Bryan Kelly: Nativity Scenes (1966/2011)

Whilst writing a recent post about Kelly’s attractive Left Bank Suite, I also heard his Nativity Scenes included on the same CD. The liner notes explain that this work began life as an organ piece in 1966, dedicated to one of the composer’s former pupils, Simon Williams. In 2011, it was scored for a full orchestra. There are three ‘scenes’ in the suite, each being inspired by an ancient poem.

The first, an Adagio, considers Joly Joly Wat, a shepherd sitting on a hillside: “He had on him his tabard and his hat, His tar-box, his pipe, and his flagat [bundle]…” Of interest, the Oxford English Dictionary defines the tar-box as “being formerly used by shepherds to hold tar as a salve for sheep.” And the context of the poem suggests that his pipe was the musical and not the smoking kind.

The music begins quietly in the “low strings”: it is clearly a dark night, and the break of day is far off. The shepherd boy plays a lullaby on his flute, whether to comfort himself or his flock. The nocturnal theme reappears. There is no hint of the angelic host.

The second poem exhorts: “Runne (Sheepheards) run where Bethleme blest appears/Wee bring the best of newes, bee not dismay’d.”  Kelly provides vibrant music here, played Allegro. Imperatively, it encourages the shepherds to journey to Bethlehem to “find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” This scurrying music also portrays the biblical verse, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God…”

The final movement or scene, Lento, returns to a reflective mood. This is a lullaby for the Baby Jesus. The poem, originally in Latin, was paraphrased by Samuel Taylor Coleridge:

Sleep, sweet babe! my cares beguiling:
Mother sits beside thee smiling;
Sleep, my darling, tenderly!
If thou sleep not, mother mourneth,
Singing as her wheel she turneth:
Come, soft slumber, balmily!

Kelly provides a beautifully orchestrated berceuse, with especially luminous passages for solo horn and flute. There is a final nod to the shepherd boy’s pipe playing bringing the suite to a satisfyingly cyclic conclusion.

The work issued on the Heritage Label in 2015 (HTGCD 285). The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is conducted by Barry Wordsworth. Other works on this disc include the Epitaph for Peace, Concertante Dances, Globe Theatre Suite, A Christmas Celebration, and the Left Bank Suite.

The Gramophone (March 2015, p.15), Andrew Achenbach describes the Nativity Scenes as being “evocative and touching.”

The Nativity Scenes can be heard on the Bryan Kelly playlist on YouTube, here.

Bryan Kelly: Left Bank Suite (c.1965)

The Left Bank Suite was composed during the 1960s after Bryan Kelly (b.1934) had been studying with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. He had already learnt most of his compositional craft from Gordon Jacob and Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music. The liner notes of the only CD recording of this work explains that the Suite is a “light-hearted attempt to paint some of the scenes of this quarter of Paris.” It seems that when Kelly was a student there it was "still a place for writers and artists to congregate, and where a cheap meal could be had at one of the several bistros dotted around.”

The opening Prelude is a lively musical portrait of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a district in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. During the 1940s and 1950s it was at the centre of the existentialist movement associated with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Many cafes were popular with the intellectuals, such as Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore, and Café Procope. They are still there. During Kelly’s time in Paris, the literary set was waning, but jazz was becoming more popular. The second movement depicts the Jardin du Luxembourg in the same area. These gardens have a playground for children and a large carousel. Kelly’s take on this features a very Parisian waltz complete with the out-of-tune sound of a fairground organ in the middle section. The most sophisticated movement is the Intermezzo: The Seine. Romantic to the core, it evokes a kind of Gene Kelly/Leslie Caron rendezvous by night. Initially heard on solo flute, the main theme builds to a full orchestral climax. The finale looks to the above-mentioned Café de Flore for a rumbustious finish. There are certainly nods here to Malcolm Arnold.

The Left Bank Suite was issued on the Heritage Label in 2015 (HTGCD 285). It can be heard on the Bryan Kelly playlist on YouTube, here. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is conducted by Barry Wordsworth. Other works on this disc include the Epitaph for Peace, Concertante Dances, Globe Theatre Suite, A Christmas Celebration, Tango for strings and Nativity Scenes.

Reviewing this CD for The Gramophone (March 2015, p.15), Andrew Achenbach considers that “Happy memories of this French sojourn bubble up to the surface in the disarmingly tuneful and deftly sculpted Left Bank Suite, a 1960s commission for the BBC Concert Orchestra and the effervescent curtain-raiser on this generous Heritage survey.”

Bryan Kelly: Orchestral Music Volume II

The first piece of music by Bryan Kelly (b.1934) I ever heard was his Exultate which was included in the Oxford Book of Modern Organ Music, Volume 1 (1965). This would be around 1974. It was played at the end of the service in a Glasgow church. Since that time, I have come across a few odds and ends by this composer, including anthems, carols and liturgical music – and, on a much larger scale, his Symphony No.1. The present CD introduces the listener to a wonderful selection of Kelly’s orchestral music. 

The Fantasy Overture: San Francisco was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and premiered at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon sometime in 1975. Clearly, Bryan Kelly had recently visited that West Coast city.  The liner notes by Philip Lane explain that “the composer was amused to find along Fisherman’s Wharf, groups of musicians playing for money. These included a folksinger with guitar, two trumpeters, a solo violin and a jazz band…” Somehow, Kelly has managed to work these diverse elements into his score. There are quiet moments, where some reflection on the scenery and the history of the city may be being contemplated. The overall mood is a good balance between pizzazz and contemplation. The only issue with this Overture is that it is a mood picture, with musical diversions that may be a touch too eclectic and episodic for some tastes. But in the round, this is an interesting and effective portrait of The Golden City.

 

Next, a visit to the mythological Calypso’s Isle. This piece is a short interlude from Kelly’s Look Stranger, on this island, for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1999), with a wide-ranging selection of texts by W.H. Auden, Derek Walcott, George Mackay Brown, William Shakespeare, John Masefield and Andrew Marvell.  Calypso was a nymph or a goddess who lived on the island of Ogygia, which may be the modern Gozo. In the story she attempted to detain Odysseus from his voyage. Calypso managed this for seven years before Hermes ordered her to release him. Kelly has created a superb evocation of this mysterious island. The music is normally restrained, but just occasionally restless. The masterly scoring reveals not only an “Isle…full of noises” and a “thousand twangling instruments” but also “sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not” (Shakespeare’s, The Tempest).

 

The Concerto de Camera was a wedding gift for Kelly’s friends the oboist Deidre Lind and the conductor Marcus Dods. The liner notes state that it was completed in 1972.  The opening, a Moderato giocoso, is presented in a crafty sonata form. It is lively and rhythmically diverse. The thoughtful Aria balances a heartfelt melody with a chipper central section. It is the highlight of this concerto. The finale is a straightforward, good old-fashioned scherzo, with a lively minuet and a darker, but equally fast trio. It closes with a challenging (for the soloist) cadenza. This is a great concerto, which should be in the repertoire of all oboists. It is so much more than just light music. Here is a work that is interesting and arresting from the first note to the last.

 

The Four Realms Suite never lapses into parody or quotation. It was composed in 1972 and won a BBC competition for light orchestral music. The concept of the Suite is to highlight various national traits. Just what these are, is not stated. The titles of the movements may help. First up, is an English Jig. This is lively and a touch nautical. Then follows a Welsh Choral March. This balances slow music for brass with some capricious adventures for the woodwind. The Scottish Air is my favourite moment. This is a wistful exploration of a lovely tune, with just a touch of Celtic magic. It does not descend into tartanry at any point. It makes me think of sitting beside Loch Lomond reflecting on past-what-might-have-beens. The finale is an Irish Reel. Little more need be said. It brings this well-constructed and beautifully scored work to scintillating finish.

 

It is hardly surprising that Capricorn has to do with the stars. It is a set of five variations on a theme. It does not take an astrological aficionado to divine that the work’s purpose is to display some of the characteristics associated with the eponymous star-sign – sensitivity, confidence and intelligence. After the original theme, played on the clarinet, successive variations feature a lively tune exploring changing time signatures, a pensive slow movement, two energetic numbers which may or may not be a march and a dance respectively. The piece ends with sadness and soul-searching.  One characteristic of the Capricorn is its craftsmanship. Every bar reveals Kelly’s coincidence with the attributes of the star sign mentioned above.

A Christmas Dance (Sir Roger de Coverley) is taken from a larger composition, Scrooge for narrator and orchestra. The present dance is heard during the party at Scrooge’s relations after he has become a changed man. It is just a little too short to gain a life of its own.

The Concerto for Two Trumpets was originally written for soloists and organ, it was later orchestrated for strings. This is a difficult (to perform) piece that showcases the trumpeters’ technique. The three movements are varied, with the thoughtful Andante providing the elegiac heart of the concerto. The final Allegro is a romp that brings this exciting work to a dramatic and finely executed conclusion.

The concluding work on this CD is Comedy Film (1963). The liner notes explain that this was one of several “orchestral suites, overtures and short pieces” written specifically for the wireless, when light music was often heard on the BBC. It is an imaginary film score which allows the audience to bring their own plot to the party. After the vibrant and sweeping Credits .and Titles, the music progresses to Night Music. Is the story going to be a romance? Perhaps. On the other hand, the Comic Interlude suggests something a little bit more Carry On. The Theme Song could be from any genre, maybe even a whodunnit. There is a touch of ‘pop’ here.  The final scene is full of pure energy, vim and verve.

This is a splendid CD. It is full of interesting music that provides the listener with pleasure and delight rather than major challenges. Several soloists, orchestras and conductors (they are detailed above) contribute to the success of this new release. The recording is bright and clear, and the playing second to none. The liner notes give all the necessary particulars about the music.

There is no doubt that Bryan Kelly is a master of the orchestra. Hopefully more music from his pen will soon find its way onto CD. YouTube features the composer’s Symphony No. 1 (1983) however, this upload is not a particularly good recording, sound-wise. Suffice to say, that from what one hears, this work deserves a full professional recording: hopefully, record producers will have a listen…

Track Listing:
Bryan KELLY (b.1934)
Fantasy Overture: San Francisco (1975) [11:46]
Calypso’s Isle (1999) [3:56]
Concerto da camera (1972) [12:52]
Four Realms Suite (1972) [12:12]
Capricorn (2000) [11:09]
A Christmas Dance (Sir Roger de Coverley) (2010) [2:29]
Concerto for Two Trumpets (1982) [10:31]
Comedy Film for orchestra (1963) [12:22]
Rachael Clegg (oboe), John Bradbury (clarinet), Michael Allen and Tim Hawes (trumpets)
Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Ronald Corp (Fantasy Overture, Calypso’s Isle), Gavin Sutherland (Concerto for two trumpets); Manchester Sinfonia/Bryan Kelly (Concerto da camera), Philip Spratley (Capricorn); RTE Concert Orchestra/Gavin Sutherland (Four Realms, A Christmas Dance); Raphaele Orchestra/Erwin Rondell (Comedy Film)
Rec. Angel Studios, London, 14 November 2018 (Fantasy Overture, Calypso’s Isle); 24 March 2016 (Concerto for Two Trumpets); St Thomas’s Church, Stockport 18 January 2018 (Concerto da camera, Capricorn); RTE Radio Centre, Dublin, 1 September 2015 (Four Realms Suite); 20 October 2014, (A Christmas Dance); Munich, 18 September 1968, Comedy Film for orchestra.
HERITAGE RECORDS HTGCD 180 [77:17]

Bryan Kelly: Cuban Suite (c.1956)

The first piece of music by Bryan Kelly (b.1934) that I heard was his ‘Exultate’ which was published in the Oxford Book of Modern Organ Music, Volume 1. It was played as a recessional during a service in a Glasgow church. Since that time, I have come across a few bits and pieces, including anthems, carols and liturgical music. YouTube has uploaded the composer’s Symphony No. 1 (1983), however this is not a particularly good recording, sound-wise. Suffice to say that from what one hears, this work deserves a full professional recording.

The piece by Kelly that I know best is his delightful Cuban Suite. The composer noted that he ‘…wrote the Cuban Suite while still a student. It remained un-played for three years but was eventually taken up by the BBC and has become, since its first performance, a popular repertoire piece.’

The work was released on a splendid LP recorded by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra issued in 1970. The orchestra was conducted by Eric Pinkett. Other works on this album included Arthur Bliss’s Introduction and Allegro, Andre Previn’s Overture to a Comedy, John Ireland’s ‘Elegy’ from a Downland Suite, Herbert Chappell’s Overture-Panache and Michael Tippett’s ‘Interlude’ and ‘Non nobis Domine’ from A Shires Suite. I do not believe that any other recording of this Suite has been made.

The sleeve notes of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra includes the composer’ analytical description of the Suite: ‘The four movements in dance-like character, are unashamed attempts to write popular light music with immediate appeal. The first movement [Siesta] is slow and lazy, the second a 6/8 scherzo, the third a nostalgic tango, and the finale a rumba in which two themes are eventually combined with the theme from the opening of the Suite. After the first performance I was asked by the conductor if I had written the Cuban Suite before or after the Castro revolution. I leave the listener to guess my answer!’

There is little information available to date the Cuban Suite, however I understand that it was composed before 1960, therefore before Fidel Castro’s revolution.  I guess probably sometime after 1956.

T..H writing in The Gramophone (April 1971) suggests that this work is ‘uncommonly gifted for a student work, even if it is, as he writes, an unashamed attempt to write popular light music with immediate appeal…’ He concludes his comment by suggesting that the School Orchestra ‘…enjoyed playing the…tango…as relaxation from the demands of Bliss.’

The German newspaper Westfalische Nachrichten (16 September 1970) reviewing a concert performance of this work in that country considered that ‘Bryan Kelly's much - broadcast Cuban Suite brought it to a sunny and tuneful close’ and that ‘its pithy brevity and marked character made great demands on the musicianship of the orchestra.’

Bryan Kelly’s Cuban Suite, played by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is available on YouTube. It includes a brief introduction.