There’s some diverting
biographical material in the booklet
for this eclectic release. Recorder
player Evelyn Nallen is a former world
champion Irish dancer and David Gordon,
who plays harpsichord throughout, specialises
in improvisation, both in baroque and
jazz ensembles. They form one half of
a quartet, ‘Respectable Groove’ (with
bass and percussion) and this disc is
their first recording of what is referred
to as contemporary and fully notated
music.
The range is certainly
there. David Gordon contributes one
piece, there’s a major work by Henk
Badings, there are commissions and works
dedicated to Nallen, such as the Rütti
Sonatina, there are interesting discoveries
or retrievals such as Herbert Murrill
and Martin Shaw – and there’s the great
Rubbra Passacaglia as well. So plenty
of mid to late twentieth century variety.
The earliest work is Shaw’s 1941 Air
and Variations and the most recent is
the Gordon piece that gives the disc
its diverting title. So let’s start
there. Tipula is the Latin name for
a daddy-long-legs and Le Tombeau d’une
Tipula is a six movement suite devoted
to its life, death and – nice touch
this – ascension. Gordon’s a broad-minded
composer, employing a rock-jazzy patina
to describe the terpsichorean insect,
a calypso song and a Baptist churchy
atmosphere (Alarm) – think of a cross
between Keith Jarrett and Carla Bley
and you’re in the right area. The struggle
and death of the creature is mordantly
descriptive and the Ascension is accompanied
by rippling heavenly figuration.
Badings’ 1957 Sonata
is a strong piece, opening with a motoric,
scampering harpsichord against which
the recorder battles in vain. In the
slow movement the harpsichord turns
supportive, chordal, now following the
recorder’s lament whilst in the finale
things turn elliptical and reflective.
The recorder is now flying over the
harpsichord’s ominous trajectory of
chord placement. There are plenty of
emotive states here in the unusual combination
of instrumental voices. Panufnik’s is
a particularly concentrated and introspective
work whereas Poos’ is a series of variations
on Greensleeves – that fits the combination
very well. As for the short-lived Herbert
Murrill, programme organiser at the
BBC, his work was one of many inspired
by the Dolmetsch connection – in this
case Carl. A bright four movement sliver
of a sonata it’s neo-classical, harmonically
diverting, with a plangent Largo and
a perky Presto; extremely well written.
The Rütti Sonatina
is engaging and quirky with a nice piece
of bird balladry embedded (the bird
spies the lovers) and a frolicsome jig
to finish. One can never hear the noble
unfolding of Plusieurs regrets too
often – with Rubbra, as ever, the passacaglia
flows as inexorably as a river. Shaw’s
gentle piece is attractive.
I’ve not heard of this
label before but the sound is naturally
balanced, the notes concise, and the
repertoire has a quirky independence
to it. Worth looking into.
Jonathan Woolf
Evelyn Nallen (recorder) 