The sad news was announced in March this year of the death
of the pianist-composer Ronald Stevenson, aged 87. Ronald Stevenson (1928-2015) www.ronaldstevensonsociety.org.uk
was born in Blackburn, Lancashire of Scottish and Welsh ancestry. He studied at
the Royal Manchester College of Music and later at the Conservatorio di Santa
Cecilia in Rome. From 1962 to 1965 he taught composition and piano in the
University of Cape Town. He was a visiting Professor at the Shanghai
Conservatory in 1985 and also performed and gave seminars at the Julliard
School, New York. Stevenson was a Fellow of the Royal Manchester College of
Music.
Ronald Stevenson was a prolific composer having written
orchestral works, concertos, choral music, chamber music, song cycles and a
large number of works for piano. Many of his works for piano take the form of
transcriptions, arrangements or variations on themes of other composers. Indeed
Stevenson’s longest work is his Passacaglia
on DSCH, the personal musical motto of Shostakovich. Stevenson has never
made a distinction between transcription and original composition, perhaps
following on from the practice of composers such as Bach.
I only recently acquired Stevenson’s own 1964 recording of
his Passacaglia on DSCH which shows
just how phenomenal a pianist he was (still available on the Appian label) www.amazon.co.uk/Stevenson-R-Passacaglia-DSCH-Ronald/dp/B000XHBMO8/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1433854195&sr=1-4&keywords=Ronald+Stevenson
Now from Toccata
Classics www.toccataclassics.com
comes Volume One of a series of
recordings of Ronald Stevenson’s piano music. This first release, entitled A Celtic Album, brings works inspired by
the music of Scotland itself and includes a number of first recordings. The
pianist here is Christopher Guild www.christopherguild.co.uk
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| TOCC 0272 |
A Wheen Tunes for
Bairns tae Spiel: Four Scottish Pieces for Piano (1964) (A few Tunes for
Youngsters to Play) opens with Croon to
which Christopher Guild brings a lovely simplicity. In Drone left hand repeated chords provide a drone over which a tune
appears as well as some attractive dissonances. There is a fast moving Reel played with a fine, even flow and
clarity before the brief yet attractive Spiel
concludes.
A Scottish Triptych
(1959-67) is more substantial with deep chords announcing Keening Song for a Makar: In Memoriam
Francis George Scott (1959). Soon an undulating left hand theme arrives, over
which a melodic idea is laid. The music builds in power before a more
introspective passage, freely developed. When the music builds again there are some
tremendous passages, played by Guild with great precision with lovely phrasing
and finely judged tempi. The quiet, introspection returns before a more dynamic
coda.
An unusual staccato theme opens Heroic Song for Hugh MacDiarmid (1967) before progressing into a
longer breathed melody. The music builds through some tremendously powerful
passages, played by this pianist with terrific fluency and panache before
leading to a lovely slow, melancholy section. There are some finely judged dissonances
before the staccato phrases of the opening return in the coda.
Growls from the lower keyboard open Chorale-Pibroch for Sorley MacLean (1967) before a lovely dissonant
Pibroch arises. Guild brings some fine, powerful playing here with some
beautifully delicate moments where plucked piano strings conjure up the Celtic
harp. As the music develops there are some really impressive passages before
strummed piano strings, as the coda arrives. Hushed plucked strings conclude
this quite magical coda.
South Uist (Hebridean)
Folksong Suite (1969) was not published until 1995. The source of the
folksongs used is the book Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist by American
folklorist Margaret Fay Shaw (1903-2004). Sailing
Song: Lively, jolly, robust brings a lively little melody before the
contrasting A Witching Song for the
Milking: Allegro that has a beautiful melody, given such subtle harmonies
by Stevenson. Guild brings a lovely bounce to the rhythmic and fast moving A Little Mouth Music: Allegro alla danza
before handling the varying tempi and rhythms of
A Waulking Song:
Moderato beautifully, bringing just the right degree of fantasy.
The overarching tune of
Spinning Song: Allegro corrente is light and buoyant yet there is an
underlying sadness shown here. A Tired
Mother's Lullaby: Andante stanco brings another lovely melody, slow and
thoughtful and given a lovely ripping flow by Guild before the melancholy poise
of The Christ Child's Lullaby: Andante
semplice.
A Rosary of
Variations on Seán Ó Riada's Irish Folk Mass (1980) takes themes from the
music of the Irish composer Seán Ó Riada (1931-1971) in whose memory the work
was written. Guild brings a lovely freedom to his playing as a fine melody is
revealed, providing some fine control of dynamics and beautifully phrasing.
There are so many wonderful moments to mention in this beautifully played
piece. I defy anyone not to be entranced by this work, especially as played
here in this premiere recording – and what a terrific coda.
Ten of Stevenson’s numerous Scottish Folk Music Settings (1956-1980) were
gathered together in one volume and published by the Ronald Stevenson Society
in 1999. The first John Anderson, my Jo
(1961) (Lento con moto) opens with a lovely, rather tentative theme that
soon develops a flow through some fine passages. This is a little gem,
exquisitely played. Waly, Waly (1959) (Andante)
shows how Stevenson had the ability to develop a simple melody bringing such
fine harmonies and textures. With its subtle Scottish inflections A Rosebud by my Early Walk (1961) (Allegretto)
has moments of heart-rending beauty whereas Lang hae we Pairted Been (1961) (Andante) has a thoughtful opening that
leads to a flowing section with some lovely decorations. Guild’s fine
sensitivity reveals a lovely timeless feel in From an Old Pibroch (1956 rev. 1965) (Allegretto/Andante).
Some beautifully overlaid lines bring a strange beauty Ca' the Yowes (1965) (Andante) before
the lovely breadth of Jock o' Hazeldean
(undated) (Andante fluente) which combines with a melancholic edge, not to
mention some fine dissonances. There is a beautifully paced The Hielan Widow's Lament (1965) (Lento com
moto) before Hard is my Fate (1980) (Moderato
stoico) with its beautifully heart felt Scottish melody and a leisurely Ne'erday Sang (1962 rev. 1963) (Andante
ardente) that develops beautifully and subtly in Guild’s hands.
Christopher Guild proves to be a fine pianist who really has
the feel of these pieces. The slightly reverberant acoustic is nevertheless
very detailed. There are excellent booklet notes.
I await Volume Two with keen anticipation.
Toccata Press have published a highly regarded volume of the
composer entitled Ronald Stevenson - The
Man and His Music - A Symposium www.toccatapress.com/cms/book/ronald-stevenson-man-music.html
See also:
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