Feb 14, 2024 | CD reviews
Britten SinfoniaElizabeth Watts soprano NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6444 This is an extraordinary set of songs by Richard Blackford to poems by Nadia Anjuman (1980-2005). Originally written in Dari, they have been most skilfully translated into English, and the texts...
Jan 23, 2024 | CD reviews
Sinfonia of LondonJohn Wilson conductor CHANDOS CHSA 5324 An odd sort of programme? Well, no. The link is that Berkeley received informal lessons from Ravel and Pounds from Berkeley, so the subtitle of the notes is ‘mentors and pupils’, and the pupils manifestly...
Jan 23, 2024 | CD reviews
Nathan Williamson piano Lyrita SRCD.2431 (3 CDs) It is a brave composer who chooses to write a set of preludes and fugues in all the major and minor keys as, consciously, or subconsciously, instant comparison with the sets by JS Bach and Shostakovich will occur. Just...
Jan 18, 2024 | CD reviews
Piano Sonatas nos. 1 and 3 – Piano Sonata no. 2 (II Adagio) – Five Preludes – Autumn George Rowley piano NAXOS 8.574479 Gurney’s piano music has been slow to emerge on CD. Alan Gravill’s 1990 disc for Gamut (his only commercial issue before his untimely death)...
Jan 17, 2024 | CD reviews
Trevor Alexander baritone Peter Crockford piano Divine art ddx 21114 Let us start with the positives. This is a generous recital of 21 songs composed by English composers, largely in the first half of the 20th century, and includes some outstanding examples like...
Jan 17, 2024 | CD reviews
Lesley-Jane Rogers sopranoJohn Turner recorder Prima Facie PFCD202 Lightly scored for mainly solos and duets, this disc is perfect for a quiet evening in front of a log fire when peace prevails and the listening required is not too demanding. Ronald Stevenson’s music...