Roxburgh’s Clarinet
Concerto is a substantial work in three movements
played without a break. Here the composer attempts “to reflect
the wide range of colour, expressive beauty of tone, virtuosity
and deep sensitivity of the instrument” (his own words reprinted
in the insert notes). He has been fully successful: this beautifully
written clarinet concerto exploits the expressive range of
the instrument to the full, without making it a mere display
of empty virtuosity. The three movements are varied in mood,
texture and character, all to pleasing and musically satisfying
effect. The music unfolds leisurely, but irrepressibly builds
to a mighty climax in the third movement signalled by a series
of irregular massive chords leading into an brilliant accompanied
cadenza capped by an abrupt conclusion. Listening to music
such as this, especially in as fine a performance as this,
one cannot but wonder why this splendid work is not heard
more often. Roxburgh’s music is clearly modern, but not extravagantly
so, and on the whole is accessible. Quoting the composer again,
“it is essentially a romantic work ... composed in the belief
that it is wholly subjective, like the listener’s response”.
Saturn
is another substantial piece, a sort of theme and ten variations
for orchestra and live electronics (tape delay, controlled
feedback and ring modulation) used discretely but to telling
effect. It has nothing to do with Holst’s own vision of Saturn,
although the composer admits that he made it “a tribute to
Holst ... by basing the harmonic structure on his Saturn
chord. No prizes for those who detect this!” It was actually
triggered by photographs received from the Voyager II spacecraft
during its voyage past Saturn. “I was compelled by the notion
that the mythological name of the planet had become a misnomer
in view of the incredible beauty and remarkable geometry of
the satellites.” Saturn has seventeen satellites, some of
which are evoked in the variations that make up Saturn.
“The music begins with a representation of the rings and
shepherds establishing the harmonic and modal matrix for
the free variations that follow”. The last variation - and
the longest - functions as a summing-up of the preceding sections.
It even includes a forceful cadenza-like episode for percussion
and then brings in the whole gamut of orchestra and electronics
in a vivid portrait of the planet. This finally chimes away
calmly into vast empty spaces. The music is remarkably varied
and imaginative, with vivid scoring, discretely enhanced by
the live electronics and calling for modern playing techniques
such as multiphonics. This should not put anybody off, for
the music possesses a formidable expressive strength. This
performance by the youngsters of the Hertfordshire County
Youth Orchestra is quite simply stunning. These young players
play with all their hearts in a complex, challenging and highly
rewarding score. In fact, having heard one of their earlier
recordings including a splendid performance of Britten’s Sinfonia
da Requiem as well as another recent score by Nicholas
Sackman (Cecilia dances), I was not really surprised
by their excellence and commitment, but I am nevertheless
impressed.
I had never heard
any of Roxburgh’s music before; but I am now really looking
forward to hearing more of it. In short, this is a splendid
release which will hopefully trigger some interest for his
music.
Hubert Culot
Linda Merrick (clarinet)a;
RNCM Symphony Orchestraa; Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestrab;
Edwin Roxburgha, Peter Starkb
