Composer: Havergal Brian
Performer: Brian Rayner Cook, Roger Vignoles, Stephen Levine, Peter Lawson
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0005
Release: 2005
Size: 195 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
01. When Icicles Hang by the Wall
02. Take, O Take Those Lips Away
3 Songs, Op. 6
03. Sorrow Song
04. The Message
05. Farewell
06. Care-Charmer Sleep
07. Since love is dead
08. The Soul of Steel
09. Why Dost Thou Wound, and Break My Heart?
5 Songs
10. On Parting
11. Lady Ellayne
12. Renunciation
13. Love is a Merry Game
14. Piping down the valleys wild
15. The Chimney Sweeper
16. The Land of Dreams
17. The Defiled Sanctuary
18. Legend
Havergal Brian (1876–1972) is renowned as the composer of 32 powerful symphonies (then the largest symphonic cycle since Haydn), 21 of them composed after his 80th birthday; his First Symphony, The Gothic, is reputed to be the largest ever composed. But in the first part of his career Brian was also active on a smaller scale, his songs attracting the advocacy of singers as prominent as John McCormack and John Coates. The range of emotion in these songs is nonetheless vast, from folky innocence via Shakespearean irony to deep tragedy. Brian Rayner Cook’s performances can be taken as authoritative: he studied the songs with the composer. The CD is completed by the Legend, Brian’s only surviving piece of chamber music.
When English composer Havergal Brian is remembered at all these days, it is for his 32 symphonies, gnarly, gnomic, and enigmatic works that have remained resolutely well outside the standard repertoire. He is not remembered for his songs. Although he wrote perhaps 65 songs and some of them even got performed by such A-list singers as John McCormack, most fell into obscurity along with the composer. Nor is he remembered for his chamber music. Although he wrote only four works in the genre, three of them are lost and one remained unperformed until after his death. For Brian aficionados, therefore, this disc of 17 songs plus the Legend for violin and piano will chart essentially new musical territory, therefore making it mandatory listening. Coming from before the long line of symphonies, the songs are musically simple and emotionally direct — and thus entirely unlike the symphonies. Baritone Brian Rayner Cook is a vigorous and enthusiastic singer who does everything he can with the sometimes ungainly melodies to make them sound persuasive while pianist Roger Vignoles is a hale and hearty accompanist who does everything he can with the often gauche piano writing to make the music seem palatable. Likewise, violinist Stephen Levine and pianist Peter Lawson are both dedicated instrumentalists who put forth all their talents to make the Legend cohere musically. Whether they succeed or fail is up to the listener. For some, the only reason this disc is not entirely unlistenable is the quality of the performances — the music itself may appear hopelessly amateurish. For others, the music, although odd and perhaps even eccentric, is nevertheless still somehow compelling. Toccata Classics’ remastering of the early ’80s originals is too close, too loud, and too vivid.