Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
SOMM Recordings

An English Pastoral

Romantic Dramatic Triumphant Nostalgic Uplifting
$18.99

Details

Composer
Arthur Bliss, Gerald Finzi, Ivor Gurney, Ian Venables
Artist
Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
Apr 18, 2025
Catalog #
SOMMCD 0700
UPC
748871070028

About

In it's latest release, SOMM Recordings focuses on Ivor Gurney, Arthur Bliss, and Gerald Finzi who, each in their own distinct way, played a pivotal role in the rapid transformation of English pastoralism in early twentieth-century British Music. Ian Venables' music, also included on this disc, draws on a lineage that includes Gurney, Bliss, and Finzi, yet it incorporates modernist elements, creating a style that is uniquely his own. The seven works for violin and piano by Ivor Gurney-appearing here for the first time-come from 1908-1909, pre-dating his studies in London with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. They include the poignant Elgarian Chanson Triste; In September and In August; a Romance; a Legende; a melodic Folk Tale; and a rare attempt at a lighter mood with a Humoreske. Arthur Bliss was wounded in the Battle of the Somme, and his single-movement Violin Sonata marks a transition in his musical style in response to the emotional and cultural upheaval of the War. Bridging the pastoral warmth of his early influences with the bold innovations that would soon define his voice, the sonata captures the last traces of English pastoral romanticism in Bliss's output. The Elegy for Violin and Piano by Gerald Finzi exudes a pastoral tranquillity, but beneath it's serene surface lies a complex emotional landscape shaped by the personal grief of losing his three brothers and his beloved teacher, Ernest Farrar, in World War I. This present performance also emphasises the Elegy's contrapuntal texture and rhythmic precision, which show the influence of Bach, a cornerstone of Finzi's musical inspiration. The recital opens and closes with works by Ian Venables, widely regarded as one of Britain's most accomplished living composers. His two-movement Sonata from 1989 begins with a melancholic dialogue of introspective lyricism between the violin and piano. By contrast, the second movement exhibits a virtuosic interplay of the instruments. The Three Pieces for Violin and Piano come from 1986, shortly after Venables moved to Worcester, and they capture his response to the Severn Valley landscape. The opening Pastorale conveys a tranquil yet expressive simplicity; the Romance is more reflective and introspective; while the final Dance showcases Venables's ability to inject energy and playfulness into his music. The award-winning Taiwanese violinist Joe Chu-Yu Yang, whose career in Britain is beginning to flourish, is a passionate advocate for British music and founder of the British Music Festival in Taiwan. He performs in recital as a duo with Eric McElroy, described by Musical Opinion as "one of the leading composer-pianists of his generation." Eric's debut CD, Tongues of Fire, featuring his own works for piano and tenor, was released on SOMMCD 0665.

Tracklist 14 tracks

  1. 1 I. Lento - Andante - Lento 05:06
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Lento - Andante - Lento
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Ian Venables
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  2. 2 II. Allegro scherzando - Andante - Allegro 04:26
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro scherzando - Andante - Allegro
    Duration
    04:26
    Composer
    Ian Venables
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  3. 3 Elegy in F Major, Op. 22 08:38
    Track
    3
    Title
    Elegy in F Major, Op. 22
    Duration
    08:38
    Composer
    Gerald Finzi
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  4. 4 Chanson Triste 04:30
    Track
    4
    Title
    Chanson Triste
    Duration
    04:30
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  5. 5 In September 07:42
    Track
    5
    Title
    In September
    Duration
    07:42
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  6. 6 In August 05:26
    Track
    6
    Title
    In August
    Duration
    05:26
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  7. 7 Romance 04:11
    Track
    7
    Title
    Romance
    Duration
    04:11
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  8. 8 Légende 07:45
    Track
    8
    Title
    Légende
    Duration
    07:45
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  9. 9 A Folk Tale 02:32
    Track
    9
    Title
    A Folk Tale
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  10. 10 Humoreske 02:24
    Track
    10
    Title
    Humoreske
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  11. 11 Violin Sonata, F. 192 11:31
    Track
    11
    Title
    Violin Sonata, F. 192
    Duration
    11:31
    Composer
    Arthur Bliss
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  12. 12 No. 1. Pastorale 04:24
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 1. Pastorale
    Duration
    04:24
    Composer
    Ian Venables
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  13. 13 No. 2. Romance 03:32
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 2. Romance
    Duration
    03:32
    Composer
    Ian Venables
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy
  14. 14 No. 3. Dance 03:38
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 3. Dance
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Ian Venables
    Performer
    Chu-Yu Yang, Eric McElroy