This disc has something
of an unusual and complicated genesis.
A large part of it derives from a World
Record Club LP issued in 1978 called
An Introduction to Piano Music.
To this we have a number of more recent
things which reflect Trevor Barnard’s
many years of residence in Australia.
So the Grieg and Butterley Arioso derive
from undated ABC sessions and the Sutherland
Chorale Preludes, the Butterley Comment
and Werder’s Spring come from a previously
issued Divine Art disc. In similar fashion
the Bertram and Dargeville pieces were
also issued by Divine Art – see the
head note for the exact release numbers
in case of confusion. Divine Art 25005
by the way is called Bach Transcriptions
and Australian piano music.
So a rather complicated
back-story precedes this release. But
irrespective of that I’m sure many British
music enthusiasts will remember Barnard’s
epic recording of the Bliss Concerto
with Malcolm Sargent in 1962 – now on
Divine Art 24106 – as well as the same
composer’s sonata, which is coupled
with Busoni’s 24 Preludes on the same
label [25011]. Divine Art has stood
by its man with commendable diligence
and assiduity.
Barnard’s Piano Odyssey
is thus a rather bipartite affair but
it makes for an enjoyable if not quite
Homeric journey. I found the Australian
works the most exciting performances.
Margaret Sutherland’s Chorale Preludes,
especially 'Herzliebster Jesu', are
nobly grave utterances well worth the
care Barnard spends on them. Sculthorpe’s
1954 Sonatina is a sonorously skittish
work that circles in and around itself
with increasingly power and agility.
The finale is a trafficky, perky affair.
Barnard warns of the work’s "severe
bitonality" but it sounds wonderfully
refreshing in this reading. Nigel Butterley’s
Arioso has Bachian inflections whilst
his Comment on a Popular Song, which
happens to be Click go the Shears,
offers a fine, tense contrast. Michael
Betram offers some hyperactive minimalism
whilst Tim Dargeville gives us a reflective,
sonorous last night in the life of Ned
Kelly. To end the Australian segment
there’s the atonal and not especially
endearing Spring by the German-born
Felix Werder.
His WRC LP selection
starts with Bach – the Two Part Invention
in C major that sings less than, say,
Craig Sheppard’s performance. It continues
through Schubert’s Moment Musical in
F minor – too many fiddly rubatos –
and embraces a poetic but rather deadpan
Schumann Toccata. Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu
in C sharp minor also sports some divisive
and line bending rubati. Albéniz’s
Tango is rather laid back and doesn’t
evince much Iberian colour.
So the primary focus
will be the exploration of Australian
music that makes up the latter part
of the disc. Barnard’s playing of the
central repertoire back in the 1970s
was certainly efficient but not especially
distinctive and he was prone to some
mannered moments.
Recording quality is
consistent despite the vagaries of dates
and locations and the notes are helpful.
Jonathan Woolf
