Alan Rawsthorne: Piano Concertos

On this CD:

1. Concerto for piano & orchestra, No 1
Composed by Alan Rawsthorne
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra with Geoffrey Tozer
Conducted by Matthias Bamert

2. Concerto for piano & orchestra, No 2
Composed by Alan Rawsthorne
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra with Geoffrey Tozer
Conducted by Matthias Bamert

3. Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra
Composed by Alan Rawsthorne
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra with Tamara-Anna Cislowski, Geoffrey Tozer
Conducted by Matthias Bamert

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) was of the generation of British composers led by William Walton, the generation snapping at the heels of Vaughan Williams's esteemed crowd. Rawsthorne's music, as heard in these piano concertos, tends to adhere more to a romantic mood, though he will bend whatever rules there are in the service of his music. Of special interest here is the Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (of 1968). It's a somewhat demanding work, requiring precision-playing that produces an interesting dialog between the two pianos and the rest of the orchestral forces. Geoffrey Tozer and Tamara- Anna Cislowski are particularly good here. --Paul Cook

Tracks:

1. Allegro Vigoroso/Allegro Lirico - Emma Johnson
2. Adagio - Emma Johnson
3. Rondo/Allegro Giocoso - Emma Johnson
1. Rondo Pastorale - Ruth Bolister
2. Minuet & Musette - Ruth Bolister
3. Finale (Scherzo) - Ruth Bolister
1. Moderato - Kate Hill
2. Adagio - Kate Hill
3. Allegro - Kate Hill
1. Allegro Molto - Jill Crowther
2. Adagio - Jill Crowther
3. Allegro Con Brio - Jill Crowther

Tracks:

1. Allegro - Emma Johnson
2. Andante Con Moto - Emma Johnson
3. Allegro Con Fuoco - Emma Johnson
1. Allegro Moderato - Emma Johnson
2. Andante Con Moto Quasi Ma Piu Tranquillo - Emma Johnson
3. Tempo 1/Allegro Moderato - Emma Johnson
Andante Sostenuto - Ian Scott
1. Moderato - Graham Salvage
2. Quasi Blues - Graham Salvage
3. Giocoso - Graham Salvage

Tracks:

1. Allegro Moderato - Ruth Bolster
2. Andante Con Moto - Ruth Bolster
3. Allegro Vivace - Ruth Bolster
1. Allegro Moderato - Jennifer Stinton
2. Lento - Jennifer Stinton
3. Alla Gavotta - Jennifer Stinton
4. Allegro Molto - Jennifer Stinton
1. Preludio (Allegro Deciso) - The Fibonacci Sequence
2. Andante Poco Doloroso - The Fibonacci Sequence
3. Allegro Molto Ritmico - The Fibonacci Sequence
4. Lento Sostenuto - The Fibonacci Sequence
1. Largo Sostenuto/Allegro Molto/Largo Sostenuto - John Turner
2. Scherzo (Presto E Precipitoso) - John Turner
3. Elegy (Adagio E Sostenuto) - John Turner

Tracks:

1. Allegro Assai - Christiane Edinger
2. Adagio (Calma) - Christiane Edinger
3. Allegro Con Brio - Christiane Edinger
Concerto For Saxophone And Orchestra 'On Hungerford Bridge' - John Harle
1. Allegro Risoluto - David Owen Norris
2. Presto - David Owen Norris
3. Andante - David Owen Norris
4. Allegro - David Owen Norris

Tracks:

1. Allegro Vivace - Emma Johnson
2. Lento - Emma Johnson
3. (The Pre-Goodman Rag) Allegro Non Troppo - Emma Johnson
1. Molto Moderato Ma Con Moto - Jill Crowther
2. Lento Molto - Jill Crowther
3. Allegro Molto E Scherzoso - Jill Crowther
1. Allegro Poco Moderato - James Watson
2. Lento Moderato - James Watson
3. Vivace - James Watson
1. Allegro Vivace - Graham Salvage
2. Grave E Molto Sostenuto - Graham Salvage
3. Con Spirito - Graham Salvage

Average customer rating:

Boisterous Good Humor
Highly memorable solo concertos, profound yet accessible

Alan Rawsthorne: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra: I. Capriccioso. Allegro molto - presto
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra: II. Chaconne. Andante con moto
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra: III. Tarantella. Vivace
Concerto No. 2 For Piano And Orchestra: I. Allegro piacevole
Concerto No. 2 For Piano And Orchestra: II. Allegro molto
Concerto No. 2 For Piano And Orchestra: III. Adagio semplice
Concerto No. 2 For Piano And Orchestra: IV. Allegro
Concerto For Two Pianos And Orchestra: I. Allegro di bravura
Concerto For Two Pianos And Orchestra: II. Adagio ma non troppo
Concerto For Two Pianos And Orchestra: III. Theme And Variations. Allegretto con moto

Amazon.com

Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) was of the generation of British composers led by William Walton, the generation snapping at the heels of Vaughan Williams's esteemed crowd. Rawsthorne's music, as heard in these piano concertos, tends to adhere more to a romantic mood, though he will bend whatever rules there are in the service of his music. Of special interest here is the Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (of 1968). It's a somewhat demanding work, requiring precision-playing that produces an interesting dialog between the two pianos and the rest of the orchestral forces. Geoffrey Tozer and Tamara- Anna Cislowski are particularly good here. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Boisterous Good Humor.......2001-03-10

Early in his composing career, say Humphrey Searle and Robert Layton in their 1972 survey of "Twentieth Century Composers (Britain, Scandinavia and the Netherlands)," the formiably talented Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) "had... developed a freely atonal style, to some extent based on false relations, a style which he was to use for twenty years or more; every bar of his music is unmistakably Rawsthorne." Lest those words, "freely atonal," portend a scandal, let it swiftly be added that Rawsthorne's music rarely, if ever, abandons audible tonal centers, is full of apprehensible tunes and motifs, and is orchestrated with great care for the clarity of its textures. He is far from being an "atonalist," although he does like to "thicken" his chords with added, chromatic notes. Just how accessibly Rawsthorne wrote can be gleaned from his three pithy keyboard concertos, Nos. 1 (1939) and 2 (1951) being for solo piano and orchestra, and the third (1967) being for two pianos and orchestra. Admirers of Rawsthorne must hope that Naxos will offer these works as part of their presumably ongoing effort to make his music available in their budget catalogue. Meanwhile, the redoubtable Chandos label maintains their CD of these three genial works on their list. Matthias Bamert leads the London Philharmonic. Geoffrey Tozer is joined by Tamara-Anna Cislowski in the two-piano concerto. Rawsthorne originally scored his Piano Concerto No. 1 for keyboard solo, strings, and percussion, orchestrating it fully in 1942. Without pushing the resemblance too far, one could say that Rawsthorne's music shares with Bohuslav Martinu's a pervasive nervous energy, expressed in the employment of perpetual ostinati, but that the implication of neurosis is invariably dispelled by a boisterous good humor that refuses to be suppressed. The middle-movement Chaconne builds up impressive tension. The Finale diffuses the tension in a Tarantella that might fairly be characterized as jocose. (Rawsthorne admitted to a strain of "vulgarity" in his artistic constitution.) The Piano Concerto No. 2 is larger in scale (26 minutes to No. 1's 18): Rawsthorne lays it out in four, rather than the typical three, movements. The Finale (Allegro) is a kind of Rhumba in popular style, extremely catchy and hummable, but also full of rhythmic subtleties which the development entertainingly exploits. The Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra is scherzo-like throughout. The central Adagio is brief (a mere 3.40). The Finale consists of a theme and variations - the most typical of Rawsthorne's devices. (His very first orchestral score was the remarkable set of "Symphonic Studies" [1938] which combines a theme-and-variations with the outlines of an abbreviated five-movement symphony. See the new Naxos recording.) I find it difficult to imagine a listener not liking these three outgoing concertos. They make a good introduction to Rawsthorne. The three symphonies used to be available on a Lyrita CD. Putting the symphonies back into circulation is the most pressing current need in the case of Alan Rawsthorne. But snap up the keyboard concertos while they're still available.

Highly memorable solo concertos, profound yet accessible.......1999-01-16

Rawsthorne was a curious English composer - a bit of a Vamp to look at, he appeared to have followed the flippant style of Constant Lambert but Rawsthorne was made of sterner stuff. Well known for a number of classic film scores (1950's WWII stuff usually), this disc shows the extraordinary melodic talent of this composer. The first concerto is seemingly lightweight, full of elegant 'pretty' touches, but never sugary. It is full of delights and makes a welcome change from his contemporaries music. Don't get me wrong, this isn't shallow music at all, just beautifully and elegantly crafted. The second concerto is 'heavier' but still accessible, while the double concerto is less rewarding.

All in all, this disc is one that will sit inside your CD player rather than gather dust on your shelves.

Tracks:

Theme - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I. Allegro Di Bravura - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II. Allegretto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III. Allegro Di Bravura - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV. Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
V. Allegro Piacevole - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Overture 'Street Corner' - London Philharmonic Orchestra
1st Movement: Cariccio (Allegro Molto) - London Symphony Orchestra
2nd Movement: Chaconne (Andante Con Moto) - London Symphony Orchestra
3rd Movement: Tarantella (Vivace) - London Symphony Orchestra
1st Movement: Allegro Piacevole - London Symphony Orchestra
2nd Movement: Allegro Molto - London Symphony Orchestra
3rd Movement: Adagio Semplice - London Symphony Orchestra
4th Movement: Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra

Album Description

Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) is perhaps the only notable composer who started a career as a dentist. Tiring of teeth, he turned to music and had an unusually long gestation as a composer, not achieving any recognition until age thirty-three. His twenty-six film scores eventually made him wealthy, but he wrote also a fine body of concert works. He died relatively young at age sixty-six, never fully accepted by the music establishment in England. Rawsthorne is often referred to as a "composer's composer" and perhaps this is why his music is rather undervalued. He was not a typical English composer and his idiosyncratic style owes more to Hindemith and Roussel than to any native models.

Average customer rating:

Rawsthorne: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MEYHF8
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Tracks:

I. Capriccio. Allegro Molto-Presto
II. Chaconne. Andante Con Moto
III. Tarantella. Vivace
I. Allegro Piacevole
II. Allegro Molto
III. Adagio Semplice
IV. Allegro
I. Allegro Di Bravura
II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
III. Theme And Variations. Allegretto Con Moto-Allegro Energico-Poco Lento-Allegro-Molto Allegro