RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat major, Op.35 (1889) [31:43]
Legend (1893) [5:32]
Six Irish Fantasies Op.54, (1894): No.3 Jig [5:37]; No.5 Hush Song
[6:45]
Piano Quartet No.2 in C minor, Op.133 (ed. Jeremy Dibble) (1913) [30:10]
Gould Piano Trio (Lucy Gould (violin); Alice Neary (cello); Benjamin Frith
(piano)) David Adams (viola)
rec. The Music Room, Champs Hill, Pulborough, Sussex, 14-16 December 2009
NAXOS 8.572452 [79:47]
One cannot help but agree with Charles Porte when he wrote (in 1921) that
Stanford’s Piano Trio No.1 is the work of ‘a master-musician both
from a technical and aesthetical point of view ...’ He then considers
how surprised the dedicatee Hans von Bülow must have been at the sheer
quality of this work bearing in mind the standard of the British music of
the period in which it was written. In fact, von Bülow wrote to the composer,
‘Good gracious! What wonderful progress your country is making owing
to your genius’, after he had received a copy of the work whilst in
Hamburg. Accepting the dedication of the work, he went on to say that, ‘together
with Brahms' Op. 108, it was the best piece of music that his name had been
adorned with’.
Now, [most] present-day music critics have amended their views about the ‘Land
without Music’ during the Victorian era, and accept that much first-class
music had been written during this period. However, the fact remains that
this Trio is a cut above the competition. The listener is conscious of the
work's inventiveness and inspiration from the very opening bars. There is
a fine balance between the classical construction of the work and the romantic
tone of much of the music.
The Trio is interesting in having no slow movement as such - the middle movements
are an ‘allegretto con moto’ and a ‘tempo di minuetto’.
However, this is not a particular problem as the latter movement is much more
serious in intent than the title may at first imply. And the former movement
has a number of relaxed and reflective episodes that offer considerable emotional
variety. And finally, the lovely second subject of the first movement gives
depth to this work without descending into sentimentality. The final ‘allegro
moderato’ is a turbulent sonata rondo, which I believe asks more questions
than it answers.
This is a beautiful, satisfying and technically competent work that is full
of spontaneity and invention. It deserves to be in the repertoire of all chamber
music ensembles.
The Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat major, Op.35 was first performed at an Oxford
Musical Union concert on 25 November 1889 and was subsequently heard in London
in January 1890 at one of Edward Dannreuther’s chamber concerts at Orme
Square, Bayswater.
The Legend is an exquisite little discovery. The liner-notes tell us
that it was published in 1893 at a time when the composer was ‘flitting’
from Harvey Road in Cambridge to Holland Street, Kensington. This is a reflective
work that in spite of its good-natured middle section speaks of deeper thoughts.
Like most musical ‘legends’ it is not possible to tell what the
‘programme’ might be. It does not matter: it is a perfect evocation
of the Irish character and, at the start and conclusion, the landscape.
Stanford completed the Six Irish Fantasies Op. 54 in October 1893. They were
dedicated to the violinist Lady Wilma Hallé. In their day, they were
exceptionally popular, both in the recital rooms and with ‘gifted amateurs’.
The two numbers presented here are the ‘Jig’ and the ‘Hush
Song’ which were the third and fifth movements respectively. The Jig
is a beautifully realised pastiche of the Irish dance given in the form of
a theme with variations. I am not aware if any traditional tune was used;
however the result is convincing and is in Stanford’s best ‘Irish’
style.
The deeply moving ‘Hush Song’ is a lullaby that creates a feeling
of stasis and serenity. It is more complex than a first hearing may suggest.
Jeremy Dibble notes the ‘hypnotic effect [created by] ... its delicious
diatonic harmonies but also from its unexpected tonal divergences’.
For the curious the other four movements are ‘Lament’, ‘Boat-song’,
‘War Song’ and ‘Reel’.
I guess I am greedy, but I feel it is a pity that all six of the Irish Fantasies
could not have been shoehorned onto this CD as I understand that they are
not currently available anywhere else. However, there are technical limits!
Perhaps they could have been provided as ‘downloads’ from the
Naxos site? Let us hope that they appear in the near-future on subsequent
releases.
The top-line comment for the Piano Quartet No. 2 in C minor, Op. 133 is Wow!
We have the Stanford (and many other composers) scholar Jeremy Dibble to thank
for editing the manuscript of this work and producing a performing edition.
It was given its first modern performance at the Corbridge Festival, Northumberland,
in August 2010 by the Gould Trio. The liner-notes suggest that the work probably
only received a single contemporary performance by members of the Wesseley
Quartet and the pianist Johanne Stockmarr at the Bechstein Hall (now the Wigmore
Hall) on 14 March 1914. It is almost unbelievable that a work which is so
manifestly impressive has remained unheard for over ninety years.
The work is a product of Stanford’s time of political involvement with
the anti-Home Rule movement in Ireland and of his support for Edward Carson
in Ulster. Although there is not a political programme to this music, the
seriousness and depth of the argument can be compared to the great Irish Rhapsody
No. 4 with its wide emotional sweep from grandeur and boldness to tenderness.
That Rhapsody was prefaced by the following lines: - ‘Land of Song!’
said the warrior-bard, ‘Tho’ all the world betrays thee, One sword
at least thy rights shall guard, One faithful harp shall praise thee!’
and carries the subtitle The Fisherman of Loch Neagh and what he saw.
The Piano Quartet is written in strong contrasting movements. The opening
is simply stunning - two contrasting themes present a balance between a restive
mood and one of open-hearted generosity, and, rare for this work, warmth.
This is one of the finest ‘first movements’ that I have heard
from Stanford’s pen. It has been well summed-up by Jeremy Dibble as
being a display of ‘passionate gravity’.
I find the slow movement deeply moving and often troubling. The notes point
out that this music moves between 3/8 and 5/8 time creating an unsettling
mood. There is much here that nods to Irish music, without an actual folk
tune being utilised. However there is nothing pastoral or bucolic about this
movement, nor is it in any way heart-easing or encouraging.
The ‘scherzo’ is to my mind scary. There is much happening in
this movement that pushes the emotional content beyond most of what Stanford
has previously written. It is not achieved by dissonance but by rhythm and
a sense of propulsion that seems almost inhuman. However the trio section
does restore the equilibrium a little.
The last movement, an allegro, which as Jeremy Dibble points out, ‘exudes
an air of confidence’ with its large and generously proportioned main
theme. This movement is to a certain extent cyclical with references to the
slow movement. The most magical part of the work is a reminiscence of the
opening of the first movement in a moving ‘tranquillo’ shortly
before the coda and the positive conclusion.
Whatever one’s political views about the ‘Home-Rule’ movement
and Edward Carson’s opposition to it, there is no doubt that it was
a time of great stress and worry for all people living in Ireland. This was
a period when various private armies began to line up against each other with
tragic results that rolled on into the future. The present Piano Quartet is
the Dublin-born Stanford’s expression of the fears, doubts and hopes
of many Irishmen, most especially Ulstermen. As such, it is supremely successful:
to my mind it is a major masterpiece of the chamber music
repertoire.
The playing of all the music on this CD is simply superb. The Gould Trio,
David Adams and Benjamin Frith are bold advocates for this important and interesting
music. It is finely recorded. The notes by Jeremy Dibble are extremely helpful.
I need to say little in summary. My feelings about this CD must be fairly
apparent to anyone who has followed my review so far. This is one of the best
CDs of British chamber music to be released in recent years. It is essential
listening for anyone who loves Stanford and/or British chamber music. How
anyone could listen to this CD and still believe that Stanford’s music
is ‘as dry as dust’ totally evades me.
John France
see also review by Christopher
Howell (October 2011 Recording of the Month)
How anyone could listen to this CD and still believe that Stanford’s
music is ‘as dry as dust’ totally evades me.