This is a very nicely produced disc both musically and in terms of appearance, presentation and booklet material.
The programme opens with several pieces by Frederick Delius, including the
Three Preludes; the works presented here are mainly fairly slight miniatures, although we do have a couple of slightly more substantial works in E.J. Moeran’s
Summer Valley, Balfour Gardiner’s
Mere and Peter Warlock’s
Five Folk-Song Preludes. The styles of the individual pieces are similar enough to ensure a sense of continuity throughout the disc, yet differing enough in idiom to allow the individuality of each composer to be highlighted. They are generally fairly light works but with a delightful charm that beguiles the ear. The characters and colours of the pieces are well-differentiated by pianist Paul Guinery - also a well regarded BBC Radio 3 presenter - who delivers highly intelligent and insightful performances that brim with sensitivity, commitment and a passionate understanding to desire the communicate the beauty of these works.
The booklet notes - written by the artist - give a short pen-sketch of each composer yet also emphasise the association of each with Delius. It is clear that these associations are not tenuous, but, rather, are very much borne out of the “circle” of artists that surrounded Delius throughout his life. The notes are accompanied by rather fascinating photographs. The disc is therefore an informative commentary of the period. My only criticism of this release is that these are really too small; full page photographs would have greatly enhanced the booklet.
This CD appears in the year of the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth and is funded by the Delius Society.
On the whole, this is an extremely interesting, well-put-together disc; highly enjoyable.
Em Marshall-Luck
Note - Paul Guinery ahs contributed to a new
Delius biography - see
here for review.
Contents
Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934)
Three Preludes
No. 1 Scherzando [1:52]
No. 2 Quick [1:11]
No. 3 With lively undulating movement [1:29]
Hassan (arr. for piano)
Intermezzo [2:17]
Two Piano Pieces
No. 1 Valse [1:05]
No. 2 Rêverie [2:45]
Dance for Harpsichord [2:13]
Roger QUILTER (1877-1953)
Three Pieces, Op. 16
No. 1 Dance in the Twilight [2:11]
Country Pieces, Op. 27
No. 1 Shepherd Song [2:18]
Where the Rainbow Ends Suite
II. Rosamund [1:54]
Country Pieces, Op. 27
No. 4 Pipe and Tabor [1:34]
Cyril SCOTT (1879-1970)
Two Pieces. Op. 47
No. 1 Lotus Land [4:40]
Frederic AUSTIN (1872-1952)
The Enchanted Palace
I. The princess sings [4:11]
II. The princess dances [3:20]
Arnold BAX (1883-1953)
The Maiden with the Daffodil [5:21]
Percy GRAINGER (1882-1961)
The Merry King [4:08]
E.J. MOERAN (1894-1950)
Two Folk Song Arrangements
No. 1 Irish Love Song [3:34]
Summer Valley [5:11]
Bank Holiday [2:30]
Norman O'NEILL (1875-1934)
Carillon [3:09]
Peter WARLOCK (1894-1930)
Folk Song Preludes
No. 1 Very slow [1:40]
No. 2 Allegretto, rubato [1:17]
No. 3 Maestoso; Alla marcia funebre [1:30]
No. 4 Fairly slow but evenly flowing, in strict time [1:22]
No. 5 Largo maestoso [3:34]
Henry Balfour GARDINER (1877-1950)
Mere [6:09]
