I thoroughly enjoyed all six of
these delightful and interesting works on this new CD from London Myriad. But
first a word of caution. Listen to these works one at a time. There is a danger
that unremitting flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon will all melt into one great
mass of puff and blow. All these pieces are mini-masterpieces, and each deserve
our individual attention. I suggest a listening strategy: I began with Richard
Rodney Bennett and promptly read up the fulsome liner notes. And went from
there…
In 1975 Bennett wrote a set of Travel
Notes for string quartet. They were largely snapshots of means of travel,
written with a film composer’s ‘panache.’ These included ‘A Walking Tune’, ‘In
a Hearse’, ‘On Horseback’, ‘In a Pram’ and ‘Express Train.’ The following year
he composed Travel Notes II for wind quartet. If any composer influenced this work, it must
be Francis Poulenc. The cool opening ‘In an Air Balloon’ is a slow saunter. The
flight ‘In a Helicopter’ is a brilliant little scherzo with unhurried
conclusion. As relaxed as the ‘Balloon’ is ‘In a Bath Chair.’ This is gentle
music, with a gorgeous tune. Nowadays it would be hell for leather in a
mobility scooter. The final number is a ‘Car Chase’. This well-contrived little
scherzo is more Keystone Kops than James Bond. Travel Notes II may be
light music, but it is technically of high quality and ideally written for the
genre.
I moved onto Jacques Ibert’s ‘Deux
Mouvements’. Since learning to play his light-hearted piano piece, A Giddy
Girl some 45 years ago I have enjoyed listening to his music. Important
orchestral works include Escales (Ports) (1922) and the ever-popular Divertissement
(1929). But it is chamber music that most often seems to have attracted his
attention. He wrote for several different combinations. This wind quartet is
idiomatic and presents approachable, if somewhat tongue-in-cheek music that
entertains and amuses. Always lyrical in tone, these two short pieces are a
splendid exercise in composition for this combination.
Jean Françaix’s four-movement
Quartet was written in 1933 when the composer was 21 years of age. Françaix gave
a fitting description of this piece as ‘a fusion of Machiavelli and magic.’
Presumably with ‘Machiavellianism’ meaning the manipulative tendencies of this
music rather than an allusion to scheming, popular politics of the man
himself. The composition displays
impetuous themes that are typically light-hearted and largely straightforward.
The clever bit is the constantly changing moods, tempo and timbre. Just
occasionally, there is something a little bit more poetic and calmer. The music
is a pleasure from end to end, with little to cloud the neo-classical humour
and wit of the entire work.
I had not heard of the French
composer Louise Marie Simon (1903-90) before hearing this CD. For reasons
unknown, she adopted the pseudonym Claude Arrieu. Perhaps this was to fend off
negative judgements of her music because of her gender. On the other hand,
there were several eminent female composers in Paris at that time, including
Nadia Boulanger and Germaine Tailleferre. The liner notes explain that Arrieu
wrote more than 400 works in a wide variety of genres, however chamber music
was ‘where she best demonstrates her love of melody…’ This was at a time when
‘melody’ was not necessarily a popular word with the musical cognoscenti. The ‘Suite
en Quatre’ was composed as late as 1979. Its frankly neo-classical style does
seem a wee bit dated, yet the equilibrium between lyricism, a little bit of
musical fury and a more hard-edged sound creates a satisfying work. ‘Claude Arrieu’
clearly understands the range and technical limitations of each instrument,
and, more to the point the subtle balance of these timbres within the progress
of the ‘quartet’.
Eugene Bozza’s (1905-91) Trois
Pièces Pour Une Musique De Nuit were written in 1954. Not altogether
convincing as a ‘nocturne’ per se, this piece is full of interest. The opening
‘andantino’ is a little ‘lullaby’ that has the flute, oboe and clarinet singing
a soothing melody with the bassoon player providing the ‘lilting’
accompaniment. The ‘scherzo’ is typically French in temper. It fairly bounces
along. The finale, which is a ‘moderato’, is in the form of a chorale. The
liner notes hit the nail on the head by describing this as ‘melodious and
mesmerising.’ This movement comes nearest to creating a crepuscular mood.
The last piece that I tackled was
Frank Bridge’s Divertimenti (H.189). This work began life as two duets
for flute and oboe, but was expanded to include clarinet and bassoon, as well
as having two extra movements. It was completed in 1938 and dedicated to Mrs
Sprague Coolidge. The opening movement
is a vibrant and urgent ‘Prelude’, at least in the opening and closing sections
where it has fanfare-like figurations. The middle part is more reflective. The haunting
‘Nocturne’ is long and introspective: it features only the flute and oboe and
creates an absorbing if sometimes depressing contrapuntal conversation. The ‘Scherzetto’
is scored for the clarinet and bassoon only. It is another discourse, but this
time somewhat animated with ‘darkly humorous dotted sections.’ Motifs are
tossed around like a breezy autumn day. The final movement includes all four
instruments. This is, as the liner notes state, not serious music, but does as
it says on the tin, ‘diverts’. Yet deep down there is an autumnal sadness about
this work that is hard to escape.
I have already mentioned the
excellent liner notes provided with this CD.
The oboist Fiona Joyce Myall has provided informative biographical
details as well as a working description of each piece. There is a short
introduction to London Myriad’s recording project as well as thumbnail photos
of all six composers.
The quality of the recording is
ideal for music that demands clarity of the instrumental colour which exploits
the individual characteristics, timbres and tonal range of four related, but
diverse instruments. Most of these works are new to me. But the performances
are convincing and always satisfy the listener’s interest.
I understand that the second part
of this project is to commission new works from a variety of composers. It is
to be looked forward to, however, it will have to be something truly remarkable
to beat the repertoire for wind quartet presented on this present CD.
Track Listing:
Eugène BOZZA (1905-91) Trois Pièces Pour Une
Musique de Nuit (1954)
Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941) Divertimenti, H.189 (1938)
Jean FRANÇAIX (1912-1997) Quatuor (1933)
Richard Rodney BENNETT (1936-2012) Travel Notes 2 (1976)
Jacques IBERT (1890-1962) Deux Mouvements (1922)
Claude ARRIEU (1903-90) Suite en Quatre (1979)
Julie Groves (flute), Fiona Joyce Myall (oboe),
Nadia Wilson (clarinet), Ashley Myall (bassoon)
Rec. Studio 1, The University of Surrey, Guildford, 21-22
September 2014 Bozza, Bridge, Françaix); Whitgift Concert Hall, Croydon, 24
July and 6 August 2018 (Bennett, Ibert, Arrieu)
MÉTIER msv 28587 [55:31]
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review
was first published.
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