The Australian composer,
John Carmichael was a pupil of Dorian
Le Gallienne (let's have a disc of his
music as well, please) and later in
London with Arthur Benjamin. He also
studied with Anthony Milner (whose First
Symphony and Variations are on the Claudio
label). Carmichael now lives in the
UK. He came of the generation that resolved
to return to melody. This is very evident
from the chamber works performed with
such technical excellence and joy here.
The Piano Quartet
Sea Changes has the tumbling
torrentially exultant quality of works
such as the chamber music of César
Franck, Max d'Ollonne and Herbert Howells.
This is essentially optimistic music
though rooted in an apprehension that
not all that surrounds us is blissfully
happy. Gloriously exuberant stuff. If
you at all like the Howells' 1915 Piano
Quartet or the First Piano Quartet of
Gabriel Fauré do chase down a
copy of this disc. The title reflects
the composer's attempt to capture the
essence of the magical transforming
play of cloud, wind and light on the
ever-changing seascapes to be seen from
the Atlantic cliffs.
The three movement
Fantasy Sonata for flute
and piano is a sun-dappled and playful
work with some kinship with the more
Elysian sections of the Nielsen Flute
Concerto and, in the finale, with Poulenc
and Gershwin. There is some delectable
writing in the Lento which is
a close cousin to the Khachaturian Phrygia
Adagio from Spartacus. Poulenc,
Ibert and Françaix are the names
I think of when hearing A Little
Night Music (a miniature suite
for flute and piano). Perhaps, however,
Carmichael was remembering Arthur Benjamin
when he wrote the first movement (Caribbean
Moonrise) with its rumba undertow.
The Aria and
Finale are respectively a sultry
night scene with a Spanish twist and
a Gallic serenade - both very smooth
and heartfelt. A slight gripe is the
guillotining of the last piano note
of the Aria at 6.48. The Fêtes
Champêtres is smoothly
flowing, scattily playful yet rocking
delightfully (especially in the central
berceuse).
Carmichael appeals
directly to the emotions. He is often
light on the aural palate as with the
Aria and Finale and the Fêtes
Champêtres but just as often
striking at a more profound level as
in Sea Changes.
If you would like to
hear more (and I suspect that after
hearing this disc you will!) then try
his Trumpet Concerto and the Piano Concerto
Concierto Folklorico both of
which are on a double CD anthology
of Australian 'light music' also reviewed
here (Swagman's Promenade:
Australian Light Classics for Orchestra.
ABC CLASSICS 442 374-2 2CDs [71.51+72.05]).
Few composition dates
are given but it seems that these works
were written in the period from the
mid-1980s until 2000.
There is not a single
work here that presents any obstacles
to appreciation. Carmichael is evidently
completely serious in his pursuit of
the crusade of discovery in melody.
If you have ever been put off modern
classical music let Carmichael's blissfully
accessible and often sheerly beautiful
music restore your confidence.
Rob Barnett
Antony Gray (piano) (Sea Changes);
Belinda Macfarlane (violin); Morgan Goff (viola);
Matthew Lee (cello); Roger Armstrong (flute);
John Carmichael (piano) (flute works and Fêtes);
Kyle Horch (sax); Pamela Lidiard (piano) (Aria
and finale); Marc Naylor (clarinet) 