If you have any interest in song, particularly
English song, then I cannot recommend this disc highly enough – and if you
don’t think you like English song, give it a go anyway, I’m sure you will be
converted. Baritone Roderick Williams’ beautiful honeyed tones, accompanied expertly by
pianist Susie Allan, communicate
this repertoire in a way I’ve rarely heard it before. George
Butterworth’s (1885-1916) ‘Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad’ that open the
disc are achingly moving, not least with the added poignancy of Butterworth’s
death in the First World War aged 31, just five years after composing the
songs. Williams’ heartfelt sadness in ‘The Lads in their Hundreds’ is almost
unbearable, and his characterisation of the ghostly apparition and his old
friend in ‘Is my team ploughing’ is
deeply affecting. I have to confess to
shedding several tears when I heard them perform this at the CD’s launch, and
the recording is no less affecting. There’s
so much here – twenty-eight songs in total – that it’s hard to single things
out. Ireland (1879-1962), Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) and Britten (1913-1976) are all represented
here, but also Ivor Gurney (1890-1937)
– another casualty of the war, his already fragile mental health never
recovered, and he ended his days in a mental hospital. His setting of ‘Sleep’ by John Fletcher that ends the disc again has added
significance perhaps, with its plea for peace and joy through sleep. There are lighter moments too, with Gurney’s
jolly ‘Captain Stratton’s Fancy’,
and Peter Warlock’s (1894-1930)
brief ‘Jillian of Berry’, and
Williams relishes the chance to let loose.
And two songs from the only living composer represented, Ian Venables (b.1955), confirm the art
of English song is still alive and well – his fleeting expression of a
butterfly in flight, ‘Flying Crooked’
is a delightful miniature, and Williams enjoys the melodic twists and turns,
with delicate support from Allan. Vaughan Williams’ ‘Silent Noon’ and Britten’s ‘The Salley Gardens’ receive
particularly touching renditions from Williams – I could rave about every song
on this disc, there are truly no fillers here, but space restricts me to urging
you to seek this recording out.
Various. 2017. Celebrating English Song. Roderick Williams, Susie Allan. Compact Disc. Somm SOMMCD 0177.
French harpsichordist Philippe Grisvard has taken part in many recordings, including several
with Audax Records’ founder, Johannes Pramsohler, and his Ensemble Diderot. But the latest Audax recording,
a wonderful collection of works for keyboard by Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759), is Grisvard’s solo recording
debut. Whilst the Suites are the most well-known and
established of Handel’s keyboard works, Grisvard has also included a number of
rarities, and a few pieces by lesser-known contemporaries. This is a wise move, as it offers the
listener much needed variety on a solo instrumental recording. A particular gem is the arrangement by William Babell (1690-1723) of ‘Lascia ch’io pianga’ from Handel’s
opera, Rinaldo – Babell’s arrangement of the opera’s overture is also here – in
which Grisvard really makes the instrument sing out the aria’s familiar tune. In his informative notes, Grisvard speculates
as to whether these were arrangements by the English composer, or possibly even
transcriptions of performances by Handel himself – the bell-like Prelude Presto from Babell that opens
the disc certainly sounds like an improvised introduction to such a performance.
The Suite
No. 2 has an almost mournful opening Adagio,
and the E minor Suite has a
delicate, graceful Sarabande. As well as showing his virtuosic command in
the showier movements (such as the E minor Suite’s final Gigue), it is in these subtler moments that Grisvard communicates
most directly with poise and grace. A
lively if a little formulaic Capriccio
by Wilhelm Zachow (1663-1712), Handel’s
teacher, a brief Prelude from
contemporary Johann Mattheson
(1681-1764), and a pleasing Toccata
by Johann Krieger (1649-1725) serve
to further demonstrate the imaginative superiority of Handel’s compositions,
and the wonderful Chaconne in G major
here includes variations from several versions of the work, making it the most
substantial piece on offer, and Grisvard clearly enjoys the virtuosic
challenges, building through the increasingly complex variations to an
impressive conclusion. This is a delightfully
varied and impressively commanding debut from Grisvard.
Various. 2017. Handel: Works for Keyboard. Philippe Grisvard. Compact Disc. Audax Records. ADX 13709.
Ralph
Vaughan Williams’ Sinfonia Antartica, his
seventh symphony, has its origins in the composer’s music for the film Scott of
the Antarctic in 1948. The symphony followed
in 1951, and it makes use of a wordless soprano soloist (Mari Eriksmoen here) and a female chorus, also worldless (the
singers here drawn from the Bergen Philharmonic Choir and the Edvard Grieg Kor) – hauntingly ethereal here, without being overly intrusive. But the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, under Sir Andrew Davis are the stars here, with some breathtakingly taut and
controlled playing, perfectly capturing the desolation and desperation of
Scott’s ill-fated expedition. There is a
real sense of the expanse of the landscape, and impending doom, and the
crashing entry of the organ at the end of the third movement is truly
terrifying. Vaughan Williams wrote his Four Last Songs, settings of poems by
Ursula, his second wife and longtime muse, shortly after their marriage in 1953
(although their love affair had begun in 1938).
The songs were orchestrated by Anthony Payne (b.1936) in 2013, and were premiered at the Proms by mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston, but here they receive their premiere recording by a male voice, none
other than baritone Roderick Williams. Payne’s sensitive scoring, and Williams’
aforementioned rich tones, bring these brief romantic gems to life. The disc is finished off with Vaughan
Williams’ Concerto for Two Pianos. This started life as a Concerto for Piano,
but his piano part proved overly challenging, and the suggestion of a version
for two pianos followed. Pianist Joseph
Cooper (1912-2001) was charged with the arrangement, but Vaughan Williams changed the
ending and added a new cadenza. It opens
with crashing, percussive explosions from the pianos, setting up a lively,
energetic Toccata. The central Romanza
is more lyrical and romantic, with some subtle writing for woodwind, and the
final Fugue and Finale, separated by a cadenza, return to the opening’s lively
extrovert style. Canadian pianists Hélène Mercier and Louis Lortie add great muscular attack and bite to the outer
movements, as well as bringing sensitivity, lush lyricism and subtlety to the
Romanza. Once again, Davis and the
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra provide sumptuous orchestral textures in
support.
Vaughan Williams, R. 2017. Sinfonia Antartica, Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, Four Last Songs. Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier, Roderick Williams, Mari Eriksmoen, Bergen Philharmonic Choir, Edvard Grieg Kor, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis. Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc. Chandos CHSA 5186.
(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, January 2018)
For
violinist Johannes Pramsohler’s
latest disc he is joined by lutenist Jadran Duncumb for a fascinating pairing of music by J S Bach (1658-1750) and his contemporary Silvius Leopold Weiss (1687-1750).
Weiss was one of the most important composers of music for the lute, and
was renowned for his technical ability on the instrument. So to put a Suite for lute by Weiss alongside Bach’s Partita No. 2 for violin is an interesting enough
proposition. But the main inspiration
here is the Suite in A major for violin
and obbligato lute, BWV1025. In a
fascinating essay the two performers discuss this work’s unclear history – is
it simply an arrangement by Bach of a lute suite by Weiss, or was it in fact a
work of some kind of collaboration?
Weiss certainly visited the Bach household, and the two are reported to
have competed in improvisation challenges.
Whatever the work’s origins, in the form played here by Pramsohler &
Duncumb the two instruments and their idiomatic styles are beautifully
combined. The recording brings the lute
forward, balancing the quieter instrument against the more prominent violin –
I’d be interested to hear how they manage this in live performance, but here it
works well. The Suite balances grace and
poise in the opening Fantasia and stately central Entrée against livelier
dancing movements such as the Rondeau and Menuett. Both players are impressive in the Courante,
building from a delicate opening to some racing runs for the violin in
particular. Following this, both players
get the chance to shine individually.
First, Duncumb performs a lute Suite by Weiss, opening with a strikingly
dramatic Allemande, Duncumb bringing out the dark, mellow tones of the lower
registers. The Courante ripples
wonderfully, and Duncumb brings out the flowing melodic line expertly in the
dancing Bourrée. To close the disc, it’s
Pramsohler’s turn, with a highly impressive performance of Bach’s Partita No.
2. The recording acoustic is open, and
Pramsohler exploits this, allowing the harmonies and lines to sing out – no
scratching or digging here. So often the
rhythmic line is disturbed by Bach’s fiendish multiple stoppings or string crossing
leaps, but not here. He takes the Giga
at a phenomenal pace, yet no detail is lost, and the monumental Ciaconna that
finishes the Partita has a steady, consistent momentum that adds to its sublime
sense of timelessness. This is an
impressive recording by two exceptional performers – highly recommended.
Nordic Voices are a six-voice a
cappella group from Norway who perform a broad repertoire from plainsong
through to newly commissioned works.
Their previous recording for Chaconne back in 2009 including some music
by Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611),
and now they return with a full disc of works by Victoria for six voices. They produce a full, warm yet crystal clear
and blended sound throughout, with particularly rich lower voices, evident in
the opening motet, ‘Quem vidistis,
pastores’, when there is often a split in Victoria’s writing between the
higher and lower voices. In ‘Salve Regina’, there are some
beautiful exchanges between different voices, and the singers clearly enjoy the
interchanges here. ‘Vadam et circuibo civitatem’ that concludes the disc is
particularly tender, and this reflects their overall approach. Very occasionally I’d like to hear a little
more definition to individual parts, yet there is a warmth and intensity to
their sound that is highly engaging. The
resurrection motet, ‘Ardens est cor
meum’ is given a bit more energetic drive, and there is some smooth and
sonorous plainchant from the lower voices in ‘Vexilla Regis’. Definitely
an ensemble to look out for if they visit the UK.
I
reviewed the earlier volumes of Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s recordings of Beethoven’s
Piano Sonatas, (read my review of Volume 2 here) and now all three volumes have been combined in a 9 CD box
set – perhaps a treat for Christmas?
It’s rare that a complete cycle satisfies individual tastes across the
whole 32 sonatas, but I have to say there is little here that I’d want
different. The depth of his
interpretations of the later works, particularly No. 29, the ‘Hammerklavier’ is especially striking,
and where I felt his ‘Moonlight’ was
not dark or wild enough, that’s certainly not the case here. And No. 32, one of Beethoven’s final
statements on the instrument has that perfect combination of wild passion in
the opening movement, contrasted with the profound transcendence of the final
Arietta. Standout highlights from
earlier volumes must be the freshness of his ‘Pathétique’ and a towering ‘Waldstein’. Bavouzet is clearly at the height of his
game, recording and performing to a remarkable schedule, and this cycle will
surely stand as a benchmark for some time to come.
(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, December 2017)
The
latest release in Chandos’ ‘Music in Exile’ series features chamber works by
the Polish-born composer Szymon Laks
(1901-1983). Born in Warsaw, he
settled in Paris in his twenties, but was interned and later sent to Auschwitz
following the Nazi occupation of France.
There he survived by auditioning as an orchestral musician and then
working as a music copyist to avoid the hard labour. He conducted the Auschwitz orchestra, but in
a post-war autobiography wrote about how music was used by the Nazis as an
instrument of control, and to indulge the officers’ pretensions. He survived the war and returned to Paris,
where he remained for the rest of his life.
Yet he rarely expressed the trauma of these times in his music, which is
often melodious, jazzy and highly engaging. The Canadian ARC Ensemble (Artists of the Royal Conservatory, Toronto) perform
here in works for a wide variety of musical forces. The String
Quartet No. 4 of 1962 has a jazzy, quirky feel in its opening movement, a
smooth, but darkly eerie central slow movement, and a driving rhythmic
finale. Another quartet follows, but this
time a Divertimento for the unusual
combination of violin, clarinet, bassoon and piano (it also exists in another
version for flute, violin, cello and piano).
Its opening movement is relaxed and expansive, yet still with that
quirkiness. Here the slow movement is
mournful, mysterious and wandering, and it is played with beautifully
understated tenderness. The work ends
with a twisting, turning dance, given great energy here. The only pre-war work
here is a Sonatina for piano from
1927. It has the same wandering, jazzy
harmonies of his later works, with a clear French influence. Pianist David Louie executes the sliding
chromatic harmonies smoothly, and enlivens the skittering scherzino and the
wild, swirling dance that finishes the work.
The Concertino for oboe,
clarinet and bassoon is more complex and technically challenging, making great
use of the three contrasting instruments.
The three players rise to its challenges here, with very precise
nagging, bird-like trills in the finale giving this great character. The Passacaille,
in the version for clarinet and piano once again has that meandering, walking
pace, with a mournful slow clarinet melody over and almost chorale-like
piano. It builds to a central climax
with heavy piano chords and the clarinet reinforcing the melody on top, before
a slow decline, finally settling on a major chord to finish. The most substantial work, the Quintet for piano and strings on Popular
Polish Themes, closes the disc.
Another rearrangement from a different work (his String Quartet No. 3),
this is a lively and invigorating piece, full of swirling dances, mazurkas and
rustic folk melodies, but those jazzy, bluesy harmonies are here too,
particularly in the second slow movement.
The stamping dance of the third movement, with quirky pizzicato strings
is great fun, surrounding a central delicate mazurka. The beautifully simple folk melody of the
finale, led by the viola, is contrasted with a second more rustic tune, with
drone-like underpinning, making a lively conclusion to this enjoyable
piece. The ARC Ensemble players excel
here in this fascinating and varied selection of works, well worth exploration.
Richard Tognetti directs the Australian Chamber Orchestra from the
violin, and on this live concert disc, they perform selections from Bach’s The Art of Fugue, and Tognetti’s
own arrangement for string orchestra of Beethoven’s
String Quartet Op. 130, with the famous Grosse Fuge as the final movement.
Bach’s The Art of Fugue had no indication of his intentions in terms of
performing forces, and it is unclear whether it was purely an academic,
educational exercise. However, it is
unlikely he would ever have envisaged a full chamber orchestra, complete with
oboes and horns, and even the voices of the ACO players who discretely join in
in the fourth Contrapunctus. This effect
might have worked in live performance, but on disc it is rather too gimmicky to
survive repeated listening.
Nevertheless, the fugal lines are presented with great precision, and the
overall sound is straightforwardly clear, if rather bass-heavy in places. Their Beethoven had more to offer, although
here there were still balance issues for me, with the bass line dominating in
the first movement particularly. They
certainly produce a hefty sound, which worked for some of the time, but their
Mahlerian Cavatina, whilst moving, lacked the aching fragility of Beethoven’s
original. The Grosse Fuge had brutal
attack, and here the control and energy of the ACO really paid off. All in all, this is one of those live discs
that one possibly had to be there to fully make sense of, but Tognetti and the
ACO are to be commended for never playing it safe.
(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, November 2017)
