RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Charles Martin LOEFFLER (1861-1935)
Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano [20:19]
Five Songs for voice, viola and piano [15:19]
Gabriel PIERNÉ (1863-1937)
Sonata da Camera, Op. 48 for flute, cello and piano [13:45]
Maurice DURUFLÉ (1902-1986)
Prelude, recitative and variations, Op. 3 for flute, viola and piano [11:58]
(first recording)
William Dazeley (baritone); London Concord Ensemble (Emily Pailthorpe (oboe),
Daniel Pailthorpe (flute), Barnaby Robson (clarinet), Nicholas Korth (horn),
Julian Milford (piano), Douglas Paterson (viola), Bridget MacRae (cello))
rec. Music Room, Champs Hill, West Sussex, 28-29 September 2001; 21 February
2002 and 26 February 2002.
CHAMPS HILL CHRCD010 [61:31]
There must have been some musical microbe in the French water supply from
the 1860s through the turn of the century for France to have produced so many
fine and original composers. The obvious big shots are Debussy, Ravel, Fauré,
and Saint-Saëns. But France kept delivering outstanding composers all
the way into the early decades of the twentieth century, and it is rather
sad that their music is not more widely known, for it is of the highest quality.
The London Concord Ensemble with guest baritone William Dazeley have given
us an absolutely delicious hour of chamber music in these finely honed performances.
Gabriel Pierné’s elegant Sonata da Camera opens with a contrapuntal
prelude that would have made Sebastian Bach proud. This jauntily tuneful opening
is followed by a melancholy sarabande, so beautiful that it transports the
listener into a dream-world from which he’d never want to awaken. The
spirited finale is delivered with great panache. Daniel Pailthorpe, Bridget
MacRae and Julian Milford deliver a flawless performance marked with perfect
intonation, balanced ensemble and a virtuosic flair that’s simply infectious.
Charles Martin Loeffler claimed to be a Frenchman, and his claims are oft-repeated
in reference material. He was however born near Berlin, but renounced his
native land after his father was imprisoned on a trumped up espionage charge.
He later moved to the U.S. where he played as concert master for the Boston
Symphony Orchestra. A darling of Boston society, he often appeared as a concerto
soloist and in performances of his own works.
His two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano show Loeffler at his creative
best. Sweepingly melodic, it is easy to get lost in these sometimes dreamy,
sometimes turbulent works. Emily Pailthorpe and Douglas Paterson are well
paired and Julian Milford again delivers a fine foundation for our two single
line counterparts. These works are sublime and they are played with great
sensitivity and poise.
Loeffler’s Five Songs are settings of poems by Verlaine and Charles
Baudelaire and are connected mainly by a nocturnal theme. William Dazeley’s
amber baritone is well suited to the music and he makes the wordy French poetry
come to life with careful shading and clarity of diction.
Maurice Duruflé was a composer of tremendous gifts, and yet he seldom
expressed his creativity, leaving behind a numerically modest output, nearly
all of which are masterpieces. This is the first recording of a very early
chamber work, and honestly, these ears did not find the music up to the same
high standard as the organ works or the nearly perfect Requiem. We get a fine
performance nonetheless, and although it is not a masterpiece, the Prelude,
Recitative and Variations are a pleasant enough listen.
This is one of the most engaging recordings I have come across this year,
and the Pierné sonata and the Loeffler Rhapsody are well worth the
price of admission. The London Concord members are first rate throughout.
There is really next to nothing at fault in any of the performances. This
is most certainly one of the finest recordings to pass across my desk this
year.
Kevin Sutton
Elegant music, flawlessly performed. This is one of the finest recordings
that I have encountered in some time.