ALAN RAWSTHORNE Film Music including The Captive Heart,
The Cruel Sea, Burmah Victory etc
BBCPO/Rumon Gamba
Chandos CHAN 9749
Though not a particularly prolific composer Rawsthorne nevertheless composed
a sizeable body of works among which there are some twenty-seven film scores
written between 1937 and 1964. The remarkable thing about these scores is
the individuality of the music which while being somewhat more straightforward
than his concert music, still possesses all the harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic
Rawsthorne fingerprints so that one is never in doubt about the authorship
of the music. In this he joins his distinguished colleagues Alwyn and Arnold
whose film scores were always highly personal. The most sizeable item in
this release is the suite from The Captive Heart (1946, arranged by
Gerard Schurmann) which also contains some of the best music, in turn heroic,
nostalgic, lyrical, dramatic and celebratory. A major addition to the expanding
Rawsthorne discography. Incidentally the suite does not include The Prisoner's
March (available on SILVA SCREEN FILMCD 177). Most other items compiled
or arranged by Gerard Schurmann (Lease of Life - 1954, Suite from
Burmah Victory - 1945 and Saraband for Dead Lovers - 1948)
or by Philip Lane are also highly typical of Rawsthorne's writing for films.
Some of the scores, e.g. Burmah Victory, may be somewhat more
conventional, still superbly crafted. The Three Dances arranged from
The Dancing Fleece (1950) by Philip Lane is somewhat lighter in mood
than the other film scores included in this collection. This film by the
Crown Film Unit aimed at promoting British wool and was cast in the form
of a ballet portraying the processes of manufacture and Rawsthorne responded
with a wonderful light-hearted score. Uncle Silas (1947) is another
noteworthy film score including a short Valse Caprice based on an
early violin piece Pierrette written in 1934.
This is a most welcome release including some really fine music which would
have otherwise remained unheard and which definitely should be better-known.
Rumon Gamba conducts vital performances and receives a magnificent support
from the BBC Phil. This release pays a well-deserved tribute to Rawsthorne
who would certainly have been delighted to have "the celluloid playing his
tunes" with such commitment.
Unreservedly recommended.
Reviewer
Hubert Culot
See also review by Paul Conway
