Patric Standford - Cello Concerto (1976)

[Justin]

I would like to share from YouTube a Cello Concerto by "Rod McKuen," actually ghostwritten by Patric Standford. It was composed in 1976 but it follows the British Neo-Romantic style.

https://youtu.be/CnVYgU-jauo

Cello – Keith Harvey
Conductor – Patric Standford
Orchestra – National Philharmonic Orchestra

[Gareth Vaughan]

Why would McKuen want to get Standford to write a cello concerto to appear under his (McKuen's) name? It sounds like something Ketelbey might have written - at least, the opening does. But I must listen to the whole thing, of course, before passing judgement; not that saying it sounds like Ketelbey is meant to imply adverse criticism - it isn't.

[Alan Howe]

Perhaps it was because Standford wasn't writing in his own style? After all, it is extremely sentimental.

I'm not sure what the 'British Neo-Romantic style' might be. As Gareth suggests, this could be by Ketelby...

[Justin]

From what I have read, McKuen often got commissions for various functions and fell behind in his work. It was common for him to take on too many projects at once and abandon them.

He wrote sketches of the single melody line of the cello, and Standford built the concerto around that in 10 days. The liner notes of the album suggest however that McKuen wrote it all by himself in 2 weeks and that it was recorded at St Giles-without-Cripplegate. Standford's Estate website says it was done in a recording studio.

[eschiss1]

I see that both of them are dead now so if there was ever any chance of simply asking them, there hasn't been for 7-odd years...

[semloh]

Now this is 'treacly' enough to challenge Tate & Lyle! 
As you said, Alan, not at all in Patric Standford's personal style.

[Justin]

It was premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on September 17, 1976 and conducted by Standford. I can't find any reviews of that performance but I wonder how it was received.

[Justin]

Gareth, I'm curiously what your thoughts are on the complete work?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Well, I found it disappointing, I'm sorry to say. There are some lovely tunes, but none of these is properly developed and most of them are rather sugary. The composition is very episodic and lacks structure. As a result, I am afraid I quickly got bored. The principal redeeming feature is Standford's orchestration which is hugely accomplished and colourful.

[Justin]

I'll generally agree with you that there seems to be a "novel" effect to the cello which is McKuen's doing, and I'm sure some of McKuen's fans thought it was wonderful just by the general sound.

It's a piece you can play pleasantly in the background, and you are correct in terms of Standford's wonderful strings which paint a vast landscape to boost the work a bit.