an accomplished performer and interpreter, relishing the virtuosic demands, and McCartney moves seamlessly between an accompanying role and more foreground duetting as the music requires.  An impressive debut disc for the ensemble, with surely more to follow.

Various. 2018. Fantasia Incantata. Ensemble Libro Primo. Veterum Musica VM018.

For Johannes Pramsohler’s latest disc with his Ensemble Diderot, we are in Eisenach in Germany, still somewhere around the latter half of the 17^thcentury, exploring a selection of Cantatas, all combining voice with virtuosic parts for solo violin.  For most of the works here, he is joined by Argentinian bass Nahuel Di Pierro.  They open with Nisi Dominus by Heinrich Biber (1644-1704), which opens with a rich drone from the ensemble (with Philippe Grisvard on organ), then a highly virtuosic, declamatory statement from the bass, immediately matched by the solo violin.  Then, some rippling string crossing on the violin, effortlessly executed by Pramsohler, contrasts with a powerful bass melody.  Di Pierro has a resonant, deeply rich voice, which complements the decorative violin lines beautifully.  There are two works here by Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703) (first cousin once removed of J S), both gentler and more tenderly expressive.  In ‘Wie bist du denn’, Di Pierro demonstrates his command of the lower register, as the line sinks incredibly low on ‘Abgrund’ (abyss).  In ‘Ach dass ich Wassers genug hätte’, an equally moving, mournful lament, the solo line is taken by soprano Andrea Hill.  Hill presents a different side to her voice in the bright, joyful ‘Christ ist erstanden’ by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706).  Here, the verses are separated by showy violin cadenza-like passages, and then Hill and Pramsohler both get the chance to show off in improvisatory fashion, occasionally duetting in thirds, or imitating each other.  The other Pachelbel work here, ‘Ach Herr, wie ist meiner Feinde so viel’, requires more straightforward story-telling, and Di Pierro communicates the text clearly as the violin embellishes around him.  ‘Mein Hertz ist bereit’ by Nicolaus Bruhns (1665-1697) has a showy, pulsing, almost stuttering violin part, coupled with a simple bass melody, essentially a joyful song of praise. Di Pierro is to be commended for his articulation of the repeated swift tongue-twister, ‘Früh will ich aufwachen’. At the centre of the disc is ‘Ich will in aller Not’ by Daniel Eberlin (1647-c.1715), with the nimble Spanish tenor Jorge Navarro Colorado projecting the text with precision, whilst Pramsohler interweaves an expressive, dancing line.  And the disc ends with another joyful flourish by Biber, ‘Laetatus sum’, with Di Pierro joined by bass Christopher Purves. Their rich tones are well matched and blended in the lilting dance-like music, and the violin flourishes in the Gloria lead to a completely glorious Amen.  Highly recommended.

Various. 2018. German Cantatas with Solo Violin. Nahuel Di Pierro, Johannes Pramsohler, Andrea Hill, Jorge Navarro Colorado, Christopher Purves, Ensemble Diderot. Compact Disc. Audax Records. ADX 13715.

Something a bit different now – a collaboration between Catrin Finch, Welsh classically trained harpist and composer, and Seckou Keita, a kora player from Senegal.  The kora is a West African instrument, a little like a cross between a harp and lute – or even theorbo!  Finch and Keita’s performance was one of the unexpected highlights of this year’s Brighton Festival for me, and they performed mostly tracks from their second CD together, called Soar. The weaving, rippling effect of the two instruments combined is often hypnotic, but there’s drive and energetic propulsion too.  Several tracks build from simple beginnings – Yama Ba is a case in point, with its lilting opening, gradually building with swinging cross-rhythms to a mesmerizing climax.   Their take on Bach’s Goldberg Variations – Bach to Baïsso – will not be to purists’ liking, but I found it fascinating.  A relatively faithful rendition of the Aria is followed by much more loosely inspired reflections, combined with a Baïsso, one of the oldest types of tune for the kora, apparently only played by musicians of certain standing within the community, and often used to communicate wisdom.  The overall effect is enchanting.  This is followed by a darker piece, 1677, which marks the date the French took over the port of Gorée, which became one of the most notorious slave-dealing posts in all Africa. It has a lilting feel of boats on the waves, but the harmonies have a darker undercurrent.  When they performed this live, Finch and Keita concluded with a long exchange of ever increasingly virtuosic, and even comic flourishes. Occasional moments of Keita’s rich voice, backed by Finch add interest to some tracks, but ultimately, it is the combination of instruments that delights the most.  

Various. 2018. Soar. Catrin Finch, Seckou Keita. Compact Disc. bendigedig. BEND12.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, June & July 2018)

CD Reviews - June 2017

Last year, I had the great fortune to perform Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in the Brighton Festival with Brighton Festival Chorus.  It was evident then that conductor Edward Gardner has expert command of Edward Elgar’s (1857-1934) music, so I was very much looking forward to his new recording of Elgar’s Symphony No. 1.  An added bonus is Elgar’s often overlooked Introduction and Allegro for string quartet and string orchestra, a piece I remember fondly from youth orchestra days (a very long time ago!), and on this disc, the BBC Symphony Orchestra are joined by the Doric String Quartet.  Like many others before him, Elgar waited a long time before composing his first symphony, perhaps feeling the weight of expectation, and the great symphonists that had gone before. Yet when it finally came, in his 50^th year, it proved to be a huge success, described by Hans Richter as 'the greatest symphony of modern times', and it was performed nearly one hundred times in the first year alone. The orchestration is rich and lavish, yet Elgar uses great contrasts in texture too. The opening noble theme sets us off perhaps expecting Elgar in Pomp and Circumstance mode, but the restless Allegro shocks the listener out of any nostalgic pomp very quickly. Gardner takes a balanced approach here, not allowing the noble opening to get bogged down, and giving the Allegro the right degree of turbulent energy, eliciting some particularly bright brass playing from the BBCSO players.  The second movement is also turbulent, and here again Gardner injects drive and energy. The beautiful Adagio that follows without a break, and masterfully transforms the theme from the previous movement, prompted a standing ovation at the first performance, and here it is given a particularly touching reading.  The final movement has incredibly full string textures, with the string sections subdivided several times, and the triumphant return of the opening noble theme with a blaze of trumpets gives a rousing finish.  Gardner keeps his powder dry, and holds the tension, so that when we finally arrive at the triumphant conclusion it has the powerful impact that Elgar surely intended.  In the Introduction and Allegro, Elgar plays with the contrast between the intimate forces of the string quartet and the larger, richer sounds of the full strings.  Gardner points out the detail in Elgar’s writing, with incisive playing from the Doric String Quartet, and precise ensemble from the full strings, particularly in the Allegro’s angular fugal writing.  This is a taut reading of the work, emphasising detail over emotional impact, perhaps, but highly engaging nonetheless, leaving me wanting more Elgar from Gardner very soon.

Elgar, E. 2017. Symphony No. 1, Introduction and Allegro. Doric String Quartet, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner. Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc. Chandos CHSA 5181.

Last year I reviewed a couple of discs of Alex McCartney playing lute music.  Now he has released a recording performing on the lute’s very big brother, the wonderful theorbo.  Often used as part of an accompanying ‘basso continuo’ section, it’s great to hear it placed centre-stage as a solo instrument.  Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger (c.1580-1651) was a virtuoso lute and theorbo performer, as well as composer, and McCartney has recorded here a selection of pieces from his 3^rd and 4^th books of works for the latter instrument.  They consist of predominantly Toccatas and Preludes, the former (which translates as ‘Touched’) giving the title to McCartney’s CD.  The Preludes are brief, barely a minute each, and the Toccatas are also slight.  But they nevertheless contain some fascinating and downright quirky harmonies and unexpected clashes.  With the rich, deep tones of the theorbo, and some rippling and cascading runs, deftly articulated here by McCartney, this is a delightful programme.  There are one or two more substantial movements, such as a Gagliarda, with wonderful falling chains of clashing suspensions, and a pleasing Passacaglia, but two of the shorter movements stuck out for me – the bell-like ‘Capona’, and the Spanish inflections of ‘Canarios’, for which McCartney managed a tastefully subtle dying repeat at the end.  Another enjoyable disc – notably recorded and produced by McCartney himself on his on micro record label, Veterum Musica – and a great chance to hear the theorbo up close.

Various. 2016. Toccata: Touched. Alex McCartney. Compact Disc. Veterum Musica. VM015.

Violinist Tasmin Little and pianist Piers Lane have been performing together for many years, and they follow on from highly successful recordings of Schubert, Strauss and two discs of British violin sonatas with their new disc.  They combine several works by Polish composer Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) with César Franck’s (1822-1890) highly dramatic and romantic Sonata, with Gabriel Fauré’s (1845-1924) Romance thrown in for good measure.  Franck’s Sonata has a deceptively delicate opening, and Lane and Little are particularly sensitive to this intimate start. The turbulent Allegro that comes next is given great passion, followed by the emotionally operatic third movement, with touchingly sweet tones from Little especially.  In the spring-like canon that opens the finale, Little matches Lane’s delicate touch, and they follow this movement’s trajectory into the light, with a bright, summery flourish to finish.  We move into late summer/autumn with Fauré’s nostalgic Romance, which allows Little the freedom to demonstrate her singing tone in its delicate lyricism.  Szymanowski’s Sonata has comparable passion to Franck’s, and it follows a similar cyclical structure.  It is full of youthful exuberance, yet he can do intimate simplicity too, as demonstrated in the gentle, almost prayerful piano opening to the second movement, contrasted with a playful central section with jaunty pizzicato from the violin, and the finale has an infectious driving energy.  Szymanowski’s Romance is also passionate, although the temperature drops for an intimate central section with wandering harmonies, before the passion returns for its conclusion.  The Notturno e Tarantella that ends the disc comes from just 11 years after the Sonata, yet we’re into new territory here, with the mysterious, glassy rumblings and dramatic outbursts of the Notturno followed by a highly virtuosic, wild and swirling Tarantella to finish, with Little adopting a suitably harsher sound to add bite to their expert reading.  Another strong set of performances to add to Little & Lane’s already substantial portfolio of recordings together.

Various. 2017. Franck, Szymanowski, Fauré: Works for Violin and Piano. Tasmin Little, Piers Lane. Compact Disc. Chandos CHAN 10940.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, June 2017)