The complete piano music of Havergal Brian fits conveniently onto
one disc, and this Cameo reissue of an LP was the first recording
to do this. There is a later CD from Raymond
Clarke issued in 1998, but the contents there are rather different
although the main works featured remain the same. The Clarke disc
includes some vocal items — in the shape of the original versions
of songs transcribed for piano in the Four Miniatures —
but here we are given purely the piano works with a spoken narration
in the satirical Three Illuminations. We also hear Brian’s
transcription of the Funeral March from his opera Turandot,
which is missing from the Clarke collection.
The three most substantial works on this CD are the contrapuntal studies
written in 1924 while Brian was working on his Gothic Symphony.
In the Prelude and Fugue in C minor the opening
Prelude has a positively Vaughan Williams feel with its juxtapositions
of block chords. The following Fugue is less remarkable,
with its contrapuntal development somewhat over-strenuous in its striving
after effect even in its opening bars (as at track 1, 5.01). The Double
Fugue is more lightweight in its general atmosphere, although
the contrapuntal difficulties with which the pianist is confronted
are even more strenuous. The Prelude and Fugue in D minor/major
is more impressive still. Oddly enough there is more contrapuntal
technique in these exercises than in the Gothic Symphony
itself.
The jaunty March from Brian’s late opera Turandot
is the most recent piece on this disc by a considerable margin. Although
we now have a recording
of the orchestral version of the march it is good to hear it again
in the composer’s piano transcription which I recall from its
first broadcast performance by Ronald Stevenson back in 1973. Oddly
enough the booklet note by Harold Truscott does not mention this item
at all — was its inclusion an afterthought? Truscott refers
to John Dowland’s Fancy as Brian’s last work
for piano, a single movement from an abandoned suite. Like the earlier
contrapuntal exercises it is a somewhat grandiose piece, with smashing
chordal treatment of the Dowland melody, but it does sound more naturally
pianistic.
The two early sets of miniatures show Brian in the quirkily humorous
vein familiar from his opera The Tigers, pieces that are
grotesque in the sense that they continually confound the listener’s
expectations. Two of the Four miniatures are straightforward
transcriptions of the accompaniments from the Blake songs settings
The Land of Dreams and The Birds with the vocal
lines omitted. The suggestion for this treatment originated with Brian’s
publishers but they sound inevitably here as though something is missing.
One should I suppose be grateful that Brian did not mete out the same
treatment to another 1919 Blake setting, The defiled sanctuary,
which is one of his greatest songs. The Three Illuminations
are even more odd. Christopher Kay’s delivery of the narrations
which Brian inserted into the score is rather more natural than Tessa
Spong’s on the Clarke disc, although we are not given the texts
here. The words are unfortunately not free from the accusation of
tweeness – as indeed are elements in Brian’s own libretto
for The Tigers – which make the humour of the music
sound irretrievably dated. Clarke’s disc also provided versions
of these pieces without narration, which does helps to improve matters,
although the music then sounds somewhat unmotivated. In the last resort,
though, what can one possibly do with lines like “The naughty
boy hits her with his cap” or “Cold too it is” —
the latter sounding like an anticipation of Yoda from Star Wars?
Oddly enough the Havergal Brian Society’s website listing of
this Hill recording credits a second pianist in the Double Fugue
in the shape of Douglas Young, although there is no mention of any
additional player on this reissue. In an article written by Peter
Hill on the same website he refers to the sheer impracticability of
Brian’s writing in a number of places with particular reference
to the Double Fugue, so it appears that a second player might
indeed have been involved. This CD reissue does not even furnish details
of the original recording location or date. The valuable and informative
Havergal Brian website does make mention of a performance of the two
Preludes and Fugues by Peter Hill on BBC Radio 3 broadcast
on 13 April 1981, which may well be the source of at least some of
these recordings.
With regard to the rival Raymond Clarke disc, reviewers of that CD
made some complaints about the sense of overload evident in places
in his playing. This is an accusation that I can well understand although
the blame could well be laid to the charge of Brian’s music
itself rather than Clarke’s technique. For the same reason one
might criticise Hill’s evident difficulties with some of the
more awkward writing in the contrapuntal exercises here. In fact,
the recorded sound is excellent and the playing is always poised and
responsive. Those who have already purchased the admirable Clarke
collection will be well satisfied with it; but for those who have
yet to make the acquaintance Brian’s piano music, this new and
comprehensive reissue may be recommended even more enthusiastically.
One’s only criticism might be that individual movements are
not separately tracked.
Paul Corfield Godfrey
I carried out the initial LP transfer of this Havergal Brian LP for
Cameo Classics. All the music on the new CD release is taken from
this LP - GOCLP 9016(D). I can confirm that Douglas Young is credited
on the record sleeve. The two pianists were co-founders of the ensemble
Dreamtiger along with cellist Rohan de Saram, hence their connection.
Recording information is as follows: Bosendorfer Imperial Concert
Grand piano in the Concert Hall of the Royal Northern College of Music,
Manchester on 16-17th February 1981. The Three Illuminations were
recorded on a Steinway on 15th February 1981.I hope this is helpful.
John Whitmore
