How often have
we heard the cry ‘unjustly neglected’ when a long forgotten
work by a late-Romantic composer from the British Isles is revived
after years of abandonment. Far too often I have been left disappointed
when all the furore has died away. This is not the case here
on this Dutton Epoch release as with the restoration of two
high quality concertos from the pen of York Bowen the repertoire
has become richer. I listened to the Bowen Violin Concerto with
members of a Recorded Music Society and the general reaction
was disbelief at the deplorable neglect accorded to such a high
quality score. Dutton inform me that they are the first ever
company to record and commercially issue both Bowen’s Violin
Concerto, Op 33 and the Piano Concerto No. 1, Op 11. I read
somewhere that this release is the first volume of a series
of Bowen Concertos. If accurate it is great to know that more
scores are planned for recording.
I frequently
hear the word ‘rehabilitated’ applied to the fortunes of London-born
composer York Bowen with regard to the recent trend towards
recording his works; works that are often out of print and are
usually receiving their first commercial recording. I prefer
to view recordings of Bowen’s music as being ‘restored’ to the
repertoire. His scores that spanned two World Wars are more
than mere curiosities to be wheeled out occasionally for historical
interest. I believe many of Bowen’s works, such as the Horn
Quintet, Op. 85, the Violin Concerto, Op 33 and the Cello Sonata,
Op.64 to be outstanding and I am hopeful that they will become
established as a major part of the repertoire.
Once fêted by
the music establishment, Bowen’s tonal and conservative music
with an elegant lyricism quickly became unfashionable after
the Great War for much the same reason as that of his older
contemporaries Elgar and Bantock. Music had rapidly changed
and the English late-Romantics of that generation become marginalised
having to compete with the growing enthusiasm for progressive
composers such as Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Berg et al.
Bowen quickly became a victim of the new fashion as he was still
composing music in the manner of a bygone generation and consequently
his music swiftly moved into virtual obscurity. After eighty
to a hundred years or so we should now be able to reassess Bowen’s
music for its innate quality rather than for the dynamic of
the era in which it was written. My particular interest in Bowen’s
music was sparked in 1996 by a revelatory, award winning recording
of his piano works by Stephen Hough on Hyperion CDA66838.
In terms of
variety of repertoire this may prove to be the golden age for
recorded music. Much of Bowen’s substantial output has yet to
be recorded. It is satisfying to have an increasing number of
his works available on disc. Recordings such as these Bowen
concertos would have been unthinkable even less than ten years
ago. As part of their Epoch series Dutton Vocalion are using
their niche marketing skills to record the unfamiliar music
of talented British composers many of whom have fallen out of
favour. For me Dutton have taken over the mantle that the Lyrita
label wore in the 1960s and 1970s.
Bowen has been
especially well served by Dutton in recent years with several
recordings currently available. On CDLX 7115 the Endymion Ensemble
perform the String Quartet No.2, Op.73, Quintet in C minor for
Horn and String Quartet, Op.85, Rhapsody Trio (1926) and the
Trio in Three Movements, Op.118. On CDLX 7120 members of the
Endymion Ensemble perform the Cello Sonata, Op.64, Suite for
Violin and Piano, Op.28 and the Violin Sonata, Op.112. On CDLX
7126 James Boyd and Bengt Forsberg perform the Viola Sonata
No.1, Viola Sonata No.2 and the Phantasy for Viola and Piano,
Op.54. Endymion Ensemble members return on CDLX 7129 to perform
the Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op.120, Sonata for Oboe and
Piano, Op.85, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op.109 and Sonata
for Horn and Piano, Op.101. Other significant Bowen releases
include a British Music Society recording of the String Quartets
Nos. 2 and 3 and the Phantasy Quintet from the Archaeus Quartet
on BMS426CD and from Hyperion the Viola Concerto in C minor,
Op 25 from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn
Brabbins with violist Lawrence Power on CDA67546 c/w Cecil Forsyth
Viola Concerto. In addition the Bowen Cello Sonata, Op.64 is
also available on a valuable British Music Society recording
on BMS423CD c/w John Foulds Cello Sonata and Ernest Walker Cello
Sonata.
For those not
familiar with Bowen’s music and curious to know what is in store
one can expect an eclectic range of influences from composers
such as Franck, Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky,
Elgar, Dvořák, Delius and Richard Strauss. Bowen’s music
is unashamedly late-Romantic in personality and ambience, brooding
and emotional with a frequently haunting and sensual beauty,
qualities which undoubtedly explain why Bowen is sometimes referred
to as the ‘English Rachmaninov’.
Violin Concerto
in E minor, Op. 33 (1913)
Bowen completed
his only Violin Concerto in 1913 but it was not played until
a Promenade Concert in 1920 where it was performed by the soloist
Marjorie Hayward with the composer conducting. The three movement
concerto is in the same key as the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
with which it shares a similar weight, clear-cut design
and brilliance of execution.
It is likely
that Bowen gained some inspiration for his E minor Concerto
from Elgar’s Violin Concerto which was written only
three years earlier. Furthermore, Bowen’s predominant use of
the instrument’s higher register, the soaring melodies and the
warm and summery mood provides me with several connections to
the sound world of Walton’s Violin Sonata (1947-50), Viola Concerto
(1928-9, rev. 1961) and the Violin Concerto (1938-9); later
scores that would undoubtedly be considered as being far more
sophisticated and fashionable. Although highly impressed I am
not suggesting that Bowen’s Violin Concerto in the same class
as those by Elgar and Walton who were so adept at providing
emotional depth and those ‘killer’ tunes that Bowen couldn’t
match.
Scottish
violinist Lorraine McAslan seems the perfect choice as soloist. Trained at the Juilliard
School in New York McAslan first came to my attention in 1985 with her
fine recording of the Elgar and Walton sonataswith John Blakely
on a ASV digital vinyl record DCA 548. The recordings were reissued
on ASV Quicksilva CDQS6191 and are now available on the Sanctuary Classics
‘Resonance Series’ CDRSN3060. The Glasgow-born violinist has championed many works from neglected British
composers and her teaching career at the Royal Academy of Music
links in perfectly with Bowen’s strong associations with the
prestigious London music school.
The opening
movement of the Violin Concerto marked allegro maestoso -
allegro ma non troppo, at fourteen minutes, is
the longest of the three. The orchestral accompaniment in the
opening pages reminded me of the Delius composed only
a few years later in 1916. The main feature of this movement
is the brilliant passagework and a warm singing violin line
that seems to soar upwards to the sky. The orchestra and conductor
are on fine form and provide such an effective orchestral climax
between points 7.09 to 7.17 (track 1) that it sent a shiver
down my spine. The central movement is an andante con moto
devised in a simple ternary structure. With McAslan’s affectionate
interpretation I felt the score was evocative of walking through
a peaceful wooded glade with the rays of sunlight glinting through
the trees. The substantial final movement is an allegro assai
abounding in contrasting moods. The movement offers the soloist
plenty of opportunity to display her virtuosity. At almost the
halfway point the pace suddenly quickens between points 6.01
to 6.54 (track 3) before returning at point 7.08 to a more relaxed
and lyrical mood that winds its way to the conclusion. The admirable
McAslan brings a brooding quality to the movement and her performance
of the complete score radiates pleasure. A genuine champion
of English music Vernon Handley conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra
in a warm and sympathetic performance.
Piano Concerto
No. 1 in E flat, Op. 11 (1903)
Bowen was invited
to play his first Piano Concerto at a Promenade Concert
under Henry Wood when only 19 years old. The E flat Concerto
is an uninhibited, showy work that offers the soloist considerable
opportunity for display. Lewis Foreman in the booklet notes
observes that, “the young composer is letting us know how
clever he is”. Designed
in three movements the E flat Concerto doesn’t
exactly plumb great emotional depths, however, the music is
extrovert, rich in invention and has substantial appeal. Michael
Dussek is a Professor and Fellow at London’s Royal Academy of
Music, and maintains the Institute’s connection to Bowen.
The
opening movement is marked moderato - andante con molto -
appassionato and is full of eclectic influences with a wealth
of engaging ideas. Several friends have remarked that the extended
introduction for the piano at points 0.05 to 1.13 (track 4)
could easily have come from the pen of Rachmaninov. Amid the
abundance of themes, motifs and arpeggio figures there
is a feminine beauty to this limpid movement that exudes warmth
and joy. The short scherzo - allegro molto central movement
follows a model similar to those used by Saint-Saëns and Litolff. Bowen’s scherzo lacks
the individual character of the corresponding movement in Saint-Saëns’
Piano Concerto No. 2. At points 2.56 to 4.09 (track 5)
events improve with an extended episode of Mendelssohnian mischievousness
matched with appropriately fresh and lively playing from Dussek.
At thirteen minutes the closing movement marked allegro molto
is longer than the first and second movements combined.
This swift and spirited finale bustles with a succession
of brief ideas, the piano taking prominence throughout. At points
8.01 to 11.09 (track 6) the brilliant cadenza takes centre-stage.
The infectious energy and exuberance of the closing movement
is impressive. The brilliant passagework in the manner of Saint-Saëns
and Tchaikovsky takes the movement to a triumphant conclusion.
This is sparkling
music rather than anything of great substance, made memorable
in the hands of the excellent soloist who performs with personality,
charm and considerable conviction.
I
was extremely pleased with the well balanced sound quality from
the Dutton engineers and the booklet notes from Lewis Foreman
are as first class as I have come to expect. This well presented
Dutton Epoch release is a revealing survey of the charming and
colourful sound world of York Bowen.
Music
of eloquent beauty that will lift the spirits. A valuable release
that will be one of my ‘Records of the Year’.
Michael
Cookson
BUY NOW
AmazonUK
