These 1977-78 recordings are notable because they include three lesser-known but fascinating works - the "'In a Nutshell' Suite," the "Danish Folk-Music Suite" and "The Immovable 'Do.'" Two familiar pieces leaven the mixture - "Molly on the Shore" and the "Irish Tune from County Derry" (aka the "Londonderry Air" and "Danny Boy").
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| Neville Dilkes |
Here is what Malcolm MacDonald of The Gramophone had to say about the music:
"In a Nutshell" is an early work, yet the Grainger sound is there already: lively, colourful settings of simple, compulsive tunes, with often glittering scoring to help propel the tunes to the music's end. I had never heard this suite before, and feel it to be a most enjoyable newcomer to the catalogues. The "Danish Folk-Music Suite" was equally unfamiliar, but here was relative disappointment: it seemed less interesting than the other work, more four-square, less well scored.
The fill-ups of "Molly on the Shore" and the "Londonderry Air" arrangements are familiar enough, and do not need their highly enjoyable qualities praised here. Yet the "Immovable 'Do'" does; the title referring to the note C which one day got stuck on Grainger's harmonium, and around which continuous sound, like Purcell before him, he wove this highly agreeable piece. Like everything else on this largely exploratory disc this piece is beautifully played by the English Sinfonia, and well recorded by HMV.
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| Ad in The Gramophone, May 1979 |
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Dilkes formed the English Sinfonia as the Midlands Sinfonia in 1961, eventually locating it in Nottingham, although the ensemble played throughout the Midlands. The Sinfonia is still is existence, although it now performs in Chesham, near London.
I have one more recording by this underrated conductor to come.
12 comments:
Dave from Ardmore is always amazed at the breadth of your interests. I'm pretty sure, no one else in the sectors of cyberspace I visit daily is offering music by Percy Grainger today. This composer sure had his fingers in many pies. The beguilingly phantasmagoric "Pastoral" was the first piece that stood out for me as it pushed Delius past boundaries he never dared exceed. Maybe it owes its exceptional inventiveness to the far greater expanses of Australia. Oh, if only Percy had known Charles Ives when he composed "The Gum-suckers March." "Danny Boy" is always an autonomic cause of tears for this listener and Grainger's arrangement is tuly magnificent. As for The Danish folk-tune suite, "The Power of Love" sure touches on love's mystery. "The Nightingale and the Two Sisters" is similarly haunting. The admirably arranged up-tempo pieces sound written more for Sunday pavillion band concerts and have martial moments which might have moved me more when I was younger. However, I loved the merry, almost reckless mesh of imnstruments in the last minutes of "Justish Melody." Alas, I had far higher but unrealized hopes for the "The Immovable 'Do'." I get and hear its premise, but I kept thinking, once again, what Ives would have done in the same situation. Nevertheless, a heartfelt thanks for giving me a morning of Grainger's music. Please keep surprising me.
Love the title, good on them for not taking themselves too seriously. :)
Thanks, Dave - it's quite a good record, I think, as you so eloquently described. I suspect they put "The Immovable 'Do'" at the end because it's mainly a gimmick.
Oh, I love this. Thanks so much, Buster.
(And I also love the two posts, above: it is indeed a clever title, and the eclectic musical feast you serve makes checking your blog a daily or weekly surprise package!)
Ernie - Yes, I agree! The cover is nicely done, too.
Thanks so much, mike - Dave and Ernie are my two most long-time readers.
Great find, thank you!
You're welcome, Grover!
Never heard these performances. Grainger is an endlessly interesting composer - many thanks indeed Buster.
Hope you enjoy this LP, Phillip!
Thanks so much for this rare and wonderful recording dear Buster !
A new gem under Neville Dilkes, very good conductor that we can (re)discover with so much pleasure through your posts.
Compared to other versions , the size of the orchestra is perfect.
So musical !!
Grainger's music would deserve to be more known, memorable tunes !
Thanks, Jean - I agree it's very enjoyable and well done!
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