Edward Cowie: Because They Have Songs

The title of this album is derived from a traditional African text which states, “Why do birds sing? Because they have songs…” Which seems as good a reason as any for God’s creatures, be they human or avian.

The inspiration for Edward Cowie’s Because They Have Songs came from an “Untamed Botswana Safari” taken in 2014. He writes that this was no normal “tourist package” but a 3000-kilometre journey touching on many Southern African landmarks including the Victoria Falls, the margins of the Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta, and the Chobe National Park. During this journey, the composer and his wife Heather saw a vast range of wildlife, including wild zebra and antelope. And then there were the birds…

Regarding Cowie’s method of composition, there is an interesting, innovative process at play. He has stated that as a child, before he could write crotchets and quavers, he was able to physically “draw sounds from nature.”  Typically, he uses four notebooks “in the field.” These include one that deals with the “shape” or “form” of his natural surroundings. The second majors on perceived colours, and those that blend or clash. Most creative is the third jotter which records “representational” drawings of the birds, bees, and flora. The final notebook features traditional musical notation of what he “hears” about him – be it birds, insects, or water features. Cowie suggests that these “…[are] in the form of a translation or relocation of those natural sound-sources [made] into a potentially musical outcome.” The result of his studies results in music that is “in almost all cases [a] quotation of an actual birdsong…[adhering] to the actual pitch and shape of that song.”   This is often heard in the solo instrument, in this case a suite of saxophones, whilst the piano frequently provides the background atmosphere.

I did ask the composer if there was any improvisation in this score. He responded that “…everything is notated but of course I always try to compose music where the performers can ‘bend’ and sculpt sound and rhythm in ways close to their own emotional place in the music.” This factor can conspire to make Cowie’s work feel as though it is being created on the spot - fluid, instinctive, and liberated.

I wondered about an effective listening strategy for this “concept” album. I suspect that for many listeners, 88 minutes of sax and piano is pushing the attention span. Is it possible to listen to a Book at a time? Or even select a sequence of “birdsong” taken from all four volumes? No indication is given as to what the environment each book is evoking. Is it veldt, forest, or desert? Or all mixed up. Without deep ornithological study the listener is not going to be aware of each bird’s habitat. However, none of this really matters.

Cowie told me that Because They Have Songs can be “listened to in parts…even just an individual movement…these are not themes and variations, but instead clusters of very individual musical impressions, treatments, and responses…” Furthermore, it is not essential to understand the geographical, ornithological, or topographical allusions or backgrounds to appreciate this imaginative work. That said, I did look up on Google maps Botswana and some of the geographical sites visited by Cowie and his wife. And I could not resist looking at pictures of the evocatively names Southern Pied Babbler, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, and the Scarlet-Chested Sunbird.

I make no attempt to explore each of the twenty-four featured feathered friends, and neither does the booklet. One impression I gained was the subtle influence of jazz. This was reinforced by the scoring for the saxophones. I thought of innovative performances such as made by the late Miles Davis. Cowie told me that in his younger days he was impressed by the sounds of the Modern Jazz Quartet and Dave Brubeck. (He was not a Mod in his younger days, was he?). Beyond this, there is little to pin down the stylistic impact of this work. Messiaen perhaps, but there is no suggestion that Cowie has religiously adopted the Frenchman’s modus operandi. Absent from these pages is any theological speculation, beyond a numinous wonder at the marvellous natural environment, whether created by a Deity or not.

The overall impact of Gerard McChrystal’s (saxophones) and Richard Shaw’s (piano) performance is bewitching. It is aided and abetted by a clear, luminous recording.

As with the previous “bird portrait cycles” the liner notes, by Cowie, provide an excellent introduction to the overall creation, but avoids detailed discussion of movements or pieces. There is also a helpful ‘Afterword’ which considers the resultant recording and the soloists’ contributions. Of interest are two pages giving the “Performers’ Reflections” on the music and the project. Resumes of the composer and soloists are included. The booklet is illustrated with four beautiful examples of Cowie’s pre-composition designs and sketches. There are some snaps of the recording session at the Ayriel Studios in Whitby.

The insert features a remarkable painting of a Zulu Ceremony by Heather Cowie, to whom Because They Have Songs is dedicated.

This serenely confident and richly suggestive work is the fourth “epic cycle” of bird portraits that Edward Cowie has completed in recent years. Bird Portraits (2020/21) was reviewed here, Where Song was Born: 24 Australian Bird Portraits (2021), reviewed here and Where the Wood Thrush Forever Sings for clarinet[s] and piano (2022-23) reviewed here.

Because They Have Songs is not merely a catalogue of avian caricature, nor a travelogue in sound - it is a deeply personal meditation on the act of listening, of translating transitory encounters with the wild into lasting musical form. Cowie’s approach invites us to hear not just birdsong, but the emotional resonance of place, memory, and artistic response. Whether taken in full flight or savoured movement by movement, this cycle rewards the curious ear and the imaginative soul. Like the birds themselves, it sings because it must - because it has songs.

Track Listing:
Edward Cowie (b.1943)
Because They Have Songs: Books 1-4

Disc 1
Book 1
I. White-crested Turacos
II. Black-collared Barbet
III. Southern Pied Babbler
IV. Kori Bustard
V. Lesser Striped Swallow
VI. Verreaux's Eagle Owl
Book 2
I. Scarlet-chested Sunbird
II. Marabou Stork
III. Bearded Woodpecker
IV. Hildebrandt's Spurfowl
V. Blacksmith Lapwing with Skimmers
VI. Red-crested Korhaan (Nocturne)
DISC 2
Book 3
I. Speckled Mouse Bird
II. African Green Pigeon
III. Pied Kingfisher
IV. Saddle-billed Stor
V. Black-necked Weaver
VI. Southern Ground-Hornbill
Book 4
I. African Skimmer
II. Burchell's Starling
III. Cape Turtle Dove
IV. African Crowned Eagle
V. Helmeted Guinea Fowl
VI. Ostrich

Gerard McChrystal (saxophones); Richard Shaw (piano)
rec. 12-14 September 2023, Ayriel Studios, Whitby, North Riding.
Métier Records MEX 77122

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was

Gilbert and Sullivan: The Yeoman of the Guard - Overture

Copyright G&S Archive

Gilbert and Sullivan were an energetic Victorian-era theatrical partnership whose collaboration revolutionised comic opera. Brought together in 1875 by impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte, dramatist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan created fourteen operas over 25 years, blending witty libretti with memorable tunes. Gilbert’s “topsy-turvy” plots - where absurd premises unfold with logical precision - paired brilliantly with Sullivan’s tuneful scores, resulted in enduring works like The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Pirates of Penzance. Their operas satirised Victorian British society with charm and acerbity, making them accessible and popular. Though their partnership was occasionally strained by creative differences, their legacy remains unsurpassed in English operetta.

Set in the confines of the Tower of London during the reign of Henry VIII, The Yeomen of the Guard is Gilbert and Sullivan’s most sensitively rich and sombre operetta – in fact, it comes close to being “Grand Opera.”

Colonel Fairfax, a nobleman and alchemist, awaits execution on trumped-up charges of sorcery - his scheming cousin eager to inherit his estate. To thwart this, Fairfax arranges a last-minute marriage to a stranger, Elsie Maynard, a spirited singer from a travelling troupe, unaware that she is unwittingly marrying a man who may soon be dead.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Meryll and his daughter Phoebe hatch a daring plan to save Fairfax by disguising him as a newly arrived Yeoman. The deception works, but complications arise when Elsie, believing herself a widow, begins to fall for the disguised Fairfax. Jack Point, a melancholy jester secretly in love with Elsie, watches his hopes unravel as truth and identity collide.

As secrets surface and loyalties are assessed, the opera veers from comic mischief to poignant heartbreak. Elsie discovers her husband is alive - and not the humble Yeoman she thought. Jack Point, crushed by rejection, collapses in grief as the curtain falls, leaving audiences with a rare note of tragedy. It is a story where laughter and sorrow walk hand in hand.

Sir Malcolm Sargent’s interpretation of the overture to The Yeomen of the Guard captures the operetta’s two-fold character with striking poise. Unlike their more overtly comic operas, The Yeomen of the Guard opens with music that hints at solemnity and depth. Sullivan’s overture weaves together thematic material from the score, combining noble brass fanfares, lyrical string writing, and rhythmic figures that evoke the austere grandeur of the Tower of London. The result is a richly atmospheric prelude that alternates between stately dignity and wistful reflection.

This musical tension of the overture mirrors the opera’s narrative themes - duty, deception, and doomed romance - signalling a departure from light-hearted satire toward a more serious mood. Comedy and tragedy are held in sympathetic balance, making the overture not just an introduction, but a subtle emotional compass for what follows.

It can be heard on YouTube, here.  It is taken from the 1964 recording of the opera, with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent. It was issued on the Decca label, SKL 4624.

Rarities of Piano Music at Schloss Husum: 2024

Once again it is time to review a selection from last year’s Festival of Piano Music held at the Schloss Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The advertising information explains that this anthology of “Rarities” contained a “large number of short pieces by fourteen different composers.” The producers have assembled these excerpts from the week’s concerts into a satisfying exploration of the vast and varied repertoire.

This recital gets off to an imaginative start with Ilmari Hannikainen’s Conversation which is the third movement of Impressions, op.11b (1915/16). This piece played by Severin von Eckardstein, is tonal, suitably pianistic, and quite simply delightful. Hannikainen was a Finnish composer and pianist. After study in Vienna and St. Petersburg he taught at the Sibelius Academy. His catalogue includes chamber music, a piano concerto, and film scores. Stylistically, he sits on the cusp between Romanticism and Impressionism.

Nikolai Medtner’s Romantic Sketches, op.54 (1933), are subtitled “For the Young.” There is certainly nothing here that the tyro can approach with any ease. Eckardstein performs the final two sketches, Hymn and The Beggar. The former is a serene (but not easy) exposition of a charming tune, suggesting a gentle shower. The latter provides a constantly changing pattern of rhythms that portrays the mendicant’s troubled life on the streets.

Italian concert pianist and professor of music Alfonso Soldano, plays two Nocturnes by two forgotten composers - at least in the United Kingdom. Albert Bertelin’s Nocturne in F sharp minor (1911) is the third of a set of three pieces, including a Ballade and a Barcarolle. This Nocturne is more rhapsodic and dramatic than the genre would normally suggest. Although opening and closing quietly, there are several sections including a considerable peroration. Ukrainian Viktor Kosenko’s Nocturne in F sharp minor, op.9 No.3 (1921) is more traditional in scope. This romantic piece unfolds with a gentle melancholy, sometimes reflective, occasionally yearning in mood. Listeners will detect the influence of Scriabin, alongside a small infusion of local folk music. One of the comeliest tracks on this album

Edvard Grieg needs no introduction, however, his Improvisations on two Norwegian Folk-Songs, op.29 (1878) is not one of his more popular works. The liner notes explain that these were mined from a collection of traditional melodies compiled by the organist Ludwig Lindeman (1812-87). Grieg has redrafted these tunes through the prism of Romanticism. The character is one of strong unpredictable contrasts – from the playful to the deeply brooding and from lyrical to stormy drama. The Norwegian pianist Christian Grøvlen, gives a satisfying performance of this striking work. It deserves to be better known.

The liner notes explain that Rued Langgaard’s Stambogsblad (Album Leaf) BVN 38 (1909) was completed when the Dane was only sixteen years of age. He dedicated it to his patron Louise Augustinus as a birthday gift in 1909. Langgaard must have been listening to Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll when he knocked out this piece. This miniature is given a commanding performance by Dresden-born Matthias Kirschnereit.

The legendary pianist and composer Leopold Godowsky is nowadays recalled for his reworking of Chopin’s Études, souping them up into even more difficult contortions. One of his original numbers was given an airing at the festival by Patrick Hemmerlé – the Java Suite dating from 1924-25. This massive twelve movement piano cycle was inspired by his travels through Indonesia whilst on a tour of East Asia. The first extract heard on this disc is Three Dances (No.7) which according to Godowsky reflects respectively the languor, the charm, and the poetry of the region. He has “translated [this] into an Occidental idiom.” The second, The Gardens of Buitenzorg (No.8), paints a vivid musical picture of the Dutch colonial Governor-General’s summer residence.

Clare Hammond confronts Cécile Chaminade’s Étude romantique in G flat major, op.132 (1909) with a stunning performance that balances the toccata-like opening with the lyrical middle section. The conclusion is spectacular. This Étude belies the notion that Chaminade was “merely” a salon music composer.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 24 Negro Melodies, op.59 (1905) is surely an unacknowledged triumph of British piano composition. Coleridge-Taylor wrote that "What Brahms has done for the Hungarian folk-music, Dvorak for the Bohemian, and Grieg for the Norwegian, I have tried to do for these Negro Melodies.” The whole collection, which lasts for more than one and half hours, is a successful attempt at integrating African American music into mainstream European Romanticism. Deep River, which is the tenth in the cycle is a beautiful spiritual expressing a longing for freedom and peace. It can also be interpreted as a metaphor for death and the journey to heaven. Clare Hammond gives a moving account of this piece.

Ronald Stevenson’s Threepenny Sonatina (1987-88) explores themes from Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera (1928). It majors on Mac the Knife but also hints at Pirate Jenny and Shadow March. It is a subtle blend of jazz harmonies and rhythms, mocking marches and 1930s German dance band music. It is difficult to decide if the impact of this short work is sarcastic, satirical, or humorous. Imaginatively played by the Hong-Kong pianist Chiyan Wong.

Walter Niemann was a German composer, pianist, teacher, and critic now recalled for his many piano miniatures. Influenced by Impressionism and Exoticism, his music often evokes travel, history, and fantasy, blending salon charm with a refined artisanry. Mr Wong played the Niemann’s five movement Moderne Tanzsuite, op.115 (1929) at his recital. Two movements are heard on this disc. The Valse Boston is an elegant and languid slow tempo version of its Viennese model whilst the Tango is sultry and quite dramatic. The other movements include Blues, Tempo di Charleston, and a Negro Dance.

The Dutch composer Leo Kok is a new name to me. The liner notes explain that he was a “polymath” and a “renaissance man.” Not only a writer of music, but also a political activist, a vocal coach, and a bibliophile. He must be one of only a few in his profession to have been a footballer who played for his national team. The Intermezzo en forme de Tango (1923) was offered to La Asociación Wagneriana de Buenos Aires. It is typically moody and is a good example of a fusion between classical and Latin American dance hall repertoire. It is played by the Austrian pianist Gottlieb Wallisch, who is due to release an album of Kok’s works soon. Wallisch also plays Venezuela composer Reynaldo Hahn’s “bewitching” Los Enamorados, Tango-Habanera (1926) which was originally a number in a Parisian revue.

The final offering is also my favourite piece on this disc. Written in 1940, Les chemins de l’amour is Francis Poulenc’s wistful valse chantée or Café waltz, which was originally a part of the incidental music for Jean Anouilh’s play Léocadia. Reimagined for piano solo, it typifies Poulenc’s individual style, which was capable of blending “popular” salon elegance with a classical refinement. It is given a gorgeous performance by the Italian Dutch pianist Saskia Giorgini.

The recording is excellent, but bearing in mind it was made at live events there is occasional “noises off” which add to the impact. The liner notes by Peter Grove are extensive.

This disc presents a wide range of moods and styles. There are threads of nationalism, exoticism, salon charm and much late Romantic endeavour. It is an anthology that rewards curiosity and invites repeated listening and creates a continued demand for rediscovery of forgotten and neglected music.

Track Listing:
Ilmari Hannikainen (1892-1955)
From Impressions, op.11b (1915/16): No.3 – Conversation
Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951)
From Romantic Sketches, op.54 (1933): No.7 – Prélude (Hymne); No.8 – Märchen (Der Bettler)
Severin von Eckardstein (piano)
Albert Bertelin (1872-1951)
Nocturne in F sharp minor (1911)
Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938)
Nocturne in F sharp minor, op.9 No.3 (1921)
Alfonso Soldano (piano)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Improvisations on two Norwegian Folk-Songs, op.29 (1878)
Christian Grøvlen (piano)
Rued Langgaard (1893-1952)
Stambogsblad, BVN 38 (1909)
Matthias Kirschnereit (piano)
Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938)
From Java Suite, Part 3 (1924/25): No.7 – Three Dances; No.8 – The Gardens of Buitenzorg
Patrick Hemmerlé (piano)
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)
Étude romantique in G flat major, op.132 (1909)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
From 24 Negro Melodies, op.59 (1905): No.10 – Deep River
Clare Hammond (piano)
Kurt Weill (1900-50)/Ronald Stevenson (1928-2015)
Threepenny Sonatina (1987/88)
Walter Niemann (1876-1953)
From Moderne Tanzsuite, op.115 (1929): No.2 – Valse Boston; No.4 – Tango
Chiyan Wong (piano)
Leo Kok (1893-1992)
Intermezzo en forme de Tango (1923)
Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947)
Los Enamorados, Tango-Habanera (1926)
Gottlieb Wallisch (piano)
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Les chemins de l’amour (1940)
Saskia Giorgini (piano)
rec. 17-24 August 2024 live
Danacord DACOCD989

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published. 

Pedantic pupil frustrates Haydn.

Between 1791 and 1795, Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) made two triumphant visits to London, transforming his reputation from court composer to international celebrity. Invited by impresario Johann Peter Salomon [1], Haydn arrived to find his music already beloved by English audiences. 

He composed twelve 'London' Symphonies [2], including the famous Surprise and Miracle, which captivated listeners with their wit and innovation. Haydn was feted by royalty, mingled with literary and musical elites, and enjoyed a romantic friendship with widow Rebecca Schroeter [3]. 

These years revitalized his creativity and marked a golden chapter in his career, culminating in works like The Creation, inspired by London’s vibrant culture. One anecdote talked about Haydn’s dealings with a would-be pupil:-

“Haydn was delighted with London in most of its aspects, but we have an idea that there was one kind of pupil that he was perfectly willing to leave behind when he returned to his beloved Vienna. But probably he found them there as well as in London. They are not limited to England.

One day a nobleman called on him and, expressing his fondness for music, said he would like Haydn to give him a few lessons in composition at one guinea per lesson. [4]

Haydn promised to gratify him and asked when they should begin.

"At once, if you have no objection," said he, drawing from his pocket one of Haydn's quartets.

"For the first lesson let us examine this quartet and you tell me the reasons for some modulations and certain progressions [5] that are contrary to all rules of composition."

Haydn could offer no objection to this. They then set to work to examine the music. Several places were found which, when asked why he did this and that, Haydn could only say he wrote it so to obtain a good effect.

But ‘My lord’ was not satisfied with such a reason and declared unless the composer gave him a better reason than that for his innovations, he should declare them good for nothing. Then Haydn suggested that the pupil rewrite the music after his own fashion; but this he declined to do, though he persisted in his question, " How can your way, which is contrary to all rules, be the best.”

At last Haydn lost all patience with this noble critic, and said:

"I see, my lord, that it is you who are so good as to give lessons to me. I do not want your lessons, for I feel that I do not merit the honour of having such a master as yourself. I bid you good morning.””
From Anecdotes of Great Musicians by W. Francis Gates (1895), p.91.

Notes:
[1] Johann Peter Salomon (1745–1815) was a German-born violinist, composer, and impresario. Renowned for bringing Haydn to London, he organized the premieres of Haydn’s “London” symphonies. Salomon also worked with Mozart and Beethoven and was one of the founder members of the Philharmonic Society.
[2] Refers to the twelve symphonies Nos.93-104 composed between 1791-1792 and 1794-1795. The latter, the London, being his final offering in this genre.
[3] Rebecca Schroeter (1751–1826) was a Scottish-born amateur musician and patron of the arts in London. She married German composer Johann Schroeter, defying her family's wishes. Widowed in 1788, she later developed a close, affectionate relationship with Joseph Haydn during his London visits. Their preserved correspondence reveals deep emotional intimacy and mutual admiration. Rebecca lived at No.6 James Street, Buckingham Gate.
[4] “Progression” means chord sequence, tonal movement, resolution, tension, cadence, modulation, function, voice-leading, structure, flow etc.
[5] About £105 at today’s value.

I Have Lived and Loved: Songs by RVW and others.

I was introduced to RVW’s Songs of Travel by way of John Shirley Quirk (baritone) and Voila Tunnard (piano) released on the Saga label (STXID 5211) in 1966. It has remained my go-to recording of this incomparable song cycle. There have been many subsequent releases including those by singers Bryn Terfel, Roderick Williams, and Benjamin Luxon. I have some of them in my collection. Yet, to my knowledge, there has never been a recording made by a female artist. To be sure, the work was performed by ladies in the past, including Ada Crossley with Henry Wood in 1910 as well as in recitals by Janet Baker.

Songs of Travel (1904–1905) sets poems by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It explores the emotional and philosophical journey of a gentleman tramp and embraces solitude, remembrance, and the call of the open road. With influences from English folk music and German lieder, the cycle blends lyricism with introspection. Highlights include The Vagabond, with its steady, marching rhythm, and the nostalgic Whither Must I Wander. The cycle ends unresolved, reflecting the endless nature of travel - both physical and spiritual. My two personal favourites are Let Beauty Awake and Youth and Love.

Kathryn Rudge gives a satisfying and convincing performance of Songs of Travel. At the back of my mind, this is the preserve of male singers, but her account leaves little to be desired.

RVW’s opera The Poisoned Kiss (1929, premiered 1936) blends whimsical fantasy, lyrical folk melodies, and satirical charm into an enchanted opera of love, danger, magic, and comic intrigue. Despite the “deplorable verse” of much of the libretto, Dear Love, Behold is an attractive standalone piece.

Many years ago, my father bought me a Classics for Pleasure LP (CFP113) which included RVW’s In Windsor Forest. It was sung by the Bach Choir accompanied by the Jacques Orchestra. This score, which was based on his 1929 opera Sir John in Love, was first heard in 1931. Out of five magical numbers, the one that appealed to me most was See the Chariot at Hand, to a text by Ben Johnson. This gorgeous song was subsequently set for voice and piano as heard here.

I first heard the “romantic ballad opera” Hugh the Drover (1910-14) in a Radio 3 broadcast during the RVW’s 1972 centenary year. At the time this rustic, romantic, folk-infused work appealed to my interest in English Pastoral. The short marching song The Devil and Bonyparty was issued for tenor and piano. It majors on the possible invasion of Britain by the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Peggy Glanville-Hicks was an Australian composer and critic who studied with RVW. Her music would go on to combine Western forms with global influences. She championed melody and rhythm over harmony, drawing inspiration from Indian and Greek traditions. Come Sleep (c.1934) is an attractive but conventional English song. The second, How soon will all my lovely days be over sets a text by the Greek poet Sappho, in Bliss Carman’s 1904 translation. Originally part of Glanville-Hicks’s opera, Sappho (1963), this aria is sung as the heroine prepares to be banished overseas and having the distress of leaving her children behind. It is moving, intense and spartan in impact.

John Raynor was a prolific English composer whose lyrical songs - over 680 in total -are reputed to reflect a deep sensitivity to poetry and vocal subtlety. As a student at the Royal College of Music he was championed by Vaughan Williams. The first piece, Down by the River (1962) is an original setting of traditional words (but possibly by George Colman the Younger 1761-1836). The accompaniment is surprisingly chromatic for a folk-inspired song. The second, Spring sets a text by Thomas Nashe from his Summer’s Last Will and Testament. This play blends satire, pastoral allegory, and plague-era melancholy - voiced through Will Summers, Henry VIII’s legendary jester.

The disc concludes with six songs and three duets by the redoubtable Percy Grainger. The sequence opens with a “vivid setting” of the traditional Bold William Taylor (1908). Despite the “tragic” ending, there is a wry humour in these pages. The Weaving Song (?) and Fair Young Mary (?) are traditional Scottish songs derived from the Songs of the North edited by A C MacLeod and Harold Boulton. They are given a richer accompaniment that eschews the more pentatonic harmonies normally given to these tunes. Grainger and Lucy E. Broadwood collected the morbid Died for Love (1906-07) from Lincolnshire. The mawkish Dedication II (1901) sets a poem by Rudyard Kipling. A Reivers Neck-Verse (1908) took its text from Algeron Charles Swinburne’s Poems and Ballads (Third Series). This lusty, powerful, and high tessitura song is a portrait of a robber about to face the gallows. The “Neck-Verse” refers to the culprit’s ability to recite a verse to a clergyman from the bible to save his life - and “neck.”

Under a Bridge (1945-46) must be one of the strangest duets written. The gist of this number is two lovers teasing each other but finally succumbing to true devotion. It ends with both parties giggling. The short Hubby and Wife (1923) is a “quarrelling duet” rising to a “steady crescendo [as] a domestic argument is played out.” Both were originally collected by Grainger in Jutland. The liner notes are correct in suggesting that there is a pantomime feel to these duets.

The yearning Up-Country Song (1932) (once upon a time called Colonial Song) is a wordless expression of Percy Grainger’s love of his native Australia. There are also arrangements for orchestra, wind band, chamber ensembles and piano solo. Sentimental, but ultimately a perfect miniature.

Good introductory notes by Penelope Thwaites, Malcolm Riley and John Francis are complimented by the complete texts of the songs. Dates of all the songs would have been helpful. There are generous biographical details of the singers and pianist. The booklet is well-illustrated.

Kathryn Rudge brings poise and sensitivity to her refreshing interpretation of Songs of Travel, offering a thoughtful challenge to conventional gender expectations. Her performance is sensitively supported by Penelope Thwaites’s expressive pianism, with Alessandro Fisher’s lyrical tenor complementing other selections in the recital.

The programme draws significant connections across composers shaped by RVW’s ethos - blending English pastoralism, folksong, cosmopolitan colour, and theatrical charm. Beautifully recorded and thoughtfully presented, this disc promotes the durable vitality of British song.

Track Listing:
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Songs of Travel (1901-04)
Songs from the Operas: Dear Love, Behold (The Poisoned Kiss) (1927-29); See the Chariot at Hand (Sir John in Love) (1924-28); The Devil and Bonyparty (Hugh the Drover) (1910-14)
Peggy Glanville-Hicks (1912-90)
Come Sleep (c.1934)
How soon will all my lovely days be over (1963)
John Raynor (1909-70)
Down by the River (1962)
Spring (1948)
Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
Bold William Taylor (1908)
Weaving Song from Songs of the North (?)
Died for Love (1906-07)
Dedication II (1901)
Fair Young Mary from Songs of the North (?)
A Reiver’s Neck-Verse (1908)
Under a Bridge (1945-46)
Hubby and Wifey (1923)
Up-Country Song (1932)
Kathryn Rudge (mezzo soprano); Alessandro Fisher (tenor); Penelope Thwaites (piano)
rec. 19-21 July 2024 Potton Hall, Suffolk
Albion Records ALBCD066

Alan Rawsthorne: Symphony No.1 (1950)

Alan Rawsthorne (1905–1971) was a British composer whose music blends structural clarity with expressive depth. Born in Haslingden, Lancashire, he initially pursued dentistry and architecture before committing to music, studying at the Royal Manchester College and later in Berlin. His breakthrough came in 1938 with Theme and Variations for Two Violins, followed by Symphonic Studies, which established his distinctive orchestral voice. Rawsthorne’s style is marked by contrapuntal textures, rhythmic vitality, and tonal focus, drawing comparisons to Hindemith and aligning him with British modernists like Walton and Tippett. He composed symphonies, concertos, chamber works, and film scores, including the extravaganza Practical Cats based on T.S Eliot’s famous poems. Though never flamboyant, his music is admired for its artisanry and emotional restraint.

There are three Symphonies in Rawsthorne’s catalogue (four if we count the early Symphonic Studies.) The three named examples follow a definite developmental path from the turbulent No.1 to the often-gentler No.2 Pastoral and finding a satisfying synthesis in the final Third Symphony, which unites the tension of the First with the subtlety of the Second.

On 15 November 1950, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult, gave the premiere performance of Symphony No. 1 at the Royal Albert Hall.

The symphony's uncompromising first movement opens authoritatively and turbulently, before the more tragic second theme emerges. It ends with a surprisingly quiet coda. There are echoes of the composer’s engagement with film music here. The second movement displays a detached melancholy, even despair. The mood of the Symphony is lightened a little with the quintuple-rhythm scherzo, revealing a little of Rawsthorne’s sense of humour. The finale has thematic nods back to the first movement. It is buoyant and full of invention, coming to an optimistic conclusion. Andrew Porter (New Statesman, 6 December 1952, p.680) considered that the overall impression of the Symphony is that it is “…written from a strength which finds [a] place, in passing, for tranquil beauty...” and that it is “a strong work without harshness or bitterness.”

Listen to Alan Rawsthorne’s Symphony No. l on YouTube, here. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is conducted by David Lloyd-Jones. The source of the recording is Naxos 8.557480 (2005).

The Silent Pool: British Piano Music by Women Composers

Do not listen to this disc at a single sitting. I suggest exploring a few tracks at a time. Maybe even approaching the repertoire chronologically. Most works will be unknown to listeners and deserve our attention.

The recital opens with a sonata by the redoubtable Ethel Smyth. Written in 1877, when she was only 19 years of age, the Sonata No.3 does nod towards Brahms and Beethoven and is none the worse for that. Jacobs’s description of this work is apposite: “It has great energy and propulsion, allied to an English no-nonsense, dog walking sense of purpose.” There are two movements, an Allegro followed by an Allegro vivace.

Peter Jacobs has recorded the slow movement of the Sonata No.2 (1877) which he has subtitled “Song Without Words.” It is hardly surprising that this charming number has echoes of Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. Both are worthy of any pianist’s repertoire.

Only five samples from Elizabeth Maconchy’s suite, A Country Town are played here. Dating from 1945, these miniatures include a lugubrious The Fair, and a slightly jazzy Quarrel between who knows who. The Lament is particularly reflective. There is a folksy “buzz” in her exposition of The Knife Grinder and a beautiful simulation of sound in Bells.

Grace Williams’s The Silent Pool (1932), is a desolate little tone poem that gives a subtle description of what may be a bleak Welsh topographical feature.

Equally morose is Helen Grime’s The Silver Moon (2015). The title is derived from a poem by D.H. Lawrence called Weeknight Service. I understand the poem was either a well-wrought nocturne, or more complexly, a critique of capitalism and excessive industrialisation of the countryside.

The liner notes explain that Madeleine Dring was an admirer of both Francis Poulenc and Cole Porter. Her Colour Suite is full good things. Each movement of this jazzy suite has a ‘colourful’ title such as Pink Minor, Red Glory, and Brown Study. The most thoughtful movement is the Billy Mayerl-esque Blue Air.

I do not ‘get’ Judith Bingham’s The Moon Over Westminster Cathedral (2003). Peter Jacobs describes this four-minute piece as being a “slow burn:” I find it long winded. That said, there are some interesting sonorities here.

The best-known movement from Amy Woodforde-Finden’s Indian Love Lyrics (1903/13) is the Kashmiri Love Song. This was included on Jacobs’s Anthology: Twentieth Century British Piano (Heritage HTGCD 159). Two of the other movements are heard on this disc, Less than the Dust and The Temple Bells. Despite Jacobs’s protestations that these two numbers are “a little faded” there is much charm and delight in these pages.

Cecilia McDowall’s Vespers in Venice (2002) offers a diverse portrait of "La Serenissima.”  All the noises of a city are evoked: water, shouting, bells, ball games...as well as music. Renowned for Vivaldi and Monteverdi, this place has always held a special affection for musicians. Do not expect a conventional Barcarolle, however. Only criticism is that it is all too short.

Christmas Past, Christmas Present (1991) by Judith Bingham is supposed to present “the deep feelings and symbols of childhood Christmases.” Despite some imaginative pianism, I feel that there is little impression of the Season here. On the other hand, they would make a remarkable set of Preludes.

The present pianist commissioned Betty Roe’s A Mystery of Cats back in 1994. Both musicians are fond of their tabbies. Three movements out of five offer impressions of skittishness, mystery, and playfulness of three feline creatures, named Reg, Rosie, and Tom, respectively. They are delightful character sketches. Hopefully, Jacobs will record the complete set soon.

The short Lullaby for Owain (2016) by Sally Beamish is billed as being a miniature set of variations: I did not find it particularly inspiring or soporific.

My “big discovery” on this new disc is Raie Da Costa (1905-34). She was a South African-born pianist celebrated for her blend of classical and jazz styles. After moving to London in 1924, she recorded for Parlophone and HMV. The two pieces heard here are taken from her collection Modernistic Pieces. The first, a Gigue, gently bounces along with “an infectious momentum” whilst Moods is a fusion of a waltz, foxtrot, and the blues, providing the listener with the 1920s “full flapper mode” experience – “hectic and carefree.”

Liza Lehmann’s six movement Cobweb Castle conjures wintry nostalgia and fairy-tale whimsy. The two movements given here highlight her atmospheric touch. Fly Away, Ladybird has a playful charm, echoing the nursery rhyme’s urgency whilst Evensong offers gentle melancholy and lyrical warmth, with hints of Elgar’s spirit throughout.

For details of Peter Jacobs please see my earlier view of his British Piano Collection No.1, on these pages, here.

The liner notes by the pianist provide a clear introduction to this music, nonetheless the dates of the composers should have been included in the track listing or the text.

This disc offers an excellent selection of British piano works by women. The playing displays understanding, lyrical charm and rhythmic verve. Not all these works resonate: some are underwhelming, but overall, the collection demands exploration of this rarely heard repertoire reflecting character, wit, and emotional depth.

Track Listing:
Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
Piano Sonata No. 3 (1877)
Piano Sonata No. 2 (1877)
Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-94)
A Country Town (excerpts) (1945)
Grace Williams (1906-77)
The Silent Pool (1932)
Helen Grime (b.1981)
The Silver Moon (2015)
Madeleine Dring (1923-77)
Colour Suite (1963)
Judith Bingham (b.1952)
The Moon Over Westminster Cathedral (2003)
Amy Woodforde-Finden (1860-1919)
Indian Love Lyrics (excerpts) (1903)
Cecilia McDowall (b.1951)
Vespers in Venice (2002)
Judith Bingham
Christmas Past, Christmas Present (1991)
Betty Roe (b.1930)
A Mystery of Cats (excerpts) (1994)
Sally Beamish (b.1956)
Lullaby for Owain (2016)
Raie Da Costa (1905-34)
Gigue (1930)
Moods (1930)
Liza Lehmann (1862-1918)
Cobweb Castle (excerpts) (1908)
Peter Jacobs (piano)
rec. 16 September 2024; 26 January 2025, Wyastone Concert Hall, Monmouth
Heritage HTGCD 126

Eric Coates: Coquette (1920)

One of Eric Coates’s most charming orchestral miniatures is the little-known Coquette, often described as either a ballet sketch or an entr’acte. Completed on 12 May 1920, it remains unpublished and its first performance undocumented. Nevertheless, Coquette is believed to be one of three ballet sketches Coates wrote around this time. According to Michael Payne (2012), this piece may have been the second number in the sequence, although the other two works have been lost, or even never written, and their titles remain unknown.

The word “Coquette” usually refers to a woman who flirts playfully, often to attract admiration without serious intent. Originating from the French, it evokes charm, teasing, and light-hearted seduction. The term also names a vibrant hummingbird species, known for its vivid plumage and lively display - aptly mirroring the word’s spirited, attention-seeking essence.

Scored for a large orchestra including piccolo, trumpets, and triangle, the piece opens with a mischievous motif that sets the tone for a light-hearted musical narrative. Its three part structure suggests a vignette - a brief scene from an imaginary ballet - envisaging an engaging dancer teasing and twirling across the stage. The music alternates between cheeky woodwind interjections and sweeping string passages, creating a sense of theatrical motion and personality.

Though not part of a full ballet, Coquette evokes the spirit of dance with its vivacious rhythms and flirtatious character, true to its title, it has elegance and vivacity that characterise Coates’s style, blending Edwardian grace with early 20th-century wit.

It shares stylistic traits with his other orchestral miniatures written around this time, such as Summer Days and Wood Nymphs Valsette, which similarly conjure vivid imagery through concise musical storytelling.

Coquette is a snapshot of Coates’s gift for melody and orchestration. It captures the spirit of a bygone era - refined yet whimsical - and stands as a testament to his ability to craft music that dances even without dancers. For enthusiasts of British light music, it is a charming gem worth reviving.

You can listen to Eric Coates’s Coquette on YouTube, here. The BBC Concert Orchestra is conducted by John Wilson, and the recording was released on the ASV Record label, CD WHL2107 (1997).

Bibliography

• Lace, Ian. In Town Tonight: A Centenary Study of Eric Coates, Thames Publishing, 1986.
• Payne, Michael. The Life and Music of Eric Coates, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2012.

It's not British, but...Poulenc Piano Music

On my very first trip to Paris, I attended a concert of piano music by members of Les Six (Milhaud, Honegger, Tailleferre, Poulenc, Durey and Auric). Nearly fifty years on, I do not recall the name of the pianist nor the exact repertoire. However, the main event was a performance of Poulenc's Improvisations for Piano. I was fascinated and have enjoyed and appreciated these sophisticated numbers ever since.

The Improvisations are a collection of fifteen piano pieces completed between 1932 and 1959. Despite the long gestation period, the liner notes are correct in regarding the complete set as “clearly conceived…as a single growing collection.” In later life, Poulenc remained proud of them, despite belittling many of his other piano works.

All these Improvisations were given a dedication, sometimes to fellow composers. The tender second is dedicated to Louis Durey, whilst the enigmatic fifth was offered to Georges Auric. The twelfth is subtitled "Hommage à Schubert," in which the essence of a Viennese waltz is captured, but with Poulenc’s own “take” on the form. The final Improvisation was dedicated to the legendary French singer, Édith Piaf. With its “bittersweet and passionate style” it is a moving tribute to this iconic star. This was my favourite number 46 years ago and it remains as such today.

The first of the Deux Novelettes nods towards Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words, with its pastoral musings presented in a flowing manner. The second is “jazzy and chromatic” with “spicy harmonies” and a surprise ending. Both were completed in 1928. The Novelette in E Minor on a Theme of Manuel de Falla was composed thirty-one years later. It was a contribution to a commemorative publication, The House of Chester, 1860-1960 Album. This volume featured music by Lennox Berkeley, Eugene Goossens, John Ireland, and Gian Francesco Malipiero. The lengthy theme sourced from de Falla’s El amor brujo, is not developed but simply repeated several times with a subtle accompaniment “bathed in pedals.”

The first two Intermezzi were written in 1934, whilst the third was completed in 1943. They have often been grouped together. The first has been described as a “whirlwind tour of Paris” as ideally accompanying a scene from Chaplin’s Modern Times. The second was dedicated to the socialite and singer, the Comtesse Jean de Polignac. It opens with a wistful tune, develops with complex chromaticism, before rising to a climax, and closing quietly- all in the space of four minutes. The third Intermezzo, dating from 1943, at a time when the Germans were occupying the capital city, is modelled on Chopin or Fauré. It has been noted that in the final bars, Poulenc presented a sequence of twelve chords in all the keys. Altogether a beacon of hope in deeply troubling times.

Written for Vladimir Horowitz, the diminutive Presto in B flat major, (1934) makes a splendid encore. It balances elegance with virtuosity.

Francis Poulenc's Thème varié, is an uneven work. Individual variations are of considerable interest, but overall, it lacks cohesion. It opens with a tranquil theme (Très calme et sans hâte), followed by eleven diverse variations, each with a suggestive title. For example, there is a light-hearted Joyeuse, a turgid Noble, an idyllic Pastorale, a violent Sarcastique, and a pensive Mélancolique. The last variation/finale is relatively massive. For me it spoils the balance of the piece, despite containing interesting and effective music. The Thème varié was composed at Poulenc’s country house at Noizay between February and September 1951. It was dedicated to Geneviève Sienkiewicz, a family friend.

The recital concludes with the thoughtful Mélancolie, written in the communes of Talence and Brive, not too far away from Bordeaux, between June and August 1940. This was shortly after the Fall of France. It was dedicated to his chauffeur and “dear friend” Raymond Destouches. It is in Poulenc’s favourite key of D flat major and structured in ternary form with a complex middle section. It is signed to be played with “the song softly brought out” with an accompaniment “very wrapped in pedals.” Geoffrey Bush had suggested that the “melancholy” nature is not overstated, as might be expected due to the historical circumstances, but “suggests a nostalgia for past happiness, tinged with regret because it can never return.”

Paul Berkowitz is a Canadian pianist, born in Montreal. He is renowned for his interpretations of Schubert’s piano works, having recently completed a nine-CD survey of the composer’s major pieces. A graduate of McGill University and the Curtis Institute of Music, he studied under Rudolf Serkin. He currently serves as Professor of Piano at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The booklet text is devised by the soloist and provides a detailed introduction and analysis of these pieces. The recording is excellent.

Any performance of Poulenc’s music must focus on the wide contrasts of style and tempo, with moods ranging from lively and rhythmic to brooding and sentimental. Add to this the inherent wit and urbanity that is his trademark. This disc presents a comprehensive conspectus of this achievement.  Paul Berkowitz has encapsulated the huge variety of these near-perfect vignettes in this new recording.

Track Listing:
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

10 Improvisations, FP 63 (1932-34)
2 Improvisations, FP 113 (1941)
2 Improvisations, FP 170 (1958)
Improvisation, FP 176 (1959)
2 Novelettes, FP 47 (1927-28)
Novelette, FP 173 (1959)
2 Intermezzi, FP 71 (1934)
Intermezzo, FP 118 (1943)
Presto in B flat major, FP 70 (1934)
Thème varié, FP 151 (1951)
Mélancolie, FP 105 (1940)
Paul Berkowitz (piano)
rec. 1-3 August 2023, St Peter’s Church, Boughton Monchelsea, Kent
Meridian CDE 84674

Peter Racine Fricker: Comedy Overture (1959)

One of the most significant CD releases in the past decade has been Peter Racine Fricker’s Symphonies 1–4 on Lyrita (REAM.2136). This two-disc survey also features the lively early Rondo Scherzoso (1948) and the spirited Comedy Overture from 1958. This Overture was composed during a ten-year gap between the Second (1951) and Third Symphonies (1960). Important works from this period includes the Litany for double string orchestra (1956), the oratorio The Vision of Judgment (1958), Concertos for Piano (1952) and for Viola (1953), several films scores and some incidental music.

The Comedy Overture was commissioned by the Friends of Morley College as a part of the celebrations marking the completion of the rebuilding works at the College. This included the ‘magnificent’ new Emma Cons Hall. At this time, Fricker was musical director at the college.

Two concerts were given. Geoffrey Madell, in the Musical Times (February 1959) felt that both were ‘disappointing.’ The first concert, on 5 December 1958 included Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola (K.364), Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Flos Campi and Henry Purcell’s Ode for St Cecilia’s Day. It was at this concert that Fricker’s ‘light and attractive’ Comedy Overture received its premiere. The performers included the Morley College Chamber Orchestra conducted by Fricker.

The second concert was presented on 9 December, and featured the Morley College Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Arnold. According to the Musical Times (op cit.) ‘brave attempts were made at Sibelius’ En Saga and Tchaikovsky’s Francesco da Rimini, but the ensemble was often poor.’ Joyce Hatto played Liszt’s Totendanz and a ‘piano concerto movement attributed to Beethoven.’ The concert also saw the premiere of Iain Hamilton’s breezy pastiche Overture: 1912, which is a parody of music-hall entertainment.

Paul Conway, in his liner notes for the Lyrita CD has written that the Comedy Overture “is reflected in the main theme whose blithe resilience suggests a celebrated quote attributed to Fricker’s illustrious ancestor: ‘Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.” The tempo remains Allegro vivace throughout and a feature is made of solos for all the woodwind instruments.’

The Times (6 December 1958) reviewer suggested that ‘one does not automatically associate Mr. Fricker with a gift for the comical in music and his overture, as expected, was scarcely ribald. But it had the pace of comedy and its light expert textures, and deft invention made an agreeable start to the evening. The dry, Stravinsky-like rhythms and sonorities of the work sounded well, which may say something encouraging for the acoustics of the [new] hall. Certainly, the Morley College Chamber Orchestra deserve praise for their share in a successful premiere.’

While I concur that the piece is not ‘ribald,’ its character is imbued with wit - a quality far more nuanced and challenging to convey effectively.

A contrary view is given by David Barker (MusicWeb International, August 2022): “I can’t disagree that it is well crafted, and maintains a fast tempo throughout, but I find it very cold and could not imagine smiling whilst listening to it.”

The performance of the Comedy Overture on Lyrita was played by the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Rosen. It was part of the BBC’s celebration of Peter Racine Fricker’s 60th birthday, presented on 17 September 1980. The broadcast also included the Piano Concerto (1954) Symphony No 2 (1952).

Listen to the Lyrita recording of Peter Racine Fricker’s Comedy Overture on YouTube, here.