YORK BOWEN (1884–1961)

Music for viola

 

CD 1 [61'39]

Viola Sonata No 1 in C minor Op 18 (1905) [25'44]

1 Allegro moderato [10'22]

2 Poco lento e cantabile [7'30]

3 Finale: Presto – Allegro molto [7'47]

4 Romance in D flat major (1900, arr. 1904) [6'28]

5 Fantasia for 4 violas Op 41 (1907) [9'42] Lawrence Power, Philip Dukes, James Boyd, Scott Dickinson - violas

6 BEETHOVEN Adagio sostenuto from ‘Moonlight’ Piano Sonata in C sharp minor, Op 27 No 2 [5'40]

with viola obbligato by YORK BOWEN, completed and edited by Lawrence Power

7 Phantasy in F major Op 54 (1918) [13'32]

 

CD 2 [60'55]

Viola Sonata No 2 in F major Op 22 (1906) [25'41]

1 Allegro assai [10'34]

2 Grave – Allegro – Tempo I – Tranquillo [8'43]

3 Finale: Allegro giocoso [6'20]

4 Romance in A major (1908) [5'50]

5 Allegro de concert (1906) [7'49]

6 Melody for the G string Op 47 (1917) [3'53]

7 Melody for the C string Op 51 No 2 (1918) [3'48]

8 Rhapsody in G minor (1955) [13'15]

 

Lawrence Power - viola

Simon Crawford-Phillips - piano

 

‘Power is a latter-day Orpheus, an expression of music’s power to disarm, encourage, soothe and serenade’ (Financial Times).

 

This recent appraisal of Lawrence Power affirms his status as one of the foremost violists of today, the heir to the long and honoured tradition of Lionel Tertis and William Primrose. His unwavering musical eloquence and brilliant technical ability have consistently drawn the highest praise for all his recordings and performances. His renditions of viola concertos by Walton, Rubbra, Cecil Forsyth and York Bowen have been acclaimed as benchmark recordings. He now presents a fascinating double-album of York Bowen’s viola music: a selection that fully demonstrates the great artistry of the composer known as the ‘English Rachmaninov’.

 

Bowen first came under the spell of the viola player Lionel Tertis when a student at the Royal Academy of Music. He responded to Tertis’s unprecedented virtuosity and large tone with two sonatas, a concerto and many shorter pieces. He continued to write works for Tertis throughout his life, all of which are recorded here, and they display the sort of extraordinary technical challenges which prove what an amazing virtuoso he was.

 

Praise for WALTON / RUBBRA Viola Concertos Compact Disc CDA67587

‘In the 21st century, one new name stands out, the British player Lawrence Power, and this disc swiftly tells us why. He’s fleet-fingered. He’s various: the changing hues never stop. He’s effortlessly eloquent with a centred tone across his entire range’ (The Times) ‘Lawrence Power magically combines the soulful intensity of Lionel Tertis with the quicksilver agility of that other British viola genuis, William Primrose. In Power’s skilled hands the viola is transformed from the lumbering second-class citizen of legend into a sleek, fine-tuned, noble instrument of infinite grace and expressive subtlety’ (Classic FM Magazine) ’If proof were still needed of Lawrence Power’s pre-eminence among viola-players, then this magnificent disc is it’ (Daily Telegraph)

 

Hyperion 2cds CDA67651-2