An English Pastoral
Chu-Yu Yang (violin)
Eric McElroy (piano)
rec. 2024, St Mark’s Church, Marylebone, London
SOMM Recordings SOMMCD0700 [76]
This is a delightful CD of music by English composers played by Taiwanese violinist Chu-Yu Yang and the composer/pianist Eric McElroy. The first of these is a composer who is, in my view, significantly underrated and unappreciated: Ian Venables.
Quoting from a previous review by my colleague John Quinn “I’ve long felt that Ian Venables is one of the most significant composers of English song over the last fifty years or more. Not only is he a worthy heir to Butterworth, Finzi, Gurney and, of course, Vaughan Williams himself, but he has also carried on that tradition and significantly enriched it.” My first encounter with Venables was Midnight Lamentation on the Severn & Somme CD with the fabulous baritone Roderick Williams and Susie Allan on piano; it’s another Somm recording SOMMCD057 reviewed here. Midnight lamentation was Venables’ very first song written in 1974 – when he was just nineteen, his first piece for voice and only his sixth work in total. The lyrics are written by Harold Munro; Venables’ setting of it is profoundly moving and lyrical with simple harmonies which enhance the tragic beauty of the words. In addition, Venables has written just over sixty works for a variety of ensembles, two of which are included on this release.
To quote from the CD brochure notes written by Chu-Yu Yang, “Venables’s music is often associated with the English pastoral tradition, yet it defies easy categorisation. His works draw on a lineage that includes Gurney, Bliss and Finzi, yet they incorporate modernist elements, creating a style that is uniquely his own.” The first of his works on this recording is the two-movement Sonatafrom 1989 which is marked Lento – Andante – Lento. It has a structure that enhances its reflective atmosphere. The same melody is repeated by both instruments at times in an introspective way and at others in a more assertive manner. It is a very adept, most pleasing piece of composition. The second movement marked Allegro scherzando – Andante – Allegro is very different, requiring as it does virtuosic playing. It begins with upbeat, bright play between the two instruments; it then slows down and we hear a mixture of dance-like music alongside slow lyrical sections. It ends with a competitive finale between the instruments.
Venables second work on the CD is 3 Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.11. Pastorale begins with a slow, serene melody before a more intense section and then the graceful music of the beginning returns. Romance reminds me somewhat of the melancholy and longing that Finzi’s music can bring; it’s beautiful, serene and leaves a feeling of an unsatisfactory resolution to long held desires. Dance is much more lively than its two predecessors; its full of energy and leaves the listener in perhaps a more upbeat mood.
To continue the connection with Gerald Finzi, the next work is Finzi’s Elegy Op. 22. He is perhaps best known for his over 100 works for soloist or choir but his instrumental pieces – e.g. eclogue and his clarinet concerto – are equally rich and melodic. His work is often described as beautiful, but underneath, it has the air of an emotional landscape suggesting an unrequited longing for things lost and this must be partly influenced by the death of three of his brothers in the 1914 – 18 war. His Elegy is a perfect illustration of this; there’s beauty and sadness throughout the work, yet the rustic peace is contrasted with writing for the piano that brims with harmonic dissonance, mirroring an inner turmoil. This is Finzi at his best.
Finzi was a towering figure in English music not only as composer but also through his efforts to preserve the works of others. On hearing soprano Elsie Suddaby perform Ivor Gurney’s “Sleep” in 1920, he resolved to safeguard Gurney’s legacy. Together with his wife, Joy, and his friend Howard Ferguson, Finzi undertook the major task of gathering Gurney’s poems and songs from a variety of sources. Gurney was, of course, also severely influenced by the horrors of the same conflict that had taken Finzi’s three brothers. The next seven works on the album are pieces by Gurney recorded for the first time and they constitute a charming collection of works. They were all composed between 1908 and 1909 when Gurney would have been 18/19 years old and before he went off to London to study under Charles Villiers-Stanford. They are:
Chanson Triste a lovely, moving piece – its style reminds me of Elgar’s writing.
In September whichis marked Lento penseroso conveys a sense of melancholy through its irregular phrase lengths yet it has a poetic quality.
In August. The CD brochure tells us that it “was composed in January–February, and on the front of the manuscript Gurney quotes two lines from the poem “Summer Storm” by Lionel Pigot Johnson: “Pan will wake, / Pan in the forest, whose rich pipes make music…””. It begins gently, mournfully then builds in pace and intensity before the romantic mood returns.
Romance is lyrical and dramatic, the piano plays a simple melody with the violin floating on top.
Legende is slow and ponderous producing an almost timeless mood at the beginning. The motifs for both instruments become more urgent and restless as the piece continues, until near the end in which the music is rather delicate.
A Folk Tale is a simple delightful folk song.
Humoreske is an upbeat, jaunty melody which is Gurney in a lighter mood.
The final composer on this recording is Arthur Bliss with his Violin Sonata F192 which was written sometime between 1914 and 1916 and is a single movement work. The CD notes inform us “Herbert Howells, a close friend of Bliss, praised the sonata in a heartfelt letter for its “fresh air and sweet-smelling earth”, capturing its vitality and emotional freshness. He noted its folk-inspired charm and described it as a blend of English countryside tradition and a touch of sophisticated, almost French elegance”. It’s one of Bliss’ earliest works and he did, in fact, start composing as a school boy, but regarded all of his works before 1918 – with the exception of the 1916 Pastoral for clarinet and piano as not worthy of publication and he tried to suppress them. He regarded Madam Noy composed in 1918 as his first official work. I find this quite amazing because his Violin Sonata, written when he was in his early twenties, seems like the work of a very established composer. He later became known for his modernist style but this piece suggests a more Romantic, pastoral approach to composing. It’s lively and upbeat yet at times reflective and nostalgic. An earlier review of this charming work can be found here.
Somm Recordings should be congratulated on once again bringing us a CD focussing on the many treasures to be found in music by English composers. With excellent recording quality and the virtuosic and wonderful playing of the soloists, it’s a superb release.
Ken Talbot
Previous review: Jonathan Woolf (March 2025)
Buying this recording via a link below generates revenue for MWI, which helps the site remain free
Contents
Ian Venables (b.1955)
Violin Sonata (2017) transcr from Flute Sonata (1989)
Three Pieces, Op.11 (1986)
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
Elegy, Op.22 (1940)
Ivor Gurney (1890-1937)
Chanson triste (1908)
In September (1908)
In August (1909)
Romance (1909)
Legende (1909)
A Folk Tale (1909)
Humoreske (1909)
Arthur Bliss (1891-1975)
Violin Sonata, F.192 (1914-16)
