Susanne Beer was one of the UK’s leading orchestral cellists and here makes her debut solo album with the extremely talented pianist Gareth Hancock. Diverse works, yet bound in commonality by the cello’s voice-like quality and ability to convey emotion and mood.
Tragically, Susanne died in December 2019, at the age of 52, after a battle with cancer. She will be sadly missed.
A fine recital of 20th century music for flute and piano by English composers including some rare pieces, all melodic and memorable. A special recording as it features the traditional “English” wooden flute rather than the metal flute now more prevalent. Its warm tone embellishes these works even more.
From one of the UK’s most celebrated and accomplished violinists comes a recording of personal favourites in a recital of romantic and lyrical music par excellence. Madeleine Mitchell is enjoying a highly successful career in both recording and live recitals, and her first CD for Divine Art is a joyful celebration of her chosen instrument. With highly accomplished pianist Andrew Ball, and joined in Strauss’s “Morgen” by soprano Elizabeth Watts, winner of the 2007 Recital Prize at the Cardiff “Singer of the World” competition. Included is the first ever recording of the newly-discovered Morceau Caracteristique by Frank Bridge.
John Jeffreys was a 20th century British composer who specialised in music for solo voice and his songs, exemplified by this fine collection, are masterworks of the genre, directly in the tradition inherited from Moeran, Delius, Finzi, and especially Warlock. Beautifully performed by James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook these works are timeless and will have lasting appeal.
Also see Northumberland and Beyond – songs by John Jeffreys on DDV 24128 and Idylls and Elegies – orchestral works on DDA 25082.
Tuneful, exotic, brilliant – the vocal music of Heitor Villa-Lobos encaptures the spirit of Brazil. This recital was recorded in 1972/3 and issued on 3 LP’s, one of which, including the Bachiana Brasileira, won the Grand Prix du Disque in 1973, and was also highly praised by the composer’s widow.
The composers on this disc are part of what is sometimes called “The Lost Generation” – those who because of their Jewish background were prevented from working, deported or imprisoned. While some, such as Korngold, were able to emigrate, Schulhoff, Ullmann and Haas all died in Nazi concentration camps. Much of their music has been re-discovered over the past few years, and this collection includes several world premiere recordings.
Though E.J. Moeran is one of the leading British composers of the 20th century,very little of his music was commercially recorded during his lifetime – this is all of it!
This performance of the Symphony from 1942 is still widely regarded as the best version ever recorded.
CD contains:
String Trio in G major (recorded 1941)
Jean Pougnet, Frederick Riddle, Anthony Pini
Symphony in G minor (recorded 1942)
The Halle Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Heward
Songs:
Diaphenia and The Sweet o’ the Year (recorded 1945)
Heddle Nash (tenor)
O Sweet fa’s the Eve (recorded 1925)
Can’t you Dance the Polka? (recorded 1925)
Sheep Shearing (recorded 1926)
John Goss (baritone) & Cathedral Male Voice Quartet
The music of Szymanowski is lively, thrilling, robust, and exciting. It is also immensely difficult to play, and few artists can cope with its technical demands of bravura and virtuosity. One who can, with consummate skill and musicianship, is Sinae Lee, whose new recording “makes other versions of the complete piano works seem amateurish by comparison” according to pianist Raymond Clarke, whose own disc of Szymanowski sonatas was rightly acclaimed.
RARE BRITISH MUSIC!!
Runner-up, Concerto category, Classic Record Collector Awards 2006
Colin Sauer (violin) with the BBC Northern Orchestra* conducted by Sir Charles Groves:
VIOLIN CONCERTO in D (1934) by Douglas Coates
(live broadcast performance 1951)
Alfredo Campoli (violin) with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult:
VIOLIN CONCERTO (1937-41) by E J Moeran
(live broadcast performance 1954)
* now the BBC Philharmonic
A ONE AND ONLY…
In 1951, the BBC was under the spell of modernism and the Second Viennese School and was awfully dismissive of anything approaching tonality as many veteran composers can attest. So it was that after recording a live broadcast of the unashamedly tuneful and Romantic Violin Concerto by English composer Douglas Coates, the harsh comments about ‘obsolete and meaningless music’ from conductor Charles Groves and the program producers so upset the composer that on his way home he disposed of score and parts (the only copies) into the Thames. As the BBC did not record the concert, the work was totally lost to posterity. Until by a trillion-to-one chance, a collector came across a set of studio acetate discs in a junk shop marked only ‘Coates Concerto’. Long story short – after two years of research and audio restoration of the discs (again the sole copy in existence), producer Stephen Sutton at Divine Art Records was able to release the recording on his Historic Sound label also including a 1950 Adrian Boult performance of the Moeran concerto.
The one and only performance in remarkable though of course ‘vintage’ sound. End of story and a very popular album. Except that a music fan has been in touch with some news: he was born in Coates’ home town; his wife was actually present at the performance (in Manchester), spent time with the composer and conductor, and (having just discovered the said recording) 69 years later, these wonderful people intend to have the score reconstructed (an expert has been identified..) so that this vibrant work can once again see the light of the concert hall. If the reconstruction is successful the plan is for it to be published by Divine Art and hopefully a gala performance will take place in London at some point.
A variety of historic treasures:
SERENADE FOR ORCHESTRA
TROIS RAG CAPRICES
SUITE FROM “MAXIMILIEN”
CINQ ETUDES FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA *
Vienna Symphony Orchestra / Henry Swoboda
*with Paul Badura-Skoda (piano)
SYMPHONIC SUITE No. 2 (Protee)
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Monteux
Little Symphony No. 3
Pougnet, Pini, Kell, Draper & Eskdale, conducted by Walter Goehr
Trio for Violin, Clarinet & Piano
Parrenin, Delecuse & Haas-Hamburger
Graham Whettam’s music has been praised highly for its skillful construction, drama and atmosphere. Here we have two pieces for piano duet and several solo pieces in superb performances by the late Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow.
THE WORLD PREMIÈRE RECORDING of Sir Malcolm Arnold’s wonderful humorous dramatic cantata. With a fine performance of Vaughan William’s beautiful choral work (a Classic FM Hall Of Fame composition) and a rare chance to hear Milhaud’s Suite Française in its full orchestral version.