Garth was a Durham
man and an active proponent of music
in his county. He was also an able cellist
who published his own set of Six Concertos
in 1760 though they were certainly written
before that; he’d performed an unidentified
concerto as early as 1753. They’re all
written in a conventional three-movement
form, with a ritornello structure, and
show the strong influence of C.P.E.
Bach and maybe even of Haydn in places;
there are also debts to his English
contemporary Avison. Appropriately the
performers here are members of The Avison
Ensemble.
An adept composer,
he had an especially fine ear for lyric
slow movements, which he vests with
considerable gravity and breadth of
utterance. The D major is a case in
point and is followed by a buoyant and
extrovert Gigue. The Affetusoso
central movement of the B flat major
(No.2 – as No.4 is also in the same
key) has a strongly dignified profile
that embraces almost Italianate lyricism
in places. The finale of this concerto
is by contrast witty, athletic and sports
an energetic pizzicati episode full
of incident and ear catching turns of
phrase. The Andante of the A major has
both elegance and gravity in the C.P.E.
Bach mould.
The orchestration throughout
is sound, unimpeachable, and the small
ensemble forces – two violins, viola,
cello, bass, and harpsichord – offer
Richard Tunnicliffe sterling support.
This is especially true in the rather
advanced opening movement of the Fifth
Concerto in D minor, which seems to
me the most forward looking of all the
concerti, and a thoroughly distinguished
composition. As for the single most
beautiful movement perhaps one could
suggest the Siciliana of the
last concerto in G major for its melancholy
beauty clothed in the gentlest beauty.
The recording was made
in The Picture Gallery, Paxton Hoise,
Berwick upon Tweed and it sounds highly
sympathetic and attractive. Tunnicliffe
bears the soloistic responsibilities
lightly. His accomplishment is to characterise
these concertos with individuality,
to bring them to life with a strong
sense of their character but without
exaggerating their relatively modest
span. He also manages to do so with
real flair and technical surety.
Jonathan Woolf
see also review
by John
Sheppard
Richard Tunnicliffe (cello) 
