I am always pleased
to welcome a new release of music by English composer F L (Laurie) Dunkin Wedd
http://dunkinwedd.com . This new recording from Con Brio http://thethirdrelease.com entitled Sunset Over the Weald includes a work for brass quintet, played
here by the Burrells Brass Quintet, and a number of songs.
 |
| Con Brio CBZ016 |
The Burrells Brass Quintet (Matilda Lloyd www.matildalloyd.com
and Katie Lodge (trumpets), Jake Rowe
(horn) https://joinencore.com/Jake-Rowe
, William Barnes-McCallum (trombone) and Nic Walker (tuba) https://joinencore.com/nicolaswalker
open
Sunset over the Weald with a steady plod as the theme slowly moves forward.
Soon there is a short rhythmic moment before the opening pace returns, slowly
developing with some fine brass textures and timbres. There is another short
rhythmic moment before the music moves ahead with the rhythmic motif
incorporated into the slower plodding theme, thereby finding some momentum and
flow. It moves through passages that constantly develop the theme with, later a
little trumpet ‘fanfare’ before slowly plodding forward again. The music rises
with more force through some distinctive passages before reaching the coda.
This is a most attractive and distinctive work finely played
by this quintet in a recording that is close and immediate.
Harp Song of the Dane
Women for mezzo-soprano and piano proves
to be a really fine setting of a poem by Rudyard Kipling, at times quite
affecting especially when beautifully sung, as it is here by Elspeth Marrow https://twitter.com/elspethmezzo, sensitively accompanied by Christopher Gould http://christophergould.com . It rises in
passion before a lovely coda.
These two artists are nicely recorded in a natural acoustic.
Remember for mezzo-soprano
and piano sets a poem by Christina Rossetti and again features Elspeth Marrow
with Christopher Gould. This song shows just how well this composer is able to
shape the music to the text. There is some lovely phrasing and control of
dynamics from this mezzo who with her accompanist finds every little nuance in
this fine setting. There is a beautifully done gentle coda for piano.
Bass/baritone Roberto
Mancusi www.utm.edu/staff/rmancusi
is joined by pianist Johnathan Vest www.utm.edu/departments/music/faculty.php
for Invictus
a setting of a poem by William Ernest Henley. Mancusi brings a sultry
atmosphere and rich textures in this curious setting that holds the ear with
its sometimes quizzical, often passionate, turns of phrase. Mancusi finds some really
fine deep notes in the coda.
Flowers of Zen
for soprano and piano sets Haiku poems by the Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō translated
by Lucien Stryk. Sung here by Eleanor Meynell www.eleanormeynell.co.uk with
Christopher Gould, piano there is a slow delicate piano opening before the soprano
tentatively enters. Dunkin Wedd is quite masterly in the way he slowly and
gently sets this text, creating a delicate, quite wondrous feel which is perfectly
suited to these poems. Both these artists
deliver an exquisite performance bringing the upmost feeling, sensitivity and
understanding – a real winner.
Three Women’s Poems
from World War One for soprano and piano features poems by Eleanor Farjeon,
Margaret Postgate Cole, and Winifred M Letts. Sung here by Dilys Benson, Easter Monday brings another really fine
setting beautifully sung with much character and feeling with a particularly
fine accompaniment from the wonderful Clifford Benson, rising in passion at the
end. What Reward is a livelier song in
which these performers give all the passion and feeling that one could wish for
in this effective setting. The Veteran
is a quite exquisite setting. Dunkin Wedd knows just how to turn a phrase to
the exact effect to lift the text. Dilys Benson finds so many little nuances
with Clifford Benson providing expert accompaniment especially in the momentary
dissonant chords before a passionate coda for piano.
These three settings really are very fine, finding so much
of the eloquent pathos of the texts. The recorded sound in this last set of
songs has a rather boxy acoustic but in no way mars the enjoyment of this
terrific trio of songs.
This is another fine collection of works by this composer
highlighting the often masterly ability that he has in setting texts. There are
full English texts in the included notes. Whilst having a duration of around 27
minutes this new release sells for around £5.
See also:
No comments:
Post a Comment