Stanford VC (1875) & PC (1873) from Dutton

[JeremyMHolmes]

On its way:
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7350

[FBerwald]

Finally... the early concertos of Stanford. This is a must buy for me.

[Alan Howe]

Plus the early Concert Overture (1870).

[Richard Moss]

Their web-site says "...released March 18th...".  How did this escape early notice by our hawk-eyed members?  An absolutely 'must buy' if ever there was one!

Richard

[Alan Howe]

No idea. Checked the website myself a day or two ago. Perhaps it hadn't been updated.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Marvellous to have these early works. Well done, Dutton!

[Mark Thomas]

Whoop-de-doo!

[semloh]

This really is an exciting release - surely guaranteed to bring out the plastic card!

[Mark Thomas]

The Concert Overture of 1870, a live performance of which under Yates (but with a different orchestra) is available in our Downloads Board, is a youthful piece and with its Mendelssohnian joi de vivre it sounds it. It's nothing like mature Stanford, but it's an enjoyable work which suits the size of the orchestra very well  - too much weight and its lightness of touch would be undermined. The same is true of the Piano Concerto in B flat: once again, anyone expecting the Stanford of the majestic Second Concerto is going to be disappointed. The excellent booklet note gives Sterndale Bennett as a possible influence, and that's certainly credible although I think the work slighter in its outer movements than Bennett's mature work. The slow movement is absolutely lovely and points to some of the things which the older Stanford would achieve, whilst the opening Allegro moderato never quite takes off and the tail-chasing finale comes closest to outstaying its welcome. That said, this is an engaging and melodious piece which, while plumbing no depths, is certainly worth an occasional listen.

The Violin Concerto in D major, though, is a real find. It dates from 1875, only two years later than the Piano Concerto, but it is a much more assured and impressive piece of work. At almost 16 minutes the confident opening movement is long, but it justifies its length with dramatic, and almost swaggering, music. Stanford's material and orchestration are much more individual than in the earlier works and one doesn't in any way have the impression of it being a piece of juvenilia - if I was reminded of anyone else, it was the Joachim of the Hungarian Violin Concerto. The slow movement is a similarly expansive rhapsody, leading to a fine central climax, and followed by more reflective lyricism. It leads attacca into the upbeat finale, which is around half the length of the other two movements and might best be regarded as an appendage to its predecessor. It's attractive music which does its job well enough, but it's the weakest and least individual movement.

Both soloists acquit themselves superbly and the Royal Northern Sinfonia under Martin Yates never sound overstretched. The Violin Concerto is the star of this particular show, but the other two pieces aren't negligible and will also give enjoyment, albeit at a more modest level.

[Alan Howe]

Mark has it spot-on: it's the early VC that's worth the price of the CD. But remember: these are very early works - even the latest (the VC) was written when Stanford was only 23. And it's an outstanding and ambitious piece - at 37 minutes not far off the scale of Brahms' VC which had yet to be written.

By the way: the orchestra make an absolutely first-rate contribution to the success of these recordings. Another feather in Martin Yates' already well-stocked cap.

Oh, and I can't hear any Sterndale Bennett in the PC - this is distinctly the work of a composer of a later generation, particularly orchestrally.

[Alan Howe]

Gramophone magazine has done it again! Andrew Mellor, in reviewing the CD (July issue, pp.51-52), confuses this early VC with Stanford's VC Op.74 - a completely different work written a quarter of a century later - recommending the Hyperion recording of the latter in preference to the one on Dutton! I telephoned the publishers on 020 7738 5454, asking to be put through to the Gramophone editorial office, and was told that Gramophone will probably print an erratum. If I were Dutton, I'd be fuming! It might be a good idea if others phoned up to point out this egregious error...

[Jimfin]

So Gramophone actually claimed to have listened to both recordings and didn't know it was a different work? Someone should be barred from music criticism for life!

[FBerwald]

Outrageous - makes one wonder if they really listen to a piece thoroughly or just hear a few bit and pieces here and there and hack out a so-called review!
I'm slowly going trough the CD. The Violin Concerto is a real gem - No masterpiece, I agree, but it's marvelously constructed and there's so much going on in it I'm falling for it every time I listen to it.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Outrageous indeed, but why am I not surprised? I stopped buying the arrogant and awful "Gramophone" over 10 years ago. Saved a lot of money.

[eschiss1]

I love the "probably".