Duncan Honeybourne piano
BRIDGES MUSIC BMCD04
Paul Henley has had a varied career; the earlier portion being concerned with the life of a professional opera singer and he was much involved in performances of contemporary music. However, it was not until he reached the age of 60 that he decided to channel all his energies into composition.
This selection of his piano works includes those written within a 15-year period from 2005. The three sonatas are varied, firmly rooted in tonality and in the long and honourable tradition of British solo piano music. One need only think of the examples by Frank Bridge, John Ireland and Howard Ferguson, as well as the many instances of the genre written by a young Benjamin Britten and regarded by the composer as mere juvenilia.
All three of Henley’s first three Sonatas differ in formal design, with the first adhering most obviously to earlier examples. The second is in a single span, but seven distinct episodes, yet the entire work only lasts for seven minutes. The third sonata is dedicated to the performer on this disc, Duncan Honeybourne and unlike the concise Second Sonata, it is a large-scale work in four movements.
Unusually, in what is often regarded as an abstract form, the movements have titles, ‘Processional’, ‘Moto Perpetuo’, ‘Departure and ‘Danza’. Somewhat perversely, the Suite of 2002 has five movements which are untitled. This brings to attention the one fault I found with this release and that is the timings of individual movements and works were omitted from the information provided.
In all other respects this is a most enjoyable disc. Duncan Honeybourne is a most persuasive interpreter of this music has built an enviable reputation both as a player of contemporary music, but also in rescuing from obscurity works by earlier British composers which have greatly benefited from his advocacy.
I cannot improve on the words of the critic Rob Barnett who, when reviewing a disc of Henley’s music stated that, to be successful, music need not be unique, but ‘it does demand to serve a lowly (comfort) or exalted (inspirational) purpose or both to stand any chance. Henley’s attains that standard…’
Review by Martyn Strachan