One of the most
distinctive voices of present day British music, Mark-Anthony
Turnage mainly made his mark - and still does - with his
many substantial pieces for orchestra and ensemble as well
as his operas. His far from negligible chamber music output
should not be overlooked as some earlier discs (NMC D 024
M and Black Box BBM 1065, the latter reviewed here some
time ago) amply demonstrate. The present release further
confirms that Turnage’s chamber music, while clearly from
the same pen as, say, Three Screaming Popes,
Dispelling the Fears or Silent Cities
sheds different light on his music and reveals a private,
intimate music-making of great refinement and restraint.
Often it displays warm lyricism, although pieces like A
Quiet Life for strings - actually the third panel
of the orchestral trilogy Studies and Elegies
- and Silent Cities had already
generously displayed Turnage’s lyrical gift.
True Life
Stories for piano, composed between 1995 and 1999,
consist of short sketches related to family members and
friends. So, Elegy for Andy (a reworking of some
material from the sixth movement of Blood on the Floor,
Junior Addict in memory of his brother), William’s
Pavane and Edward’s Refrain (dedicated to his
two sons), Song for Sally (i.e. his then publisher
Sally Groves) and Tune for Toru (originally a short
tribute to Toru Takemitsu). None of these short, expressive
pieces outstays its welcome, neither do the Two Vocalises
for cello and piano, a shorter, simpler sequel to the somewhat
earlier Sleep On.
In Slide
Stride for piano quintet, Turnage wrote some more
virtuosic stuff for piano to compensate , as it were, for
the often deceptive simplicity of the True Life Stories.
As in so many other pieces of his, Turnage pays tribute
to Jazz and Blues without ever falling into parody or blunt
imitation. It is not surprising that this piece is dedicated
to Richard Rodney Bennett.
The somewhat
earlier This Silence for small ensemble (clarinet,
oboe, horn and string quintet) is in two clearly delineated
movements Dance and Dirge. It contains some
of his finest music.
Eulogy
for viola and ensemble is a beautiful miniature viola concerto,
in which the subtle scoring for small ensemble allows the
viola to sing in total freedom in its most expressive register
without being obscured by the accompaniment. As far as I
am concerned, this is the finest work in this selection
and a real minor masterpiece.
The Cantilena
for oboe quintet is another little gem, a sort of song without
words of perfect proportions. It develops almost effortlessly
with remarkable inner logic, although as in all the other
works here straightforward, unsentimental expression is
paramount.
The most recent
work here is Two Baudelaire Songs for soprano
and seven players. This fully demonstrates Turnage’s lyrical
gifts and the scoring beautifully responds to Baudelaire’s
verbal imagery.
These performances
by the Nash Ensemble, who are among Turnage’s staunchest
champions (both the NMC and the Black Box discs feature
the Nash Ensemble), cannot be bettered. All the soloists
perform beautifully with conviction and commitment. Everyone
here plays the music for all it is worth and is in tune
with the intimate, personal music-making of Turnage’s chamber
music. Without this facet our assessment of the composer’s
achievement would be incomplete. Some have described Turnage’s
music as brash (which it can be) or vulgar (which, to my
mind, it never is). His chamber music is all subtlety and
refinement. All in all, a splendid and highly rewarding
release.
Hubert
Culot
Sally Matthews (soprano)c;
The Nash Ensemble; Ian Brown (piano)abe; Gareth Hulse (oboe)f;
Lawrence Power (viola)d; Paul Watkins (cello)e;
Lionel Friend
