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‘Remembering Evelyn’: A recital celebrating the life and music making of Lady Barbirolli. The Barbirolli Room, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK, 6.6. 2009 (SA)


There can be no better or more appropriate way of celebrating the life of a musician than by holding a concert in their memory and Evelyn Barbirolli would surely have been thrilled to know what a wonderful occasion this turned out to be. The Barbirolli Room holds about 150 people, and was packed on Saturday June 6^th by an expectant audience waiting for 2 p.m. and the beginning of what promised to be a really exciting and rewarding experience.

The programme was as follows: (* denotes first performances, all commissioned especially for this concert).

Songs for countertenor and continuo by Henry Purcell: Crown the Altar, deck the Shrine; Since from dear Astrea’s Sight; Strike the Viol (with John Turner and Andrew Mayes, recorders). James Bowman: Countertenor, Ian Thompson: Harpsichord and Jonathan Price: Cello.

You know you are in for a treat when one of the world’s leading countertenors is on the programme and indeed it was a thrill to hear him begin the recital with some lovely songs by Purcell, a fitting composer to begin a memorial celebration with since this is his 350th anniversary year. Whenever I hear Purcell’s music I am reminded just why we consider him England’s greatest ever composer. Perfect in their construction and with the voice so wonderfully accompanied by the harpsichord, joined by 2 recorders and cello in the final one of the three, these songs are excellent examples that help to justify this assessment.

Erinnerung, for two oboes and cor anglais by John McCabe*: Sarah Francis and Richard Simpson: Oboes and Hugh McKenna: Cor Anglais

This lilting, harmoniously engaging piece was perfectly in keeping with the theme of remembering and one that had me promising myself to get to know John McCabe’s work better. The combination of two oboes plus cor anglais was so magical it had the audience smiling throughout.

Sonata for oboe and piano by Peter Hope* : Richard Simpson: Oboe and Janet Simpson: Piano

This was a beautiful work in three movements by turns lyrical, animated and the last movement jazz influenced and one that showed the composer’s perfect understanding of the genre. Peter Hope wrote for the programme that he is old enough to remember Evelyn Rothwell (as she was before her marriage to Sir John) when she was a fine oboist and felt especially honoured to receive a commission from the Ida Carroll Trust to write a piece for this recital. He responded to the audience’s obvious delight at the work and came forward to acknowledge the considerable applause.

Concertino da Camera on a Theme of Martin Peerson, for recorder, oboe d’amore,, viola da gamba and harpsichord by Elizabeth Poston : John Turner: Recorder, Sarah Francis: Oboe d’amore, Jonathan Price: Cello and Ian Thompson: Harpsichord

This work dates from 1957 and is based upon a theme of Martin Peerson (1571 or 1573-1650 or 1651) from a Fantasia called ‘Beauty’. Elizabeth Poston, the programme notes, was a great lover of the recorder and also an accomplished harpsichordist. This is a sumptuously beautiful work, the second movement of which is particularly affecting.

Arioso Aperto, Op.85, for countertenor, cello and harpsichord by David Ellis*: James Bowman: Countertenor, John Turner: Recorder, Jonathan Price: Cello and Ian Thompson: Harpsichord

This work, commissioned especially for the recital by the RVW Trust, was the most ‘contemporary’ in feel of all the works on the programme but still contained plenty of ‘tunes’ and made me think that this recital was something which would have been very educational and enlightening for those who believe that any music written after the beginning of the 20^th century will be “difficult to listen to”. The composer who was also present was, unfortunately, too modest to come to the front to take a deserved bow.

Cantata: Clori, mia bella Clori, for countertenor, recorder, oboe and continuo by Antonio Caldara (c.1670-1736) : James Bowman: Countertenor, John Turner: Recorder, Hugh McKenna, and Ian Thompson: Harpsichord

The second half of the concert opened with a seventeenth century composer whose name was unfamiliar to me. This was an extended lament on the separation from a lover by Caldara who was Kapellmeister to the Emperor Charles VI in Vienna. Again James Bowman sung wonderfully well and was beautifully accompanied.

Sonata in C, Op.100 for oboe and piano by Edmund Rubbra: Sarah Francis: Oboe and Janet Simpson: Piano

Here was a work that once again had me promising to myself to explore Rubbra’s compositions further as this was a gorgeous piece and one that the programme noted was ‘the most distinguished of all the works written for Evelyn’. It was premiered by her on 17^th October 1958 and it now holds a deservedly firm place in the oboe repertoire.

Two Short Tributes: Evelyn, for recorder, oboe and piano by Ian Parrot*: John Turner; Oboe and Janet Simpson: Piano A Memory, for oboe and bass recorder by Gordon Crosse*. Sarah Francis: Oboe and John Turner: Bass Recorder

These two short works were a total delight and had everyone smiling once again. Each was very lovingly constructed and perfectly executed – the first a complete joy, lively, jolly and very youthful sounding, something that goes to show how composing can keep you young in a way that any amount of exercise would be hard to match. This was brought home when the composer took his bow and showed himself to be a very old man sporting a light suit and white goatee and googling him I discovered two very interesting articles on our own musicweb site (!!) that showed him to be a magnificent 93 years old! If he ever gets to read this modest review may I say how much I admire him and again will be seeking out other works by him (has this concert educated me or what!?). The second short piece by Gordon Crosse was also a superbly constructed gem, fascinatingly pairing the rare combination of oboe and bass recorder, an instrument that must surely lead to backache for the player if the composition is of any greater length than this one was for the instrument must be stood on the ground – it being a least 4 foot long and, head bent, the player blows against the mouthpiece of the extremely large diameter bulbous end whilst necessarily bending to reach the lowest finger holes! The result of these painful looking endeavours is, however, quite magical and the oboe weaving its relatively high notes around the extremely low ones from bass recorder made for a thrillingly unusual musical experience. Once again the composer was present to take his bow and to acknowledge the applause of a very knowledgeable and appreciative audience.

Sonata for oboe and piano by Edward Gregson: Hugh McKenna: Oboe and Janet Simpson: Piano

Once again here was a marvellously engineered work fully exploiting the gorgeously crisp, clear sounds of the oboe. I need hardly say that Gregson is yet another composer I shall be looking into – this was a truly educational afternoon. It was lovely to see him also come to the front to take his bow and receive the genuinely warm applause.

Evening Hymn, for countertenor and continuo by Henry Purcell : James Bowman: Countertenor and Ina Thompson: Harpsichord

The afternoon recital drew to a close with a final work by Purcell once again confirming his unassailable reputation as our musical Shakespeare and once again done great justice by the wonderful James Bowman.

All in all the recital was a truly fitting tribute to a wonderful human being, a consummate artist and stalwart supporter of Sir John. I don’t know whether it was recorded – if not it is a great pity for how wonderful it would be if these works all appeared on record!

Steve Arloff


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