A great place to start the exploration of this excellent new CD of cello and piano music is with Granville Bantock’s beautiful ‘Hamabdil’. The work originated as an entr’acte to Arnold Bennett’s play Judith (1919) which was based on the well-known story from the Apocryphal Old Testament. In the same year, the music was worked up into at least three versions including one for Cello Solo, Strings, Kettledrum and Harp (or Piano) and the present arrangement for Cello and piano (or harp). This short piece is based on a Hebrew melody which is subjected to a series of ‘continuous variations.’ The mood of ‘Hamabdil’ is rhapsodic and carries the burden of sadness that seems to typify much Jewish melody.
Of
all the works on this CD the one that I am most at home with is the gorgeous
Sonata by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry. The first (and only) time I have heard
this work ‘live’ was at the end of long, but thoroughly enjoyable ‘Parry Day’
at the Royal College of Music. Raphael
Wallfisch and Hiroaki Takenouchi gave a stunning account of the Cello Sonata.
At that time I felt that it was unbelievable that this work in not in the cello
repertoire: I have since heard the excellent performance by Andrew Fuller and
Michael Dussek on Dutton Epoch (CDLX7102)
Parry’s
Cello Sonata is a relatively early work, dating from 1879 when the composer was
thirty-one years old. Interestingly, it was composed the year before the first
performance of the ‘mould breaking’ choral Prometheus
Unbound which has been ascribed as being the moment that British music’s
self-confidence was restored. The present
Sonata is written in three movements with the slow ‘andante sostenuto’ being
especially moving and expressive. The
opening movement is constructed in formal sonata form. However, the final
movement has a mysterious introduction before ‘the sun comes out’ and the music
becomes much more positive. The work ends with an impressive coda. Although it is possible to note stylistic
allusions to Brahms and Schumann in much of this Sonata, it is a remarkable
work that reveals the elusive note of Parry’s ‘Englishness’ for the first
time.
Most
of Frederick Delius’ chamber works were composed late in his career. The
present Cello Sonata was written in 1916 and was premiered by Beatrice Harrison
and Hamilton Harty at the Wigmore Hall on 31 October 1918. The music is
expounded in a long single movement that is separated into three contrasting
sections ‘Allegro ma non troppo’, ‘Lento, molto tranquillo’ and ‘Tempo primo’. There is little relaxation in this sonata with
an almost continuous development of the music as a long unbroken song. The
cello explores the entire compass of the instrument: the accompanist never has
a rest. Delius chamber works have never
gained the popularity of the orchestral music. This may be due to the more
austere nature of much of the writing. However, this Cello Sonata does have considerable
warmth that makes it approachable to people that may prefer the orchestral
‘Cuckoo’ and ‘Paradise Garden.’ It is a beautiful work that is ultimately satisfying,
even if it does not quite fit into the Delian mould.
The
Guardian Reviewer has noted the five columns of liner notes given to the
exposition of the John Foulds' Cello Sonata. It certainly takes a deal of time
to read this closely written text. However I disagree with his assessment of
this work as ‘unremarkable’ ‘despite the energy and virtuosity it demands.’ I largely
sympathise with the first half of Malcolm MacDonald’s contention that this ‘remarkably
powerful and original’ sonata is one of the finest, if not the finest Cello
Sonata by an English composer.’
The
sonata was composed in 1905 when Foulds was 25 years old. It was considerably
revised for publication in 1927. However
in the 85 years since it publication it appears to have suffered considerable
neglect. Foulds enthusiasts will have the excellent British Music Society
(BMS423CD) recording with Jo Cole (cello) and John Talbot (piano)
It
is not necessary to give an outline of the Sonatas structure save to note that
it is written in three movements – Moderato quasi allegretto, Lento and Molto
brioso. The heart of the work is the middle movement. This is a heart-achingly
beautiful elegy. The Fouldain fingerprint of ‘quarter tones’ should not put off
the listener: it is not a gimmick, but essential to the musical argument.
It
is useful to recall that John Foulds was the only professional cellist amongst
the composers on this disc. The present Sonata calls for a significant
technical skills from both instrumentalists to present the sweeping development
of this hugely passionate and expressive work.
I
was hugely impressed by this CD. The two soloists, Paul Watkins and Huw Watkins
respond with great sympathy and understanding to these diverse pieces. The
liner notes by Calum MacDonald are considerable and tell the listener virtually
all that they could wish to know about these four pieces. I felt that the sound
quality was excellent and revealed all the nuances of these works. I am
delighted that this is Volume 1 of a projected series. Roll on the next
release!
Track Listing:
Track Listing:
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
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