British Works for Cello and Piano: Volume 1 on Chandos

Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918) Sonata for Cello and Piano in A major (1879-80, revised 1883) Frederick Delius (1862-1934) Sonata for Cello and Piano (1916) Granville Bantock (1868-1946) ‘Hamabdil’: Hebrew Melody (1919) John Foulds (1880-1939) Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op.6 (1905, revised 1927) Paul Watkins (cello) Huw Watkins (piano) CHANDOS CHAN10741 A great place to start the exploration of this excellent new CD of cello...

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Josef Holbrooke: A Correction?

I recently came across a ‘delightful’ letter written by Josef Holbrooke to the Musical News and published on March 17, 1900.  Two weeks previously (Saturday, March 3 1900) had seen the first performance of the composer’s symphonic poem The Ravenat the Crystal Place under the baton of Mr. Augustus Manns. The review in this paper had not been too encouraging -it introduced the discussion by suggesting that not much can be said in favour of Mr Josef C. Holbrooke’s symphonic poem… Edgar Allan Poe’s poem is of the dismal order, and so perhaps it...

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Hubert Parry writing about ‘Sonatina’

Charles Hubert Hastings Parry wrote a considerable number of entries (123 of them) for  the Dictionary of Music & Musicians (A.D. 1450-1889), edited by Sir George Grove and published in its entirety in 1890. For anyone who has struggled through their piano ‘grades’ the ‘sonatina’ will be a familiar form. One thinks of those by Clementi, Kuhlau and Diabelli. However, there have been later examples including works by John Ireland and Maurice Ravel. Neither of these to pieces are easy or suitable for the beginner. Interestingly, George Grove...

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Henry Wood Promenade Concerts 1913 – Novelties.

Soon the 2013 Proms brochure will be out. For me it is always an exciting time of the year. However, it can be fun to look back in time and see what works were given their premieres a century or a half-century ago. It can be a very telling exercise seeing what has survived and what has sunk into oblivion. I will mention on British or Commonwealth works.Bach (arranged Henry Wood) Toccata in FArnold Bax: Two Orchestral Sketches – ‘Pensive Twilight’ and ‘The Dance of Wild Irravel’Havergal Brian: Comedy Overture – Dr. MerryheartGeorge Clutsam: (New...

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Frederic Curzon: In Malaga -Suite for Orchestra

In these cold, dark January days, the mind turns to warmer climes. I have always loved Malaga in the south of Spain, with its imposing Moorish castle (La Alcazaba), the splendid cathedral, the fine beaches and the delicious eating and drinking venues. And that says nothing about the excellent shops, Picasso’s birth-place and the newly redeveloped harbour area.  Frederic Curzon (1899-1973) was fascinated by Spain –apart from this present piece...

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Ronald Stevenson (b.1928) Piano MusicDisc 1: Komm, susser Tod BWV478 (after Bach) (1991) Prelude and Chorale (An Easter Offering) (1978) L'Art nouveau du chant appliqué au piano: Volumes 1 and 2 (1975-1988) Scottish Ballad No.1 ‘Lord Randal’ (1973) Fugue on a Fragment of Chopin (1949) Pénsées sur des Préludes de Chopin (1959) Variations Study on a Chopin Waltz (1950?) Etudette d'après Korsakov et Chopin (1987) Three Contrapuntal Studies on Chopin...

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A German View of Musical England: Percy Scholes (1917)

I came across this interesting chapter on English Music from a German perspective by a British author written during the First World War. The author is Percy Scholes (1877-1958) who was an English musician, music journalist and writer. He is probably best remembered for his editorship and compilation of the first edition of The Oxford Companion to Music.  Equally useful are his two volume set The Mirror of Music which was a celebration of the centenary of the  Musical Times  At a scholarly level he is recalled for his still-unequalled...

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Maurice Green Amoretti on Naxos

Maurice Greene (1696-1755)25 sonnet settings taken from Spenser’s Amoretti (1739) Benjamin Hulett (tenor) Luke Green (harpsichord) Giangiacomo Pinardi (theorbo)NAXOS 8.572891 I concede that Maurice Greene is off my beaten track. Like many people I have long-known the anthem ‘Lord let me know my end,’ having heard it performed many times ‘in choirs and places where they sing.’ A few other bits and pieces have crossed my path over the years including...

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Ronald Binge: Scottish Rhapsody

I recently happened to hear Ronald Binge’s fine evocation of Scotland. Not perhaps as Alec Salmond MSP would see it: more as the English Tourist Board under the auspices of Sir Walter Scott... The liner notes by the doyen of British Light Music, Ernest Tomlinson give the full story:-  The mist enshrouded lochs, the calm of the glens, the skirl of the pipes and the swirl of the kilt as the highland fling dances on its with merry way. This is...

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