This CD has three key
elements. Firstly there are three works
that have been swept up from previous
reissue projects at Lyrita. These include
the Comedy Overture, Beckus the Dandipratt
by Arnold, Chagrin’s Helter Skelter
and Warlock’s Serenade for Frederick
Delius. Contrasts – the highlight
of this CD - by David Morgan
was from an LP devoted to his music
(SRCS 97). Incidentally, I wonder what
has happened to the same composer’s
Violin Concerto from that disc? And
thirdly there are two new offerings
from the Lyrita archive: Pierson's Macbeth
and the Rawsthorne’s Cortèges
have not been issued on this label before.
The first work is by
the largely forgotten composer Henry
Hugo Pierson. This was written in 1869
at a time which traditionally has been
regarded as a downbeat period in English
musical history – ‘The Land without
Music’[see].
This work categorically disproves the
sentiment of that myth. Pierson, originally
spelt ‘Pearson’, was born in Oxford
in 1816. After a good classical education
at Harrow School and Trinity College,
Cambridge he studied music in England
and Germany. In 1844 he accepted the
post of Professor of Music at Edinburgh
University. However most of his life
was spent in Germany, where he died
in Leipzig in 1873. He wrote a number
of works in different genres, but he
is perhaps noted for his choral music,
songs and stage works. Grove mentions
only a handful of pieces for orchestra
besides the present work. These include
a Romantic Overture, Hamlet:
funeral march, and a handful of
overtures, including Romeo and Juliet
and The Maid of Orleans. The
Romeo and Juliet Overture was
recorded on Hyperion CDH55088.
There are a
number of things that need to be said
about this present work. Firstly, although
the composer annotated his score with
quotations and ‘stage directions’ it
is not necessary to follow the plot
of ‘The Scottish Play’ to appreciate
this work. Secondly, the orchestration
is impressive; without going overboard
it is fair to say that Pierson was manifestly
a master of his art. Thirdly, this is
a major work lasting some twenty minutes.
At the back of my mind was the fear
that the interest of the music could
not be maintained. Somehow the residual
prejudice that exists about ‘Victorian’
music made me doubt whether the invention
and integrity of this composer’s tone
poem would hold up. The reality is that
from the first note to the last, Pierson
holds our attention and interest. There
are considerable mood changes to catch
the imagination - from the witches’
incantations through Lady Macbeth’s
death. We also hear the marching English
army and a musical representation of
the ‘dagger’ scene. The only problem
is that much of this music is frankly
quite beautiful as opposed to sinister
or macabre: and one would be tempted
to put Duncan, Banquo et al to
one side and just enjoy the tunes. Yet
the piece does work as a tone
poem and well deserves our attention.
It is, in reality, a minor masterpiece
and the sooner we hold up our hands
and recognise this, the better. Pierson,
along with Macfarren, Sullivan, Corder
and possibly Prout are considerable
composers in their own right and must
not be relegated to also-rans
under the overpowering shade of Sir
Edward Elgar.
I have never heard
David Morgan’s Contrasts properly.
Let me explain. I did have the original
vinyl LP in my collection – but I bought
it second hand. I guess someone must
have had it on the beach, because the
sound quality is dreadful. Try as I
did, I could not clean the sand from
the groove. The Violin Concerto awaits
my pleasure for the same reason. I cannot
imagine why someone would want to use
this album as a Frisbee on Morecambe
Beach – but that seems to have been
the case. A bad buy! So I was delighted
to hear Contrasts on CD. And
what a wonderful work I have missed.
I know virtually nothing
about the composer – currently I have
a note on MusicWeb’s bulletin board
for information, with no success. I
do know that he studied with
the late Dr Alan Bush and Leighton Lucas.
Morgan was born in 1933 and has written
a Sinfonia da Requiem, the above
mentioned Violin Concerto and
a number of chamber and instrumental
music. He does not feature in New Grove.
Therefore, I depend on Paul Conway’s
programme notes for my understanding
of this work.
David Morgan composed
Contrasts in the autumn of 1974.
He dedicated it to the memory of Shostakovich.
The composer has described the composition
as "a deliberate contrast in duality:
it consists of two disparate movements,
each based on the same two themes, constantly
varied throughout the piece." The
first movement is over sixteen minutes
long whereas the second is only five.
Yet there is no apparent formal or aural
imbalance.
It could be concluded
that this work is in fact a two movement
symphony – there are plenty of precedents
for that particular form. Or perhaps,
as Conway suggests, it is a ‘Concerto
for Orchestra’. Whatever the formal
underpinning of this work, it is undoubtedly
a fantastic piece. The emotional range
is tremendous, without being confusing
or overbearing. The musical style is
always approachable without being simplistic
or passé. It is possible to hear
bitterness, reflection and joie de vivre
in these pages: it is moving and exciting
and enjoyable at the same time. The
balance is perfect: the orchestration
is masterly. I cannot imagine why a
work of this calibre and quality is
unknown. I would actually give reams
of Shostakovich to possess David Morgan’s
tribute to the elder composer. Finally,
I hope that Lyrita will re-release the
Violin Concerto as soon as possible.
It surprises me that
Alan Rawsthorne’s Cortèges
is even less well known than most of
his works. In spite of some negative
criticism in the Musical Times this
is a striking essay that impresses by
the skill of its form and the variety
of its instrumentation. The title was
queried by the contemporary MT reviewer
"Why in French?" I am not
sure; perhaps the composer wanted to
emphasise the ‘funereal’ as well as
the ‘triumphant’ – which would be less
obvious if he had called it ‘Processionals’?
It is divided into two main parts –
the first is more in the line of a lament
and the latter that of celebration –
but not untinged with reflection. Paul
Conway notes allusions to Mahler in
the first half of the work and suggests
that Rawsthorne was able skilfully to
combine epic material with intimate
moments. The second section of this
overture literally sparkles: the mood
has changed out of all recognition.
The work was described in the Musical
Times as a ‘packet of procession snap-shots,
mostly cheerful in our inconsequential
English way, but not very original …"
I think this is being disingenuous although
I wholeheartedly agree with the ‘snap-shot’
allusion. This is a good overture that
was quite definitely a work of its era.
Conway concludes his notes by suggesting
that this piece is no less appealing
than the better known Street Corner
Overture (1944) although he notes,
correctly, that it is more ambitious
and wide-ranging.
I remember my friend
John coming into the music department
at my ‘High School’ and announcing that
Francis Chagrin was dead. Now I must
confess that I had not heard of the
composer and was not sure if ‘it’ was
male or female. However I was soon apprised
that Chagrin’s great claim to fame was
that he wrote the music to the Colditz
Story. Later explorations have revealed
that he composed three symphonies, a
piano concerto and a deal of other music.
I have never heard these ‘symphonic’
works and I guess that few people have.
It is perhaps difficult to deduce the
value of a composer’s ‘serious’ music
from the present Concert Overture.
However, even the most cursory hearings
of Helter Skelter reveals a composer
who delighted in fine melodies, superb
orchestration and interesting harmonies.
This piece is quite definitely a crowd-puller
and I have often wondered why it does
not feature in concert programmes as
a ‘curtain raiser’. Surely Chagrin’s
non-film music is long overdue exploration
and revival.
Of course, Warlock
was a great enthusiast of Frederick
Delius. He wrote an impressive biography
on the composer. The Serenade
was written between 1921 and 1922 as
a tribute to the elder composer on his
sixtieth birthday. I have always viewed
this lovely piece as being more Delius-like
than the man himself ever penned! It
is certainly a fine tribute, yet somehow
it cannot be defined as pastiche. There
are elements of Warlock’s art
present and correct in a number of places,
yet nothing quite as Spartan as The
Curlew is found in these pages.
Gorgeous is not an immoderate adjective
to use for this piece. It has been one
of my Desert Island Discs for over a
third of a century!
Arnold’s overture was
written in 1943 and is generally considered
to be his first definitive work. It
is a portrait of a street urchin. Interestingly
‘dandipratt’ was an archaic name for
a waif. The programme notes point out
that although the piece is entitled
‘Comedy Overture’, Beckus
is a deeper piece than the title suggests.
It develops as a set variations on two
themes through a number of adventures
and misadventures - some being a little
sinister. Beckus could be seen as a
kind of youthful Till Eulenspiegel.
The attentive listener will recognize
a number of Arnoldian fingerprints.
It is quite definitely one of the foundation
works of the composer’s musical canon.
This is a great ‘compilation’
and deserves to be popular. It balances
works that are relatively well known
with one that has been ignored for generations
and one that just demands recognition.
Most of the pieces are available elsewhere,
and I guess British music enthusiasts
will have these alternative recordings.
My bottom line is that this CD is well
worth the price for the Pierson and
more especially for the David Morgan
alone. The other five works are attractive
and interesting additions to this ‘must
have’ CD.
John France
see also review
by Rob Barnett
for details
London Symphony Orchestra/Nicholas Braithwaite
