Gary HIGGINSON (b. 1952)
Scenes and Messages
Two Pieces for solo flute, op. 62 (1970/2017) [6:15]
Messages of Hope, op. 87 for soprano, tenor, baritone and piano (1987) [21:56]
Three Ben Jonson Songs, op. 126b for baritone and piano (1984/1994) [6:34]
Scenes from Shakespeare, op. 164 for solo piano (2009-2010) [17:15]
‘When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See’, op. 147 for soprano and piano [3:09]
Three Shakespeare Duets, op. 167 for soprano, tenor, flute and piano (2006/2011) [9:42]
Sweet Song of the Summer Woods (reprise with birdsong),op. 62 no. 2 (1970/2017) [2:56]
Patricia Auchterlonie (soprano)
Oliver Brignall, Laura Cioffi (flute)
Jonathan Hyde (baritone)
Alessandro Viale (piano
Texts included
rec. 2018, Steinway Recording, Fulbeck, UK
SHEVA SH209 [67:47]
This CD gets off to an attractive pastoral start with two pieces for solo flute – ‘Landscape’ and ‘Sweet Song of the Summer Woods’ (1970/2017). Gary Higginson explains that they were composed whilst he was working in the Elgarian countryside in Worcestershire. I am not sure whether these are inspired by Theocritus and his Sicilian landscape or something a bit closer to home. It may be that the Malverns are the haunt of Dryads and Satyrs, however I agree with Rob Barnett (in his review of this CD) that these two pieces have a Mediterranean atmosphere. The second number is reprised at the conclusion of the album, this time with an added soundtrack of bird-song. My ornithology is not subtle enough to be able to recognise the species. I know I should not like this rather cute conceit, but it does work for me.
Messages of Hope op.87 is a setting of a composite text derived from Christopher Wordsworth (1807-85). The ‘Wordsworth’ we are talking about was the nephew of the poet William. For several years he was Vicar of Stanford-in-the-Vale in Oxfordshire and latterly Bishop of Lincoln (not Salisbury as stated in the liner notes), as well as being a respected man of letters. In theology, his big achievements are the editions of the Greek New Testament texts and commentaries on the entire Bible. These latter are still important sources for High Church Anglicans. The local Stanford poet Colin Pedley (d.1990) produced a short compendium of Wordsworth’s poems and included some of his own lines. I would be interested in the exact sources of Wordsworth’s texts and the later interpolations. Gary Higginson suggests that the raison d’être of the cycle is to present ‘all the joys and sorrows that harsh country life had to offer.’ The seven songs are set for soprano, tenor, baritone and piano. The various parts of this cycle are called ‘Scenes.’
Scene 1, ‘Entry into Stanford’ is all about village life and has allusions to Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem on an ass. This is followed by ‘Homes’, which highlights the disparity between rich and poor folks’ living conditions in Victorian times. It is a pastiche music hall ballad featuring a middle section that is violent in effect. ‘Scene 3’, for soprano only, considers the diseases that are caused by extreme poverty. It concludes with a short, powerful piano postlude. I am not sure what that rationale is for the fourth song. The liner notes suggest that it reflects on the effects of the arrival of the ‘expensive’ railways. Would poet, literary arranger and composer have wished the rail network had not been developed, at least in Oxfordshire? It is a dramatic song, with a vibrant accompaniment exploiting dissonance and rhythmic vitality and a commanding vocal declamation. The ‘Scene 5’ ‘Death at Scutari’ is a ‘desolate’ anti-Crimean war song. This is the most challenging song in this cycle. The penultimate song, again by soprano solo, mourns the tragic death of a husband and five children in the village of Stanford. I am not sure that the ‘Epilogue’ is not tongue-in-cheek. Although the final line is ‘Come blessed Jesu come’ the entire cycle could well suggest God’s indifference to his creation. ‘Messages of Despair’ could be a better title. A clue to the interpretation is given in the final paragraph of the liner notes for this song-cycle: ‘There is a socio-political message which also applied at the time of [Mrs. Margaret] Thatcher’s Britain…’ The work was premiered in 1987. Blame for all the sadness and trouble in the village and the world at large, is put at the feet of the wicked land-owner, the greedy industrialist, the unthinking general and the spiteful politician. In 1987 I was not aware of the grinding poverty and lack of general medical care in town or country that features in these poems. The Falklands War was the only military ‘adventure’ of the Thatcher years (and the ongoing ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland).
Messages of Hope is not an easy work to come to terms with but repays the effort. Reviewers have noted the influence of Benjamin Britten (Winter Words?) but this is to minimise the original impact of Higginson’s music.
I agree with Rob Barnett that the Three Ben Johnson Songs, op.126 are the closest to the English song tradition as exemplified by Philip Heseltine/Peter Warlock. The opening song ‘Come, my Celia’ is one of the loveliest pieces on this disc. The second, ‘Slow, slow fresh fount’ is dissonant in sound, with considerable use of bitonality. The final number ‘That women are but men’s shadows’ is pure knockabout Warlock. A little more dissonant than the ‘exemplar’, but a great little song that fairly rollicks along. Looking at the title and the words, it is hardly the most ‘PC’ text set here, but then I guess that Jacobean and Cavalier poets had a different view on such matters.
The Scenes from Shakespeare, Op. 164 is my favourite work on this CD (I thank Gary for letting me see a copy of the score). This could be regarded either as a set of miniatures or a suite. Each movement has its source in one of the plays: a relevant quotation is given in the score and printed in the liner note. Proceedings open with ‘Bottom’s Dream’ which is a thoughtful little scherzo (Midsummer Night’s Dream). This is followed by ‘Beatrice and Benedict’ (Much Ado about Nothing) which is syncopated, also scherzo-like and musically portrays the bickering couple. ‘Bosworth Field’ (Richard III) includes little ostinatos. Dissonant chords reiterate and there is the odd lull in the music’s progress. But typically, it is quite aggressive as the title suggests. Good old ‘Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek’ (Twelfth Night) opens with a parody of a diminutive marching song. All is not as it seems. The mood is presented as an image seen through the two gentlemen ‘in their cups.’ A wee bit distorted. I like the character of King Henry V but have always resented his treatment of Sir John Falstaff in King Henry IV Part II – ‘I know thee not old man, look to thy prayers.’ Higginson’s take on this minor tragedy is a broadly-played piece that reflects sadness and rejection. It is both emotional and intense. ‘Hamlet meets the Ghost of his Father’ is bleak, just as it should be. Dissonant chords and widely spaced phrases, concurrently portray the ‘Spirit of health or goblin damned.’ The most touching moment in these Scenes is when ‘The Statue Awakes.’ This is beautifully restrained music that reflects the awakening of Queen Hermione in The Winters Tale. It is crisp, almost late Frank Bridge-ian in it effect. Was Hermione ever actually dead, was she resurrected or simply a vision? Who knows, but the music certainly suggests a moment of wonder. The final movement is dynamic ‘The Witches Dance’ imagined from Macbeth – ‘Round and round the cauldron go…’ Certainly, Higginson has created a round dance. It is not quite as spooky as the subject material may demand. But it is certainly aggressive and energetic.
Scenes from Shakespeare is a challenging presentation of musical ideas that are unified in a sound world that is certainly not English ‘pastoral’ but echoes the world of mid to late twentieth-century music. It is not avant-garde by any account, but nods towards the style of composers such as Peter Racine Fricker and Kenneth Leighton. There are elements of jazz in these pages, but this is not the predominant feature. I enjoyed these eight miniatures and found them absorbing and a little (but not too much) challenging. It is certainly a splendid antidote to so much of the anodyne piano music that seems to be composed these days.
I am not sure why Sheva Records have chosen to interpose the setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet XLIII, ‘When most I wink’ in the middle of the remarkable Scenes from Shakespeare, Op. 164? Higginson has explored the antitheses in this poem (night and day, shadow and form, seeing and not seeing) with a subtle balance of music that seems to echo a variety of stylistic moods, but has successful created a good synthesis to impress the poets realisation of the light that love can cast on the ‘dark night of the soul.’
The Bard is again the source of the Three Shakespeare Duets for soprano, tenor, flute and piano. They are most effective, with an excellent balance of the soloists. It is a combination rarely come across. Gary Higginson has chosen the well-known lyric from As You Like It, ‘Blow, blow thou Winter Wind’ for the first song.’ This forceful number is full of the winter’s chill. Less-well-known as a song-text is ‘Lawn as White as Driven Snow’ (The Winter’s Tale) which makes a good vocal duet with a subtle sharing of parts between the tenor and soprano. It is gentle and typically warm, despite the title. The final number is again from As You Like It. ‘It was a lover and his lass’ has been set dozens of times, however this vigorous setting is theatrical and full of the lively promise of spring and the erotic promise for the ‘Sweet Lovers [who] love the Spring’. This is a splendid song-cycle which demands to be in the repertoire of all vocal duets.
All the performances are outstanding. The attention to detail is apparent at every turn. The soloists clearly have a great enthusiasm for this music.
The liner notes are ideal, except for the miniscule font. They provide a biography of the composer, his notes for each composition, the texts of the songs and brief CVs of each of the performers. The inset is well illustrated with photos or illustrations of all concerned including Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. The evocative cover painting is by British artist Marcelle Seabourne and is titled: ‘Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-Upon-Avon across the Meadows’. There are contact details included for the purchase of Gary Higginson’s scores.
On a personal note. I have read, enjoyed and valued Gary Higginson’s reviews over the years on MusicWeb International. I was lucky enough to catch up with the man himself at a notable concert of music by Lakeland Composers at the Chapel, University of Cumbria, Lancaster on 1 March 2019. Gary was represented by his fascinating Sonatina for oboe and piano, as well as ‘God So Loved the World’ for chorus. Other music heard at this concert included David Jennings’s remarkable Passacaglia and Fugue for violin and piano, the premiere performance of Arthur Butterworth’s Three Songs, op.144 and the idiosyncratic Windemere Fantasy for piano by Peter E Wood. Additionally, I was able to fit in a lovely walk along Morecambe Promenade in the morning. It is looking great these days and brought back many happy memories of family holidays here in 1960-1. But it is sad that the piers and the lido have vanished.
John France
Previous reviews: Rob Barnett ~ David Jennings
