John Turner is an untiring
explorer of the 20th Century
repertoire for recorder, which he has
steadily recorded over the last years.
The present release is yet another well-planned
selection of fairly recent works for
recorder, most of which were written
for him. Franz Reizenstein’s Partita
Op.13, however, is a much earlier
work composed in 1939 for Carl Dolmetsch.
It was originally written for recorder
and piano (the original version is available
on BMS 425CD). In 1953, he arranged
the piece for recorder and string trio,
which is the version heard here. This
is a fine, well-crafted Neo-Classical
suite of dances of great charm. Anyone
acquainted with John Jeffreys’ music
will know what to expect of his lovely
Prelude and Jog for John Turner,
originally for recorder and piano, and
heard here in the version with string
quartet made in 2001. This delightful
piece clearly reflects Jeffreys’ affinity
with the so-called English pastoral
school and is often redolent of Finzi.
With the exception of the Recorder
Sonatina Op.41 composed in 1953
(but often played on the flute rather
than the recorder), Malcolm Arnold’s
works for recorder date from the last
years of his composing career and all
three are – in one way or another –
connected with the Danish recorder virtuoso
Michala Petri who recorded the Fantasy
for Solo Recorder Op.127 (1987)
and the Recorder Concerto Op.133
(1988) for RCA. The Fantasy Op.140
for recorder and string quartet is actually
a set of variations of quite contrasted
character, and clearly belongs to what
may be described as Arnold’s last period
in which his music became more elusive,
often enigmatic, at times sardonic,
but always extraordinarily well written
for the instrument. The Fantasy
Op.140, however, is a very fine
work, and a most welcome addition to
his abundant discography. William Lewarne
Harris is a name new to me, I confess,
and I was particularly delighted to
be introduced to his music through his
beautiful Quintet from
2002. The work is in five sections roughly
connected to the sea (in Cornwall and
Brittany) : the second movement The
Vision on the Shore is clear enough
in this respect, whereas the third movement
is a Scherzo Diabolique alluding
to a place in Cornwall, a crossroad
between Penzance and Sennen where a
witch was hanged (or, at least, so they
say). The fourth section Notre Dame
des Naufragés brings us to
Brittany. The final movement is a set
of five variations on the theme heard
at the outset of the first section,
ending in a rather pensive mood. A most
welcome rarity indeed. Robin Walker’s
Dances from "The Bells of
Blue Island" originated
as interludes between the scene of his
eponymous chamber opera completed in
2001. In 2003, he arranged them for
recorder, violin and cello. The various
lively dances, often of folk-like flavour,
are framed by an Irish tune which everyone,
I think, will recognise as that heard
in Simple Minds’ Belfast Child.
This is a delightfully entertaining
score. Philip Cowlin, too, is new to
me. His Concertino of
2003 is exactly that, i.e. a miniature
concerto in the traditional fast-slow-fast
mould, including a short cadenza near
the end of the slow movement. The music
is again quite engaging and accessible,
and never outstays its welcome. Gregson’s
Romance is an early work
composed in 1964 for clarinet and piano,
that he re-worked and revised for John
Turner. This is, as one might expect,
a lovely song-like, simple and attractive
piece that works particularly well in
the present version. Tomlinson is well-known
as a composer of excellent and superbly
crafted light music. Originally for
recorder and guitar, Chadkirk
Idyll is a beautifully atmospheric
miniature tone poem. The version with
string quartet heard here was made in
2002. Although his Violin Concerto
has now been recorded, John Veale is
still a much underrated composer whose
music clearly deserves wider exposure.
It is to be hoped that this recording
of his fine Triptych of
2003 will help re-kindle interest in
his output. This lovely piece, too,
might be described as a set of variations
since each of the three sections is
based on the same two themes heard at
the outset.
Needless to say that
all these pieces get sterling performances
from John Turner and his colleagues
of the Camerata Ensemble. This hugely
entertaining release is yet another
feather in John’s cap, and I urge you
to get it. You will surely enjoy it
as much as I did.
Hubert Culot
John Turner (recorder); Camerata Ensemble
