Grant FOSTER (b.1945)
CD
Suite, The Pearl of Dubai (The Winter Palace: 1916-1918
[16:49] Romance: Nicholas and Alexandra [11:04] Dubai [3:45];
Fantasy: Anastasia [24:46])
The Ballad of Reading Gaol [10:32]
DVD
Fantasy: Anastasia [26:13]
The Ballad of Reading Gaol [11:01]
Mira Yevtich (piano) (Fantasy & Ballad - CD & DVD)
Novaya Russia Symphony Orchestra (Winter Palace and Fantasy
- CD); Hermitage Symphony Orchestra (Romance); Belorussia Symphony
Orchestra (Dubai); Belorusian Philharmonic Orchestra (Fantasy
- DVD); Sergey Roldugin (cello) (Romance); Zaurbeck Gugkaev (conductor)
(Suite - CD, Fantasy - DVD); Andrew Goodwin (tenor) (Ballad
- CD & DVD)
rec. Winter Palace: 28 August 2011, Moscow; Romance: 10 July 2011, St Petersburg;
Dubai: 19 July 2011, Minsk; Fantasy (CD):, 12 January 2012, Moscow; DVD: live,
no details given No text included but available on internet
QUARTZ QTZ 2091 [67:22 + 37:14]
Quartz provide lengthy biographies of the soloists and conductor represented
on these discs but only a photograph of the composer and a direction to his
website. The latter reveals that he was born in Sydney, Australia, and studied
there and in Paris. His compositions include piano concertos, symphonies,
piano and chamber music and songs but this disc is the first of his music
that I have heard although a previous CD of his music has been mentioned on
this site (review
review).
The CD contains the whole of The Pearl of Dubai Suite, based on a legend
that Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the last Tsar, went to Dubai in disguise
in 1916 to collect pearls, leaving a look-alike in her place. After the revolution
the latter was executed, and Anastasia stayed in Dubai, marrying a young Bedouin
and having descendants who are still alive there today. I have no idea of
the historical basis if any for this, but the Suite is divided into four movements
depicting in turn events at the Winter Palace, the simple life for which the
Tsar and Tsarina craved, the exoticism of Dubai and Anastasia’s adventures
in Dubai.
The music is tonal, derivative and very enjoyable, for much of the time reminding
me of film music from the 1940s or later, in particular the many “piano
concertos” included in those films. It is hard to find much in the way
of individuality, formal interest or real drama but there is an eloquence
and evident sincerity in the gestures which for the most part endears it to
the listener.
The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a setting of the first seven verses of
Oscar Wilde’s poem. Again it is not strongly individual, and like the
Suite is perhaps overlong for its content, but it too is patently sincere
and enjoyable.
The CD contains complete versions of both works, with the Suite performed
by three different Russian orchestras. The DVD contains different versions
of the Ballad and just the Fantasy from the Suite. Mira Yevtich is the hard
worked pianist on both discs, and Andrew Goodwin sings the Ballad admirably
on both. Neither the sound of either disc nor the production of the DVD will
win prizes but both are adequate to introduce the composer and the works.
I remain unsure as to where to place them. There is an eloquence and easy
lyrical line that is endearing even when the music is at its most derivative.
This is certainly not music that breaks any boundaries but it does show that
it is possible to work within those boundaries to produce results that are
worth hearing.
John Sheppard
Little in the way of individuality, formal interest or real drama but there
is an eloquence and sincerity that endears the music to the listener.