Despite working for Musical Opinion for a number of years
and taking hack work his financial circumstances were always poor. Yet despite
all the setbacks Brian, with his determined and, in many ways, obsessive
attitude wrote thirty two symphonies, five operas, over thirty miscellaneous
orchestral works, two concertos, works for voices and orchestra and a number of
piano works.
It is his piano works
that feature on a new release from the enterprising Cameo Classics label www.wyastone.co.uk/all-labels/cameo-classics.html
. Billed as the complete music for
piano, Peter Hill www.sheffield.ac.uk/music/staff/academic/peterhill
, renowned for his performances and
recordings of the piano music of Olivier Messiaen, brings his superb
musicianship to performances that give an insight into another part of Brian’s
creative genius.
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| CC9016CD |
Three of the works on this disc, the Prelude and Fugue in C
minor, Double Fugue in E flat major and Prelude and Fugue in D minor/major date
from 1924 but were developed from studies written around the time Brian was
composing his massive Gothic Symphony (1919-27).
The first on this disc is the Prelude and Fugue in C minor (1924). It is tonally free and beautifully
constructed with Peter Hill bringing out all the structural intricacies of this
work. Such are the attractions of this work that I am surprised it has not become
a popular piece in recitals. The Fugue in particular is quite unusual, having the
sound of Shostakovich, though his 24 Preludes and Fugues didn’t appear until
the 1950s, some 26 years later.
At over 15 minutes in duration, the Double Fugue in E flat major (1924) is even more of an achievement.
Again there is an advanced sound world around which Brian constructs this fine
double fugue Peter Hill’s ability to pace this music, drawing out all the
musical lines is impressive. Yet again, this is a very individual work, at
times rather sprawling but never without interest in Hill’s hands.
The March from
Turandot (1950-51) has nothing to do with Puccini’s famous opera but one by
Brian of the same name. Brian worked on a number of operas over his
compositional lifetime. Turandot remained
unperformed.
This piece opens rather darkly and hesitantly as the march
rhythm slowly emerges from the textures. It retains certain dark qualities
throughout its length with a number of changes of rhythm. The music develops
some striking passages of some complexity, brilliantly executed by Hill. This
is a really terrific piece.
It was, no doubt, Brian’s interest in 16th/17th century music that brought about his Prelude, John Dowland’s Fancy (1934), a little gem, overlaying Brian’s style on that of earlier models and into which the feel of the Preludes intrudes.
Four Miniatures
(1918-20) include a strange, fleeting little Allegro that rises a number of times from slower sections, only to
end quietly; The Land of Dreams: Lento
tranquillo e sempre rubato that roams quietly around in an attractive
melody, often dreamlike, sometimes more animated; a leisurely Andante e grazioso, with little rhythmic
interruptions, that builds to a climax before the return of the opening
leisurely pace and The Birds: Andantino
tranquillo e sempre rubato, another leisurely little piece with rhythmic
phrases and trills.
The opening Prelude
of the Prelude and Fugue in D
minor/major (1924) gently rises up in a forward flowing melody. Soon there
is a more forceful section before the music falls back. The Fugue opens slowly and quietly,
maintaining its tranquillity. Eventually it increases in intensity, with some
terrifically complex passages, brilliantly played by Hill.
There is a spoken commentary over each of the Three Illuminations (1916). Satirical
in nature The Boys and the Pastille relates
to the antics that can occur to and around a church organist and congregation
including such gems as ‘…the organist has gone to war and the deputy was only
sure of two pedals – the bottom one and the 5th above’.
The Butterfly’s Waltz
is a musical description of a butterfly’s movements and its adventures whereas Venus and a Bobby mocks the nocturnal escapades of a policeman and
a beautiful woman he spies in a lit window.
Written just before his opera The Tigers (1917-29), these
are slight but entertaining pieces.
Peter Hill’s performances are excellent with many insights
into this singular composers smaller scale works. The recording is warm but full
of detail.
There are useful booklet notes by the late Harold Truscott (1914-1992). Cameo Classics must be thanked for bringing these recordings
to us.
See also:
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