Tag Archives: Kenneth Woods

On Record – MahlerFest XXXVI: Kenneth Woods conducts ‘Resurrection’ Symphony & Musgrave’s Phoenix Rising

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April Fredrick (soprano), Stacey Rishoi (mezzo-soprano), Boulder Concert Chorale, Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra / Kenneth Woods

Musgrave Phoenix Rising (1997)
Mahler Symphony no.2 in C minor ‘Resurrection’ (1888-94)

Colorado MahlerFest 195269301194 [two discs, 104’02”]
Live performances on 21 May 2023, Macky Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado

Reviewed by Richard Whitehouse

What’s the story?

Last year’s edition of MahlerFest continued its latest, not-quite-chronological traversal of the symphonies with the Second – appropriately coupled on this release (as in the concert) with a work such as considers ‘resurrection’ from a very different while no less relevant perspective.

What’s the music like?

Six years in the writing, Mahler’s Second Symphony fairly laid the basis for his reputation as a composer at its Berlin premiere in 1895. It is a measure of this performance that it captures something of the shock or excitement no doubt in evidence back then, not least in an opening movement with Kenneth Woods notably more interventionist tempo-wise as compared to that of the Third Symphony a year before. What emerges is imposing but never diffuse, at its most gripping in that baleful lead-in to a development whose terseness duly accentuates its impact, with the pathos of the second subject on its reprise making the coda’s sardonic recessional the more acute. After which, the second movement feels the more enticing through its alternation of warm sentiment with capering animation while heading to a conclusion of beatific repose.

There is no lack of incident in a scherzo whose glancing irony is leavened yet not lessened by its trios, the first as soulful with its lilting trumpets as the second is ominous in its import; but not before Stacey Rishoi has characterized the Urlicht setting with rapt inwardness. What to say about the finale other than, while this may not be the most overwhelming take on its vast fresco, it is matched by relatively few as regards an organic unfolding that sees the movement whole. Its contrasting elements here fuse with unforced cohesion to a fervent rendering of the chorale episode then on to a surging Toten-marsch – the kinetic momentum carried through to a methodical reprise of earlier ideas, then a rendering of Klopstock’s text (much altered by the composer) as only grows in intensity before the majestic affirmation of its closing pages.

As the ‘first half’, Thea Musgrave’s Phoenix Rising provides an ideal complement. The much esteemed (latterly more in the US than the UK) nonagenarian has written often for orchestra, but seldom with such immediacy than in a piece whose formal and expressive trajectory feels nothing if not symphonic in its progress. Comparison with the 2016 studio recording by BBC National Orchestra of Wales and William Boughton (Lyrita SRCD372) confirms that, passing tentativeness in ensemble excepted, Woods’s reading demonstrably makes more of this aspect.

Does it all work?

Yes, pretty much always. As on previous releases in this ongoing Mahler cycle, the Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra punches appreciably above its weight in music which should never fall prey to wanton virtuosity. The unyielding acoustic of Macky Auditorium is less an issue than before, with the finale’s offstage brass adeptly managed. April Fredrick brings her customary eloquence to bear on this movement, and the Boulder Concert Chorale – as prepared by Vicki Burrichter – rises to the occasion with notable fervency as this work reaches an ecstatic close.

Is it recommended?

It is. There have been too many superfluous Mahler cycles, but this traversal is shaping up as one of the most worthwhile and more than the memento of a memorable occasion. Hopefully such standards will be maintained by the Sixth Symphony as part of next year’s 37th edition.

Buy

For further purchase options, visit the MahlerFest website – and for more information on the festival itself, click here. Click on the names for further information on conductor Kenneth Woods, soloists April Fredrick, Stacey Rishoi and composer Thea Musgrave

Published post no.2,244 – Friday 19 July 2024

On Record – Zoë Beyers, English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods: Elcock: Violin Concerto, Symphony no.8 (Nimbus)

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Zoë Beyers (violin), English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods

Elcock
Violin Concerto Op.13 (1996-2003, rev. 2020)
Symphony no.8 Op.37 (1981/2021)

Nimbus NI6446 [56’24’’]
Producer and Engineer Phil Rowlands
Recorded 28 July 2021 (Symphony), 26 May 2022 (Violin Concerto) at Wyastone Concert Hall, Monmouth

Reviewed by Richard Whitehouse

What’s the story?

The English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods add to their much lauded 21st Century Symphony Project with this release devoted to Steve Elcock (b.1957), juxtaposing two major works which confirm his standing among the leading European symphonists of his generation.

What’s the music like?

Both works heard here only gradually assumed their definitive form. Composed at stages over almost a decade, the Violin Concerto marks something of a transition between less ambitious pieces for local musicians and those symphonic works which have come to dominate Elcock’s output. Its initial Allegro vivo is a tensile sonata design whose rhythmic energy is maintained throughout, with enough expressive leeway for its second theme to assume greater emotional emphasis in the reprise. There follows a Molto tranquillo whose haunting main theme, at first unfolded by the soloist over undulating upper strings in a texture pervaded by change-ringing techniques, is a potent inspiration. A pavane-like idea soon comes into focus while the closing stage, reaching an eloquent plateau before it evanesces into silence, stays long in the memory. The short but eventful finale is a Passacaglia whose theme (audibly related to previous ideas) accelerates across five variations from Andante to Presto, before culminating in a heightened cadenza-like passage on violin and timpani then a peremptory yet decisive orchestral pay-off.

The Eighth Symphony has its antecedents even further back, having begun as a string quartet in the early 1980s, though it continues those processes of evolution and integration central to the seven such works which precede it. It reflects the impact of the Sixth Symphony by Allan Pettersson (still awaiting its UK premiere after 58 years), but whereas that epic work centres on fateful arrival, Elcock’s single movement is more about striving towards a destination that remains tantalizingly beyond reach. Numerous pithy motifs are stated in the formative stages, as the music alternates between relative stasis and dynamism before being thrown into relief by the emergence (just before the mid-point) of a trumpet melody that goes on to determine the course of this piece as it builds inexorably towards a sustained climax then subsides into a searching postlude. Overt resolution may have been eschewed, yet the overriding sense of cohesion and inevitability duly outweighs that mood described by the composer as ‘‘one of desperation in the teeth of impending catastrophe’’ which, in itself, becomes an affirmation.

Does it all work?

Certainly, given both works receive well prepared and finely realized performances – notable for the way Elcock’s demanding yet idiomatic string writing is realized with real conviction. The concerto is a tough challenge for any soloist and one Zoë Beyers meets with assurance – its close-knit interplay of soloist and orchestra brought off with admirable precision, and its occasional modal subtleties rendered as enrichments of the tonal trajectory. Elcock has been fortunate in his recorded exponents, and this new ESO release is emphatically no exception.

Is it recommended?

Indeed, and good to hear that, as the ESO’s current John McCabe Composer-in-Association, Elcock will feature on a follow-up issue of his pieces Wreck and Concerto Grosso, along with the recent Fermeture. For now, this latest release warrants the strongest of recommendations.

Listen & Buy

You can listen to sample tracks and purchase on the Naxos Direct website. For further information on the artists, click on the names for more on Zoë Beyers, the English Symphony Orchestra and their conductor Kenneth Woods. Click on the name for more on composer Steve Elcock

Published post no.2,182 – Saturday 18 May 2024

On Record – April Fredrick, Thomas Humphreys, ESO Chorus, English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods: Sawyers – Mayflower on the Sea of Time (Nimbus)

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April Fredrick (soprano), Thomas Humphreys (baritone), ESO Chorus, English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods

Sawyers Mayflower on the Sea of Time (2018)

Nimbus NI6439 [58’57’’]
Producer and Engineer Tim Burton Engineer Matthew Swan
Live recording, 17 June 2023 at Worcester Cathedral

Reviewed by Richard Whitehouse

What’s the story?

Philip Sawyers’ Mayflower on the Sea of Time was to have been launched with performances in Worcester Cathedral four years ago, but the pandemic inevitably derailed this. Happily, the composer’s largest work so far was finally heard last June in the venue as originally intended.

What’s the music like?

Commissioned to mark the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from Leiden to Plymouth, this is an oratorio in concept but equally a choral symphony in design. Its libretto, mainly by the artist Philip Groom, features set-pieces for various Old and New World figures largely for soprano and baritone alongside summative passages for chorus. Self-deprecating about his literary abilities, Groom yet achieves a viable balance between the characterization of individuals as part of a continuous and cumulative trajectory relating that of ‘the journey’.

There are four continuous parts: Persecution and Journey, a sonata design which informs the Pilgrims’ flight from religious persecution and their decision to cross the Atlantic; Arrival in the New World, a slow movement charting their arrival then tentative initial interaction with native cultures; Survival and Making our Community, a brief scherzo in which the Pilgrims’ industriousness and idealism all too soon becomes its own justification; and Our New World, a sizable rondo-finale whose looking to the future is framed by choruses of growing fervour.

Sawyers’ writing for the chorus is expert and resourceful, not least when this elides between a depiction of Pilgrims or Natives with that of a more abstract commentary, while solo sections allow his lyrical impulse free reign – not least towards the end of the second and fourth parts, closing with luminously ecstatic choruses that accentuate an essentially affirmative message. Worth noting is the poignant incorporation of a motet by Thomas Tomkins into its fourth part, which also sets lines by Walt Whitman with a tangible understanding of its expressive syntax.

Does it all work?

Almost always, and not least owing to the persuasiveness of this performance. April Frederick and Thomas Humphreys (the latter after a slightly strained start) can hardly be faulted in their commitment or insight, while the new-founded ESO Chorus evinces a power and immediacy abetted by Worcester Cathedral’s spacious acoustic to belie its modest forces. The ESO gives its collective all throughout, conveying the textural intricacy and the emotional heft of music whose overall formal integration is fully conveyed through Kenneth Woods’ astute direction.

The initial performances might have fallen through, but the associated educational project did go ahead and enabled several hundred youngsters to experience the piece at first hand. This is worth remembering given Mayflower should have a ready appeal for those who know little of the historical background or, indeed, contemporary music. That it can be rendered by around two-dozen singers ought to commend it to enterprising choral societies able to muster the 45 musicians, especially when Sawyers’ writing for both is often exacting but always practicable.

Is it recommended?

Very much so. The sound captures the resonance of its acoustic with no loss of definition, and there are detailed notes by composer, author and conductor. A pity the actual text could not be included, but that this can be scanned via a QR code is another incentive for younger listeners.

Listen & Buy

You can listen to sample tracks and purchase on the Wyastone website. For further information on the artists, click on the names for more on April Fredrick, Thomas Humphreys, the English Symphony Orchestra and their conductor Kenneth Woods. Click on the name for more on composer Philip Sawyers

Published post no.2,157 – Tuesday 23 April 2024

Elgar Festival Fundraiser – ‘Keep the Music Playing’

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The Elgar Festival (27 May – 2 June) is working with a 40% funding cut
from Arts Council England

In this short film, Festival Patron Julian Lloyd Webber introduces the Fundraising Campaign:

The Festival is raising money to help deliver its 2024 iteration, due to a 40% funding cut from Arts Council England

Donations are valuable in helping to continue the legacy of one of England’s most revered composers. As the festival’s organisers say, “We believe Elgar is for everyone and our developing range of events are for people of all ages, interests, and lifestyles.”

For full information, visit The Elgar Festival website

Published post no.2,151 – Wednesday 17 April 2024

In concert – Simon Desbruslais, English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods: Sibelius, Sawyers, Dvořák, Fribbins & Elgar

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Simon Desbruslais (trumpet), English Symphony Orchestra / Kenneth Woods

Sibelius Rakastava Op.14 (1893, arr. 1912)
Sawyers Concerto for Trumpet, Strings and Timpani (2015)
Dvořák Notturno in B major Op.40 (1870, arr. 1883)
Fribbins Soliloquies (2012, arr. 2017)
Elgar Introduction and Allegro for strings Op.47 (1905)

Hall One, Kings Place, London
Sunday 15 April 2024

Reviewed by Richard Whitehouse

Concerts by the English Symphony Orchestra in the London Chamber Music Society’s season are always a worthwhile fixture and this early-evening event, in its mixing established classics with contemporary pieces, demonstrated the stylistic range and sympathies of this ensemble.

A pity that Sibelius’s Rakastava has never been taken up by many British conductors – John Barbirolli and Sir Colin Davis excepted – as this extensive reworking for strings and timpani of an early choral work should be a staple of its repertoire. Kenneth Woods duly brought out the wistful poise of The Lover, and if the stealthiness which underpins The Way of the Lover seemed just a little tentative, the bittersweet pathos that permeates Good evening, Farewell then came through unabated in what is as moving a leave-taking as its composer ever penned.

The music of Philip Sawyers has been a constant feature of the ESO’s programming this past decade, and his Trumpet Concerto more than deserved revival. The outward Classicism of its formal trajectory should not belie the deftness by which Sawyers modifies the sonata design of its opening Allegro, the impetus and reflectiveness of its main themes finding accord prior to a trenchant cadenza with timpani at the fore, or a central Andante that exuded an emotional breadth and fervour in advance of the excellent recording by these artists. Among the leading trumpeters of his generation, Simon Desbruslais – placed high to the rear of the auditorium, to potent effect – was wholly unfazed by its demands; nor those of a final Allegro in which more reflective elements leaven the initial energy, only to be outdone in the virtuosic closing bars.

Next, a welcome hearing for the Notturno that Dvořák salvaged from an early (and reckless) quartet. Its relative swiftness here recalled its intermediate reworking as an intermezzo in the second of his string quintets, so emphasizing its appealing lilt over any more ethereal quality.

Desbrulais (above) returned after a brief hiatus for Soliloquies by Peter Fribbins. A composer as adept on a symphonic as on a miniature scale, these brief if affecting pieces draw on three earlier songs – the recasting of whose vocal line encourages the soloist to an eloquence that, after the relative restraint of the initial Adagio and central Tranquillo, comes to the fore in a final Adagio where evocation takes on an almost cinematic aura. With impressive concertos for piano and violin to his credit, Fribbins ought to consider a full-length work for trumpet.

Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro has not unexpectedly been key to the ESO’s repertoire since its founding some 45 years ago, and this performance did not disappoint. Most admirable was the variety and depth of string tone that Woods (a one-time professional cellist) secured from only 19 players, so ensuring a vitality and impact in the more animated sections together with the requisite delicacy in those passages where the composer’s ruminative mood is uppermost. Both aspects were brought into thrilling accord at the close of the powerfully projected coda.

Beforehand, Woods spoke of the changing nature of commissions and the current difficulties in securing the necessary funding. This season has not been easy for the ESO though, on the basis of this programme, these players are commendably taking it all in their collective stride.

Click on the link to read more on English Symphony Orchestra, and on the names for more on their conductor Kenneth Woods, and trumpeter Simon Desbruslais. Click on the names for more on the new composers featured, Philip Sawyers and Peter Fribbins

Published post no.2,150 – Tuesday 16 April 2024