RECORDING OF THE MONTH RECORDING OF THE MONTH BARGAIN OF THE MONTH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS A London Symphony Oboe Concerto £11 post free World-wide RACHMANINOV Elegy, Preludes, Piano concerto 3 £12 post free World-wide CHAUSSON, DEBUSSY RACHMANINOV TRios 2CDs £16 post free World-wide

Dunelm Records

Ronald STEVENSON (b. 1928) Rhapsody: Lyric music of Ronald Stevenson Three Lyric Pieces (1947–50) (Vox Stellarum (1947) [5:01]; Chorale Prelude for Jean Sibelius (1948) [6:01]; Andante sereno (1950) [5:31]) Three Nativity Pieces (1949): (Gold: Children’s March [3:56]; Frankincense: Arabesque [6:30]; Myrrh: Elegiac Carol [4:34]) Symphonic Elegy for Liszt (1986) [14:15] A Carlyle Suite (1995) (Aubade (Morning Song) [2:01]; Souvenir de Salon: Jane Welsh Carlyle listens to Chopin [6:42]; Variations – Study in historical styles on a theme by Frederick the Great Theme (8 bars) & I. In Baroque style [0:46]; II. In Rococo style [0:47]; III. In Romantic style [0:43]; IV. In Impressionist style [1:17]; V. Expressionist style [2:07]; VI. Sketch for a new classicality [1:36]; Scherzino – Schottische : Jeannie’s Wit [1:17]; Serenade (Evening Song) [1:58]) Scottish Folk Music Settings for Piano (c.1959-65)  (2. Waly, waly [2:55]; 3. A rosebud by my Early Walk [2:18]; 8. The Hielan Widow’s Lament [2:12]; 9. Hard is my fate [2:56]; 10. Ne’erday Sang [2:56]) Sheena Nicoll (piano) rec. The Whiteley Hall, Chethams School of Music, Manchester, 19-20 April 2006 DUNELM RECORDS DRD0268 [78:18]

More of Stevenson’s piano music now finds its determined way onto CD and it’s in safe hands. The Three Lyric Pieces are early works. Vox stellarum strikes slow motion incandescence off the conflicting harmonies while the Chorale Prelude for Jean Sibelius is sombre and bell-grumblingly dark. The final Andante Sereno is peppery yet thoughtful. Also early is the set of Three Nativity Pieces with a gawky limping march full of character, a crystal-glinting waltz with a slow liquid scintillation and a regretful Pierrot carol. The Symphonic Elegy for Liszt is deeply serious and at its climax rings out in granitic majesty - a tipping point between Hungarian song and Highlands Gaelic. Erik Chisholm would have loved this. The Carlyle Suite was written for this soloist who at the time lived in Ecclefechan, Thomas Carlyle’s birthplace. It is in eight movements incorporating a set of variations. There’s a grave aubade, a lyrically-loaded Souvenir de Chopin subtitled Jane Welsh Carlyle listens to Chopin. The Scherzino plays wittily with the shrouds of what sounds like a chuckling romantic song from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The sun sets into a glimmering twilight which rather like the Vox Stellarum sometimes recalls the astral-encrusted firmaments of Urmis Sisask. The Scottish folk music settings are delicate yet durably strong. The composer’s hallmark is there: an interplay between chiming melody in the high register and an almost suave velvety level of activity in the bass. Melody is to the fore as so often with Stevenson and always presented with a subtle yet never effete poetry. The liner notes are by Stevenson’s friend and evangelising scholar Colin Scott-Sutherland who edited the book on Ronald Stevenson - The Man and His Music (see review). This is a finely documented disc and the booklet has been well designed. This is music that predominantly wheels in a kaleidoscope of constant slow motion amid velvet-buffered gentle dissonances. Rob Barnett Other Stevenson reviews: Songs: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/May03/ae_gowden.htm DSCH: Gasser: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2001/Apr01/stevenson.htm McLachlan: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Mar04/stevenson_DSCH.htm String quartet: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/Nov03/Bodorova_Stevenson.htm Piano Music of Scotland: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/dec98/scott.html http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/dec98/scottish.html   Advertising Rates Visitor stats MusicWeb International has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer Discs received Having a problem Donating? Gerard Hoffnung Concerts & The Bricklayer Story MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues: Prices include postage There will be NO VAT Rises [Acte Préalable £13.50] [Arcodiva £12.00] [Avie from £6.25] [British Music Society £12.00] [CDACCORD from £13.50 ] [ClassicO £12.50] [Hallé from £11] [Heritage £10] [Hortus £14.99 ] [Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ] [Nimbus Special prices] [Northern Flowers £13.50] [REDCLIFFE £11 ] [Sheva £11] [Tactus £11.50 ] [Talent from £12.00 ] [Toccata Classics £10.50 ] Musicweb Special Offers Monthly Best Buys   New Releases New Releases   MusicWeb sells the Polish catalogue CDAccord £10.50 post free W-W MusicWeb sells the Arcodiva catalogue £12.00 post free W-W £11.75 post-free world- wide     Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.  Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Return to Index

Reviews from previous months Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.