What a delightful disc this is: English string and orchestral
music from Butterworth, Parry and Bridge. The English String
Orchestra was founded in 1978 by conductor William Boughton.
On this release it is augmented by woodwind and brass contingents.
All three composers here have connections to the Royal College
of Music where Parry and Stanford were leading lights in the
so-called English Music Renaissance. Both taught and molded
more than two generations of pupils from Britain and the Commonwealth.
English folk-dancing was George Butterworth’s hobby as well
as collecting folk songs. As a student at the RCM for a short
time he may have studied under Stanford; certainly he would
have been influenced by the great Irishman’s circle. In the
Great War Butterworth enlisted as a Private, progressed to 2nd
Lieutenant and was awarded the Military Cross. Sadly he was
killed by a sniper’s bullet at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
With his life ending tragically before its time aged only 31
Butterworth’s output, mainly songs, is relatively small though
of high quality. All of his orchestral music is contained here;
some twenty-five minutes of it in total.
After some indecision Butterworth finally settled on A Shropshire
Lad as the title for his 1911rhapsody for orchestra. The
principal theme in this compellingly beautiful score is taken
from Butterworth’s own song Loveliest of Threes. The
writing is evocative of cool early morning mist over fenland.
I admire the way a surge of weighty string sound covers and
disperses the mist. Composed in 1910/11 both the English
Idyll No. 1 and the English Idyll No. 2 use Sussex
folk songs; some of which Butterworth had himself collected.
It was Hugh Allen who conducted the first performance of the
Two English Idylls at Oxford in 1912. Undemanding and
rather bland in truth the First English Idyll could
easily be a depiction of village life in his beloved Sussex.
Highly melodic, the Second English Idyll feels like
a relaxing stroll through a tree-lined country lane. The idyll
The Banks of Green Willow is a highly evocative work
from 1913. It was Butterworth’s last completed score. A year
later a young Adrian Boult introduced the work at West Kirby
on the Wirral. Overflowing with folk themes this highly accomplished
and inventive score is Butterworth’s finest work. I especially
enjoyed the verdant colours from the accomplished woodwind.
There is much to admire in the beautifully played accounts of
the Butterworth works from the London Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. Recorded in 1975 the disc is
available on Lyrita SRCD245 (c/w Warlock An old song,
Hadley One morning in spring, Howells Procession;
Elegy; Music for a Prince).
A quintessential English gentleman Sir Charles Hubert Hastings
Parry was steeped in the Austro-German symphonic tradition.
Renowned for his connection with the RCM Parry taught at the
college from its foundation in 1883 and became its director
in 1895. He served there until his death. He wrote the Lady
Radnor Suite as a commission for his close friend Helen,
Countess of Radnor for the chamber orchestra that she conducted.
Countess Helen introduced the six movement Suite in
1894 at St. James Hall, London. The neo-baroque Lady Radnor
Suite is a dignified score strong on polished elegance.
Notable is the affectionate and generally lively Prelude.
Stately in feel the Bourrée has a degree of reserve
while warmly convivial Gigue is briskly spirited.
Frank Bridge is best known today as the teacher of Benjamin
Britten a factor that greatly overlooks his prowess as a composer.
It was at the RCM that Bridge took composition lessons with
Stanford. At the College Bridge was a contemporary of Vaughan
Williams, Butterworth, Holst, Howells and Gurney. Cast in four
movements the Suite for Strings in E minor from 1909/10
received little attention until the composer conducted the score
at a Henry Wood Promenade Concert at the Queen’s Hall, London.
I particularly admire the melodically rich Intermezzo
movement - reassuring and engaging music. The Nocturne
radiates a calm disposition on the surface but has shadowy undertones.
By far the stand-out piece is the memorably appealing and sunlit
Finale. The Finale inhabits a very similar
sound world to string masterpieces from two other Stanford protégées:
the Elegy from Edgar Bainton’s Three Pieces for
Orchestra (1918) and the Minuet from John Ireland’s
A Downland Suite (1932), the latter arranged for strings
by Geoffrey Bush.
There’s a splendidly expressive account of the Suite for
Strings from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted
by Richard Hickox. It was recorded in 2003 at the Brangwyn Hall,
Swansea and is available on Chandos CHAN 10246 (c/w The
Hag; Two Songs of Robert Bridges; Two Intermezzi
from 'Threads'; Two Old English Songs;
Valse Intermezzo à cordes; Todessehnsucht;
Sir Roger de Coverley).
Beautifully played and recorded this disc of English music offers
fine performances of sympathy and expression. The players of
the English String Orchestra under William Boughton have an
appealing timbre and impressive unison. This winning Nimbus
CD should be in the collection of every lover of English music.
Michael Cookson
English String Orchestra/William Boughton