RECORDING OF THE MONTH
York BOWEN (1884-1961)
Rhapsody for cello and orchestra op. 74 (c.1924) [23:51]
Alan BUSH (1900-1995)
Concert Suite for cello and orchestra op. 37 (1952) [36:37]
Havergal BRIAN (1876-1972)
Cello Concerto (1964) [21:43]
Raphael Wallfisch (cello)
BBC Concert Orchestra/Martin Yates
rec. St-Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, 20-22 Sept 2010.
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7263 [82:25]
Allied with Dutton, Raphael Wallfisch continues his odyssey through the cello
and orchestra legacy of British music of the last century. Here his orchestra
and conductor are staunchly sensitive collaborators. The results are nothing
less than sumptuous. The acoustic is benevolent and the engineering team have
made the most of it.
The capriciously romantic, indeed Rachmaninovian, Rhapsody by
Bowen is luxuriously put across with more than a few Delian moments
along the way. It is a burnished sunset meditation of a piece ending with
a satiated sigh.
The Alan Bush is a very substantial Concert Suite in
five movements. Vera Denes played the work at its Budapest premiere in May
1952, Zara Nelsova in 1953 for its BBC radio first performance and Florence
Hooton for the Proms in 1956. It's a typically serious though emotional piece
occasionally making me think of Bloch. There's a raucously pounded celebratory
Ballet, a serene Poem (recalling the affable warmth of the Sherwood
Forest movement of Bush's Second Symphony) and a Finale that has
the pattering euphoria of the finale of the Second Symphony.
In the case of Havergal Brian there are two concertos - nothing for piano
- one each for violin and this one for cello receiving its world premiere
recording. Conscientious Brianites will have known the piece for years from
the broadcast tape of the Thomas Igloi premiere with the Polyphonia orchestra
conducted by Boult. It's typical mature Brian with stuttering note-cells,
toppy woodwind and march interruptions. After a dignified yet trudgingly emotive
Andante comes a haughty Allegro finale. Much of the work evinces
a sturdy determination - a not unfamiliar quality in Havergal Brian scores.
A generous 2 CD set for the price of one disc. A fine anthology of rare English
cello treasures and a sovereign recording.
Rob Barnett
A generous anthology of rare English cello treasures.