Gordon Crosse was
born in 1937 in Bury, Lancashire, England.
After gaining a first class honours degree at Oxford, he undertook two
years’ research on early fifteenth-century music. He has since held various
appointments at the Universities of Birmingham and Essex, and was for two years
Composer-in-Residence at King’s College, Cambridge. In 1976 he returned to his
home in Suffolk to devote all his time to composition. He did, however, spend
1977 as Visiting Professor in Composition at the University of California. Much
of Crosse’s work reflects his interest in the dramatic and literary arts.
Crosse’s works include four operas (of which The Story of
Vasco was premièred at the London Coliseum, and Purgatory recorded by Argo),
choral works, music theatre, orchestral works and chamber works. In 1986 he was
commissioned to write a work for trumpet and strings for the BBC Proms and in
1990 a large-scale choral and orchestral piece for the Scottish National Chorus
and Orchestra was premièred in Glasgow.
This new release,
entitled Mixed Doubles, from Metier
www.divine-art.co.uk/metierhome.htm features
three of Gordon Crosse’s works, Brief
Encounter, for oboe d’amore, recorder and strings, his Concerto for viola and strings with French horn and his Fantasia on Ca’ the Yowes, for recorder,
harp and strings. Together with Sir John Manduell’s Flutes concerto for flautist, harp, strings and percussion and Double concerto, for oboe, cor anglais,
strings and percussion.
msv 77201 2CDs |
The Manchester
Sinfonia www.manchestersinfonia.co.uk conducted by Timothy Reynish www.timreynish.com is joined by Michael Cox
(flute) www.londonsinfonietta.org.uk/artist/michael-cox , Richard Simpson (oboe) www.divine-art.com/AS/richardsimpson.htm , Alison Teale (cor anglais) www.alisonteale.com , John Turner (recorder) www.divine-art.com/AS/johnturner.htm , Matthew Jones (viola) www.rwcmd.ac.uk/other/biography/strings/violin/mathew_jones.aspx and Anna Christensen (harp) www.harpgear.net/harp_home.html
Brief Encounter for
oboe d’amore, recorder and strings (2009) opens beautifully with the lovely
sound of the oboe d’amore blending exquisitely with the recorder. There is a
distinctive two note motif that seems to reflect the word ‘goodbye’ and the two
solo instruments often seem to have a conversation, at times talking over each
other. The music grows slightly more agitated in the faster central section but
the music is never less than melancholy, eventually returning to the slow, opening
melody. This is a lovely work, really quite
unusual and beautifully played by Richard Simpson and John Turner.
Crosse’s Concerto for
viola and strings with French horn (2009) is not a double concerto, the horn only appearing in the last
movement to reinforce the strings. The Prelude:
Andante calmo – più mosso – vivace
opens with the rich sound of the viola before the orchestra joins developing
this somewhat timeless sounding melody, a modern take on a traditional English
modal theme. There is fine playing from Matthew Jones in some of the more
taxing writing that later develops. The second movement, Song: lento semplice – più mosso – lento, brings a glorious melody,
apparently salvaged from an earlier trumpet concerto. Here the viola brings an earnestness
to the music, the viola playing an anguished motif against the static
orchestra. The Finale: Vivace has strongly
rhythmic music that brings a grittier feel to the finale, though the music
retains a softer underlying melody. After a broader passage the rhythmic
opening theme re-appears. As the music moves towards the coda, a passionate
viola melody is heard against ethereal strings, reinforced by a horn.
This is a particularly strong work that contains some
glorious music with distinctive textures and colours.
Crosse’s Fantasia on Ca’ the Yowes for recorder, harp and
strings further indicates this composer’s ability to provide many lovely, unusual
sonorities and textures. He gives us this strikingly beautiful work for the
unusual combination of recorder, harp and strings, a somewhat magical piece
conjuring up the feeling of ancient times, finely played by John Turner and Anna
Christensen with the strings of the Manchester Sinfonia.
The music rises to a brief central climax that precedes a
livelier section developing to a brooding, weightier, slow section that gives
way to a gentle coda.
Sir John Manduell, born in Johannesburg, South Africa in
1928, studied at the University of Strasbourg, Jesus College, Cambridge and the
Royal Academy of Music with Lennox Berkeley. He joined the BBC in 1956 as a
producer, becoming Head of Music for the Midlands and East Anglia in 1961 before
returning to London in 1964. In 1968 he left the BBC to become Programme
Director of the Cheltenham Festival, a position he held for 25 years. Manduell has
held several positions of prestige at leading institutions including Director
of Music at University of Lancaster and Principal of the Royal Northern College
of Music. Other appointments have included President of the European
Association of Conservatoires, President of the British Arts Festival
Association and President of the National Association of Youth Orchestra His
compositions consist mainly of chamber and orchestral works. The String Quartet, ‘Prayers from the Ark’
and Double Concerto were all
commissioned by the Cardiff Festival and his ‘Vistas’ was commissioned by the
Halle Orchestra and Kent Nagano.
Manduell’s Flutes
concerto for flautist, harp, strings and percussion (2000) is so titled due
to the three flutes used in the work, a normal concert flute, an alto flute and
a piccolo. Again, this is not a double concerto, as such, despite the harp
having a prominent role. A swaying string theme opens the Vivo – lento before the harp enters against pizzicato strings.
Quietly and gently the flute can be heard behind the strings in the distance
before moving to a more prominent position with the orchestra. As the music
becomes livelier there is percussion to add colour and interest. There are some
lovely sparkling passages for flute and, as the music slows, some beautifully effective
timbres. I like the way Manduell uses the harp to decorate the music between
the flute passages. Eventually there is a short solo section for flute, almost
a mini cadenza and, towards the end, percussion join before a lively, flowing
coda where the harp makes another appearance before short notes on the flute
bring an end.
The Quasi adagio
has a gently flowing opening with celeste and harp appearing before the alto
flute enters in this strangely dark meditative movement. There is some really lovely
playing from Malcolm Cox and Anna Christensen.
In the Adagio –
allegretto – languido low strings, the rainstick and rippling harp
arpeggios open the movement before the piccolo enters leading to a delicate
solo passage. The orchestra enters, followed by the harp, leading to a livelier
section with flute and drums. As the music returns to a slower, quieter
section, the alto flute enters. The harp
enters before the flute and orchestra return in this lovely passage. The magical
coda arrives quietly with the return of the opening sound of the rainstick.
Manduell’s Double
concerto, for oboe, cor anglais, strings and percussion (1985/2012) has the
rare combination of oboe and cor anglais. The Quasi adagio – allegro molto opens with quiet orchestral string
sounds and a marimba before the oboe enters before being joined by the cor
anglais to weave a faster flowing melody. As the music progresses the oboe and
cor anglais weave around each other. There is a brief percussion section with
marimba before the oboe enters, followed by the cor anglais, weaving around each
other in a lovely section. This leads to a vigorous orchestral passage which,
together with the solo instruments brings the movement to an end.
Adagio molto. Passionate
strings open before the oboe enters. There is a repeat of the opening with
glissandi strings before the cor anglais, then the oboe, take the melody. There
are some lovely string and percussion sounds in a delicate, quiet section
before the music becomes more flowing as both instruments enter. The quiet
reflective mood returns, though a louder percussive section interrupts a number
of times before the strange and delicate string and percussion sounds return to
accompany the oboe and cor anglais to the coda.
The Allegro vivo
has a percussive opening with the two instrumentalists entering against this
percussiveness. Throughout, the percussive nature of the music breaks out even
though there is a quiet, more delicate passage part way through. Eventually the
music makes its way to a frantic coda ending a work that gets a terrific
performance from Richard Simpson and Alison Teale.
The Manchester Sinfonia under Timothy Reynish gives
wonderful performances throughout and the recordings made at St Thomas’ Church,
Stockport, England are excellent. All the recordings were made in the presence
of the composers.
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