Bringing Britain’s musical heritage alive
Founded in 1979, the British Music Society is dedicated to promoting and preserving Britain’s musical heritage with particular emphasis on 20th century composers through recordings, publications and eventsLatest features & reviews
Glasgow Bells: Organ Music by Alan Gibb & Friends
The first three works are unusual since they use different instruments along with the organ. The first of these gives its title to the CD as a whole. It is Glasgow Bells.
Based on an earlier composition by Gibbs, Glasgow Toccata, it brings together master organist Kevin Bowyer famed for his prowess with ‘very difficult music’, and celebrated percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie.
Loquacious: Music by Peter Fender
The very slim booklet note contains just the three song texts and a few minimal words from the composer about the music, so I had to go to his several websites to discover that he is a conductor and composer who works with ensembles in London and Sussex, and abroad such as in Bulgaria and Italy.
British Song: Holst, Clarke, Gurney & Bridge
The first of a three-disc series, much of this repertoire will be familiar to BMS members, although as Nathan Williamson points out in his informative and enthusiastic notes, it remains under-appreciated.
LENNOX BERKELEY: Complete Piano Music
Berkeley wrote piano music from the mid-1920s to a few years before he died in 1989, but these two CDs contain less than two hours’ music.
This is a quite comprehensive survey, but should it be called The Complete Piano Works when there are others for piano four hands?
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Job/Songs of Travel
Here Ralph Vaughan Williams fervently reveals why one of his most communicative works is reverently worshipped by all. That potent Elder-Hallé combination unashamedly revels in this musical extravaganza.
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Folk Songs Volume 1
Music aficionados who voraciously feed off the charming wit and harmonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams would do well to take note of this first of a series of releases which encompass the composer’s lifetime passion for folk songs.