Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Works for Violin, Vol. 2
Sonata for Violin and Piano Op. 82
Elevation Op. 11 (trans. F. Louis Schneider)
Pastourelle Op. 4 No. 2
Bavarian Dance No. 3 arr. William Henley
Bavarian Dance No. 1 arr. William Henley
Sospiri Op. 70 arr. Eirian Griffiths
Petite Reine - Berceuse Victor Beraud arr. Elgar
Polonaise in D minor edited by Christopher Polyblank
Dreaming arr. William H. Reed
Mot 'Amour Op. 13 No. 1
Valse on themes by Elgar completed by Christopher Polyblank
Reminiscences
Interlude from the Crown of India Op. 66 arr. Hugh Blair
Allegretto - Duet on a theme of GEDGE
Marat Bisengaliev (violin)
and Benjamin Frith (piano)
rec 17/18 October 2000 at Potton Hall, Suffolk
BLACK BOX BBM1047
[68:33]
Crotchet
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This second volume of music for Elgar's instrument, the violin is well up
to the standard of the first in terms
of quality and inspiration.
Marat Bisengaliev, appointed Musician-in-Residence for Worcestershire in
2000, and an Elgar enthusiast, plays these works on Elgar's own violin adding
that extra touch of authenticity.
Some of the shorter pieces date back to the composer's early days. The earliest
is Reminiscences dated 16th March 1877, a pretty little
derivative piece incorporating material written during his apprenticeship
yet anticipating his mature style especially the falling figure in the violin
line. The Allegretto has its origins in Elgar's early days as a
peripatetic teacher and in particular his lessons to the daughters of William
W Gedge the headmaster of Wells House School at Malvern Wells.
A number of the pieces included in the programme are arrangements. Two Bavarian
Dances (Nos. 1 and 3) are included in arrangements by William Henley. The
faster outer sections have plenty of bravura but the more lyrical big tunes
come across as somewhat tentative. More successful are the transcription
of music by F. Louis Schneider from Sursum Corda played here as
Elevation, Billy Reed's lovely arrangement of Dreaming from
Elgar's Nursery Suite, and Hugh Blair's haunting arrangement of music
from the Crown of India that has some beautiful material for the piano
(my ear was almost seduced away from the violin line). Then there is the
exquisite Sospiri in a beautiful arrangement by Eirian Griffiths.
Interestingly, we also have an arrangement by Elgar himself of a Worcester
colleague's slight but engaging Petite Reine.
Praise must be given to Christopher Polyblank, formerly a composition student
of Edmund Rubbra and currently County Music Inspector for Worcestershire
who has contributed two editings of incomplete Elgar writings. The first
is an exhilarating amalgamation of two incomplete polonaises for violin and
piano dating from Elgar's Powick days and the completion of a familiar-sounding
Valse dating from 1886.
Bisengaliev, unobtrusively and sensitively accompanied by Benjamin Frith
gives warm, relaxed readings of these charming miniatures. Their cleanly
articulated reading of the Sonata contrasts vigour with gentle Autumnal
reflection, spiced, in the central Romance, with some engaging wry wit.
Ian Lace
N.B. For the more technically-inclined and for PC owners on-line to the
Internet, the CD provides access to Black Box from where one can download
an extra piece of music for violin and oboe.
See also Live concert
review featuring these same works
