As soon as the first track of this interesting compilation
CD begins, it is clear that it will give much enjoyment. Carlo Martelli's
five-minute long Persiflage has a dramatic opening gesture, and
then maintains the interest it has created. The Naxos recording is bold
and direct, and contributes fully to the effect created by the excellent
strings of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
The best known composers featured on this enterprising
programme are Finzi and Holst. The two Finzi items both represent the
more lyrical side of his style, whereas Holst's delightful Brook Green
Suite has three short movements organised in the traditional fast-slow-fast
design. David Lloyd-Jones plays the central Air very much at a flowing
tempo, thereby missing some of its poetry, and his outer movements are
on the fast side too. But this remains an engaging performance if it
does not erase memories of Imogen Holst's recording for Lyrita with
the English Chamber Orchestra.
Haydn Wood has enjoyed something of a resurgence with
the greater interest in light music which has developed during the last
ten years. And quite right too, for his infectiously rhythmic 18th Century
Scherzo makes an immediate and pleasing impression. Equally enjoyable
is another five-minute miniature, William Blezard's Duetto, which is
in fact a tuneful canon introduced by a skilfully placed passage of
pizzicato. This offers a particularly interesting balance between technique
and inspiration.
The central Lento espressivo movement of Bruce
Montgomery's charming Concertino is given the full treatment by Lloyd-Jones
and his players, to winning effect, while the finale is appropriately
energetic. For me, however, the highlight of the programme is the Sinfonia
Concertante by Michael Hurd, in which Robert Gibbs is the accomplished
violin soloist. Again there are three movements, and again there is
a beautifully lyrical movement at the centre.
Terry Barfoot
And Rob Barnett writes
It's all over in just over an hour but in that time
you are swept along from one compass point to another.
The spirited innocent intoxication of Martelli's
Persiflage makes me all the more impatient for the release of
the Dinemec CD of the Martelli Second Symphony. Persiflage (banter)
gambols along in carefree fifties confidence - a touch of Wirén
here and a splosh of Coates there: brilliant silvery playing. The two
Finzi pieces have been done elsewhere with more inwardness and
poise but you will be glad of the repose they offer. Holst's
Brook Green is hurried along in the Prelude and Dance
faster than Imogen Holst ever did in the Lyrita but the Air is
very well spun. The Blezard with its escalator pizzicato and
serenade jewellery is just as strong as the Martelli. This probes and
strains at the boundaries of tonality.
Anything by Michael Hurd is worth you ear-time.
I recently welcomed his glorious Oboe Concerto on ASV and this
10 minute pocket violin concerto in all but name spins that same skein
of regret and grace that flows from the Atterburg Third Suite; the highest
praise. The Haydn Wood is like a skilled and well-turned chip
off the Prokofiev Classical block. Montgomery is a name
usually unrecognised among the British music fraternity. Film music
enthusiasts will know him for his music to the early salvos from the
'Carry On' crew. He also wrote detective fiction as Edmund Crispin.
There is an excellent article on him by Phil Scowcroft. His Concertino
for string orchestra is Bliss-like (Music for Strings - strong
resemblances) with a modicum of Rawsthorne's severity thrown in and
a touch of etiolated Delius in the lento espressivo. It is the
single most substantial piece on the disc.
Hearing the whole recital I rather wish Naxos had gone
the whole hog and given us more Martelli, Blezard, Montgomery and Hurd.
These are the works which make this a thoroughly recommendable anthology.
Roll on volumes 4 and 5.
Rob Barnett
Robert Gibbs (violin) (Hurd)