[It was an oversight that I forgot to upload this review to my blog in 2009: apologies]
This
CD made an immediate appeal to me. I listened to the entire album twice,
although even on the first hearing I felt comfortable with most of the works
presented. The reason, I guess is that the music passes the two fundamental
tests: is the music original and is there an obvious trajectory of tradition
that enables the listener to relate the pieces to something that is already
familiar? The answers to both these questions is ‘yes’.
The
first thing to be said on the originality aspect is that this music is both
demanding and interesting. The stylistic parameters lead to a sense of variety
that is well under control. Lynch’s music is not like, say, Einaudi, whose
every piece seems to sound the same. Before I had a chat with the composer, I
had decided that there were certain influences (conscious or apparent) at work in
Lynch’s music – these included Debussy, Messiaen and for my money Kaikhosru
Shapurji Sorabji. Perhaps there were
even hints of Fred. Delius. However the composer told me that the Japanese
composer Takemitusu and the Latin American Astor Piazzolla also had an
important contribution to his music. But
as I have often said, listening to music is not about ‘hunt the composer’,
unless that composer we are considering has been unable to develop and
synthesise their own style.
I
hope that readers will not think me unsophisticated if I suggest that they
begin their exploration of this CD with the Three
Tangos. These were written over a four year period and certainly nod to Piazzolla. The first, The Stolen Branch is sultry and suggests a hot day in Malaga del
After
these Tangos, have a break. Then I suggest listening to Mediterranean which is also
written for flute and piano. This piece
“alludes to the composer’s increasing interest in Mediterranean
music...including flamenco, fado and the many animated, vivacious sounds of North Africa . “ However this piece is not a compendium of
folk dances, nor is it an impressionistic work. It is greater than the sum of
its influences. At any rate it is more impressive and certainly more musical
than the bit of 'fado’ singing I heard in Lisbon
I
enjoyed Moon Cycle which is designed
to convey “various aspects of the phases of the moon” The piece is constructed
in five short sections. It is a reflective piece that carries the listener’s
imagination. In a short note Gillian Poznansky points out that the work uses
various technical devices, including harmonics and portamento. However she
concludes by emphasising that the work’s basis is a form of dialogue,
describing the moon’s “cyclical and fantastical journey.”
Petenera is one of three
major cycles of piano music presented on this disc. The programme notes point
out that the Petenera is a flamenco ‘palo’
or form. Furthermore it is also a legend concerning a femme-fatale. The present piece is built round thoughts
suggested by Federico Garcia Lorca’s poems entitled Graphic of Petenera. Although
I have not read these poems they are declared to be “dark, erotic, strange and
make frequent references to the guitar.”
There are four movements: Bell Andalusia .
It is more a mood than a style, yet the Iberian Peninsula
is never too far away.
The
main event on this CD is the two volumes entitled White Book 1 and White Book 2.
Both are composed for the piano and represent both the earliest and the latest
works on this CD. Lynch has written that “these works depict the contrasting
facets of life, evoking cultures and places that are both real and imaginary.
The pace and personality varies significantly here, from the shadowed, sombre
and evocative, to the charismatic and vivid.” The titles of these pieces seem
to cover a wide range of imagery and mood. For example the first book has
pieces called Night Garden Undiscovered Islands
The
programme notes give a lot of detailed discussion on these pieces, some of
which is a little esoteric for my taste for example, “in a musical way to defy
gravity” etc. However, the important
point to recall are that the composer has written two cycles of pieces that are
well balanced, enjoyable, effective and owing much to the Mediterranean sounds-cape.
Finally he has created a work that is akin to Debussy’s Preludes in their use of pictorial and literary imagery and general
cohesion of thought and in a considerable diversity of style. In that sense they are a major achievement.
The
presentation of the CD is excellent –with the exception of all lower case
proper nouns on the cover, which grates. I was particularly impressed with the programme
notes (but see note above). A good essay introduces the composer and his music.
There follows a more detailed analysis of each piece along with further comments
from the performers. The middle pages of the booklet have a collection of photographs
that reflect the mood and subject matter of a number of the pieces.
The
playing by both the pianist and the flautist sounds excellent and appears to be
sympathetic to the mind of the composer, although I have nothing to compare it
to, nor have I perused the scores. My only niggle is that there seems to be a
little bit of a hard edge to some of the piano tone.
However,
this is an impressive CD that is well within the tradition of British (or
Western) music. All the works are approachable, but like all good music
continues to reveal their secrets with repeated hearings. I look forward to
hearing other works from Graham Lynch: he is currently writing a Concerto for bandoneón
(accordion) and Strings and a commission for the percussionist Evelyn
Glennie. Both works will be well worth waiting
for.
Track
Listing:
Graham Lynch (b.1957)
Graham Lynch (b.1957)
White Book 1 (piano) (2001)
Mediterranean (flute and piano)
(2007/8)
Petenera (piano) (2005)
Moon Cycle (solo flute) (2002/6)
White Book 2 (piano) (2007/8)
Three
Tangos (flute and piano) (2003/7)
Mark
Tanner (piano); Gillian Poznansky (flute)
Priory PRCD 1024
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.
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