Charles Villiers Stanford

[Roasted Swan]

To be released on 5 July:

Oooh er - I'm up for this!

[Albion]

Absolutely bloody fantastic. This will complete the wonderful trilogy of large-scale Latin works: Requiem (1896-97), Te Deum (1897-9) and the Stabat mater (1906-1907). Attention should then turn to the finest of the unrecorded secular works: The Voyage of Maeldune (1889), Phaudrig Crohoore (1896) and Merlin and the Gleam (1918).       

[kyjo]

Was listening to this fantastic disc the other day:



This was my first time hearing Stanford's Piano Quintet in D minor, Op. 25, and I can immediately proclaim it as one of his very finest works, maybe even a masterpiece! (The piano quintet medium really brought out the best in some composers.) Actually, the first few minutes of the work weren't terribly promising or remarkable to me, but the first movement soon gathers steam and power. The scherzo is an agitated minor-key affair, while the slow movement is beautiful and not without depth. Best of all may be the finale, which builds to a genuinely thrilling conclusion that's not without some unexpected touches. Seriously, this piece has one of the most exciting and effective endings I've heard recently! Unsurprisingly, the shadow of Brahms hangs lightly (*not* looms) over the music, but it doesn't lack in character or distinctiveness.

The accompanying String Quintet No. 1 in F major, Op. 85 isn't as grand or immediately arresting as the Piano Quintet, but it's still a fine work in its own right with a charming bucolic demeanor and some engaging development, especially in the variation-form finale. The performances here are simply superb - the RTE Vanbrugh Quartet and pianist Piers Lane really throw themselves into the Piano Quintet with raging conviction and technical assurance. Simply put, if you enjoy Romantic Era chamber music, don't miss this disc!