Philharmonia Voices & Orchestra
David Trippett conductor
PRIMA FACIE PFCD282
These vivid monumental works will give heart to those who discern the death of romantic pastoralism. Downes’ approach may reflect the teaching of Howells, who regarded him as ‘one of the most effective composers coming to me these days.’
His language, however is not particularly influenced by that of his teacher, although some aspects inevitably surface occasionally. Downes looks back further, forging through-composed works that are filtered through Strauss, Elgar and Wagner, employing tonal and largely triadic harmonies, allied to rich orchestration.
This is an appropriate and effective response to his choice of texts (all provided here), whose lengthy and refulgent Whitmanesque outpourings by Sidney Lanier and William Cullen Bryant necessitate choral writing of transparent consonance: mostly homophonic, frequently directly illustrative.
There is indeed a quantity of programmatic writing throughout, seen not just in picturesque birdsong, evocation of light through tree canopies, or even the poet’s actual journey, but in the more general sweeping phrases that hymn the wide expanses of these American landscapes.
The philosophical musings of Finzi’s Intimations of Immortality are not far away from both of these scores, although Downes’ use of a heldentenor lends The Marshes a much greater immediacy of emotional depth and involvement.
He deploys his orchestra with restraint, but is not afraid to unleash occasional reserves of great power when required. Choirs and orchestra are all first-rate, but although there are passages of genuine beauty here – perhaps too many, we can have excess even of that – the difficulties of sustaining a text of such unchanging ecstasy over thirty minutes are not entirely avoided.
For these reasons, I found Song of the Prairies to be more engaging. Downes’ harmonies seem less derivative here, and more evident, perhaps, of his own language. There is a prominent part for marimba, and the quartet of excellent soloists (especially the soprano, the composer’s daughter, who’s high Bs are memorable) deserve particular praise for negotiating their considerable demands with skill and elegance.
Once again, landscape is the focus, but additional influences are more intriguing, since the work was written for a singing course at Shrewsbury School, and includes some influence of minimalism.
As a result, as Nicky Swett’s excellent notes point out, the juxtaposition of such elements with limpid choral textures occasionally sounds ‘as though the Philip Glass Ensemble has stumbled into a Cambridge Evensong’. This enticing scenario persists to the closing bars, whose two high trumpets suggest not only the lone prairie and quiet cities of Copland but the throbbing landscapes of John Adams. A lively recording adds to the recommendation of this fascinating release.
Review by Andrew Plant