Composer: John Mervin Addison, Arthur Benjamin, Geoffrey Bush, Elizabeth Maconchy, Charles Edmund Rubbra, Humphrey Searle
Performer: Simon Callaghan
Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Conductor: Martyn Brabbins
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Lyrita
Catalogue: SRCD407
Release: 2022
Size: 232 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Addison: Wellington Suite
01. I. Allegretto con brio
02. II. Andante, un poco pomposo
03. III Allegro vivace
04. IV. Moderato, tempo di valse
05. V. Allegro con brio
Benjamin: Concertino
06. I. Allegro non troppo e ritmico
07. II. Andante poco lento
08. III. Scherzo. Presto scherzando
09. IV. Come primo ma meno allegro
Maconchy: Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra
10. I. Allegro molto
11. II. Lento, serioso
12. III. Allegro con brio
13. Searle: Concertante for Piano, Percussion and Strings, Op. 24
14. Rubbra: Nature’s Song
Bush: A Little Concerto on themes of Thomas Arne
15. I. Andante
16. II. Allegro
17. III. Siciliano
18. IV. Vivace
Smaller concertos for piano and modest orchestral forces were a feature of British composition in the first half of the 20th century. Often they were written for a special occasion, and typically vanished into oblivion thereafter. During the Covid period we were looking for things to record with small numbers of players, and stumbled across this treasury: short concertos written for entertainment that don’t outstay their welcome.
The works on this album travel from the innocent pastiche of Geoffrey Bush’s tribute to Arne, Edmund Rubbra’s student essay, through the Blues of Arthur Benjamin, the serial language of Humphrey Searle, the drama of Elizabeth Maconchy, and the bold humour of film composer John Addison. It is all great fun, and has never been recorded – apart from the Benjamin recorded just once, back in 1959.
Simon Callaghan and Martyn Brabbins team-up to raise a smile, enjoying the lighter side of musical life.