The Peter Jacobs Anthology Volume 3

Peter Jacobs writes that the genesis of this disc is in a recital that he gave to the Havergal Brian Society in 1979. It was recorded at the time, but the tapes only resurfaced earlier this year. Sadly, the Brian pieces that he performed were missing. He explains that HB was “the presiding spirit over almost all the music he played that afternoon.”

I am not sure where the sheet music for the Prelude and March from Granville Bantock’s major choral work Omar Khayyám originated. The record company assured me that these transcriptions were made by Bantock, however, I cannot find any reference to them in the catalogues and guides to research. Whatever their provenance, they evoke a pseudo-orientalism, which, while a touch 'East of Dagenham' exotic, is vividly characterised.

The two Preludes and Fugues for piano by composer, scholar, teacher, and author Harold Truscott are splendid mid-20th-century essays in counterpoint, balancing tradition with a distinctly English voice. The E‑flat minor pair, around seven minutes, unfolds in a sombre prelude and a weighty Molto andante fugue, echoing late‑Romantic idioms. The C major pair, just over two minutes, contrasts with brisk energy and playful charm. They explore Truscott’s seriousness and wit, his admiration for Bach, and his belief in the fugue’s contemporary vitality. They are not part of a complete cycle.

William Allum was an English draftsman, poet, and composer, strongly associated with Havergal Brian. Born in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, he lived with Brian in 1918, and it was Brian who encouraged him to send his compositions to Granville Bantock. Allum’s output includes piano, organ, and vocal music such as Aspatia’s Song, Preludes on original vespers, and Sweet Was the Song.

The liner notes explain that Allum had a great love of Chopin, a devotion that is reflected in the two pieces heard here. The Prelude No.24 in D minor was written in honour of his idol, while the Nocturne in C sharp minor is a dreamy exploration of “unexpected melodic turns and languid harmonies.” Hopefully, Jacobs will explore more of William Allum’s music.

William J. Fenney was a Birmingham-born composer. Initially self-taught, he later studied composition under Granville Bantock at the Midland Institute School of Music. Deeply influenced by his admiration for Elgar, Fenney produced orchestral and chamber music, alongside songs and piano tunes. In later years, he ceased composing, feeling unable to adapt to contemporary idioms. Josef Holbrooke in his eccentric Contemporary British Composers (London, Cecil Palmer, 1925) believed that Fenney had an “introspective gift” and asserted that his Trio, op.20 “alone will place him in high estimation among musicians” concluding that Fenney’s music is “intrepid, malleable and interwoven in a charming way.”

Fenney's Au Printemps ('In Early Spring') is a remarkable bit of pastoral quaintness. The core sentiment underpinning the composition is that "even on the brightest day our scenery has at least a hint of melancholy." Unfortunately, few details about this 1915 suite (published by J&W Chester) are provided in the liner notes. The three movements are collectively dedicated to a Mrs Albert Halstead.

The opening movement, Romance, establishes a demanding pianistic style, using considerable octaves in the right hand and tenths in the left. It leaves the listener questioning its narrative - is it an unexplained tale of chivalry or adventure, or, much more likely, a movement nodding towards an emotional attachment between two people? The subsequent piece, In the Woods, is played with notable innocence and restraint. The collection concludes with On a Hillside, which is performed vivace e marcato. This final movement stands out as a technically challenging study of broken chords, which at times explodes into Lisztian passion. An interesting historical reference found in the Musical Times (March 1918) confirms the existence of an orchestral version of Au Printemps.

I was surprised to learn that the highly respected author and editor Malcolm Macdonald was also a composer. His books on Havergal Brian and John Foulds have long been in my library; he also served as editor of Tempo magazine and was a regular broadcaster.

The liner notes explain that Waste of Seas (1976) was inspired by a Hebridean seascape: it is bleak, lonely and adamant.

Robert Simpson’s “uncompromising” Variations and Finale on a theme of Haydn which was written in 1948 making it one of his few piano works. The theme was taken from the second movement, Menuetto al Rovescio, of Haydn’s Piano Sonata in A major, Hob. XVI:26 (1773) - a palindromic theme - also used in Haydn’s Symphony No.47 in G. All twelve of Simpson’s variations are also palindromic, except for the Finale. The variations are divided into three groups of four, the first being fast, the second akin to a “slow movement” and the third could be a scherzo. The Finale is a not too strict double fugue with accretions. It is the most technically challenging work on this disc, and one I confess I find difficult to fully warm to, yet it undeniably displays Robert Simpson’s ‘modern’ language while showing considerable respect for classical sensibilities.

The final track presents The Queen's Dolour - A Farewell by the honorary Scottish composer, the Lancashire-born Ronald Stevenson. This gorgeous piece is a transcription from Herny Purcell’s opera, Dido and Aeneas. Everyone knows the story: Dido’s farewell to Aeneas is one of the most tragic moments in Virgil’s Aeneid - she confronts him in fury and grief when he prepares to leave Carthage, accusing him of betrayal, and resolves to end her life. Yet Aeneas has been told by Jupiter that his mission lies in Rome, and not in Dido’s arms. Stevenson transforms Purcell’s original with spread chords, inner voices, and Romantic embellishments, agelessly complementing its unforgettable melody.

Bearing in mind that this was a “live” recording made 46 years ago; the sound holds up remarkably well. The liner notes give a good introduction to this recital, though I would have appreciated a little more historical information and analysis, particularly the dates of the works. There is a brief resume of Peter Jacobs.

This anthology presents a skilful and engaged performance of some fascinating British piano music, successfully capturing an important 1979 recital. Despite a few missing historical details, the disc commendably explores “forgotten” composers like Truscott, Allum, Fenney, and Macdonald, making it a valuable, well-preserved snapshot of neglected repertoire.

Track Listing:
Granville Bantock (1868-1946)
Omar Khayyam: Prelude & March (1906-09)
Harold Truscott (1914-92)
Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor (1957)
Prelude and Fugue in C major (1957)
Walter Allum (1895-1986)
Nocturne in C sharp minor (?)
Prelude No.24 in D minor (?)
William John Fenney (1891-1957)
Au Printemps 'In Early Spring' op.13 (1915)
Malcolm MacDonald (1948-2014)
Waste of Seas (1976)
Robert Simpson (1921-97)
Variations and Finale on a theme of Haydn (1948)
Henry Purcell (1659-95)/Ronald Stevenson (1928-2015)
The Queen's Dolour - A Farewell (Purcell) (1959)
Peter Jacobs (piano)
rec. 1979
Heritage HTGCD127

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