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SOMM Recordings

Howells & Wood: Quartets

Romantic Spiritual Melancholic Serene Contemplative
$18.99

Details

Composer
Herbert Howells, Charles Wood
Artist
London Chamber Ensemble Quartet, Madeleine Mitchell
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
Nov 29, 2024
Catalog #
SOMMCD 0692
UPC
748871069220

About

SOMM Recordings is thrilled to announce an exciting new album from the London Chamber Ensemble and violinist and director Madeleine Mitchell of premiere recordings of early 20th century English string music by Herbert Howells and his Royal College of Music teacher Charles Wood, including the recently discovered earlier version of "In Gloucestershire", thought lost, alongside two delightful short pieces, Luchinushka and Chosen Tune, newly arranged by Madeleine Mitchell. Herbert Howells first composed a string quartet entitled "In Gloucestershire" in 1916, though the score was immediately lost. He began re-composing the work a few years later before announcing it's completion in 1920. Following early performances and revisions, this version also disappeared. However, in the 1980s it emerged that a set of parts of the original 1920 version had survived, and it is this version, newly constructed and edited by the author of the booklet notes, Jonathan Clinch, and cellist Joseph Spooner who also features on this disc. Howell's Three Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 28 is also from this same period. The title of No. 2, "Chosen Tune", refers to Chosen Hill, Howell's birthplace near Gloucester, which affords beautiful views of the surrounding countryside where he enjoyed walking. Mitchell first performed these three pieces at the St. Petersburg Festival of British Music in 2009. Having played the Three Pieces... in many countries since 2009, Mitchell arranged two of these, "Chosen Tune" and "Luchinushka" for a quartet program to be given at a Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition in London in January of 2022. The Charles Wood Quartet in D major was his last string quartet and most likely composed during the years of the First World War after the premiere of his Quartet in F major on 7 March 1916. This well crafted work incorporates Irish jigs, folk tunes and laments which reflect both his Irish roots and the growing sense of nationalism celebrating British Music during the period. Woods' music, along with many other early 20th century writers of tonal music, fell out of fashion during the decades that followed, but as this recording shows, SOMM considers the music very well worth re-discovering and plans to record Wood's remaining five numbered quartets in future.

Tracklist 10 tracks

  1. 1 I. With easy and flexible movement 09:44
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. With easy and flexible movement
    Duration
    09:44
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  2. 2 II. Fairly quick, but always rhythmical 02:20
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Fairly quick, but always rhythmical
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  3. 3 III. Slow in pace, with much feeling 09:29
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Slow in pace, with much feeling
    Duration
    09:29
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  4. 4 IV. Allegro vivace, assai ritmico 05:59
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro vivace, assai ritmico
    Duration
    05:59
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  5. 5 3 Pieces, Op. 28: No. 3. Luchinuska (arr. M. Mitchell for string quartet) 03:40
    Track
    5
    Title
    3 Pieces, Op. 28: No. 3. Luchinuska (arr. M. Mitchell for string quartet)
    Duration
    03:40
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  6. 6 3 Pieces, Op. 28: No. 2. Chosen Tune (arr. M. Mitchell for string quartet) 01:30
    Track
    6
    Title
    3 Pieces, Op. 28: No. 2. Chosen Tune (arr. M. Mitchell for string quartet)
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Herbert Howells
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  7. 7 I. Allegro con moto 07:33
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Allegro con moto
    Duration
    07:33
    Composer
    Charles Wood
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  8. 8 II. Allegro vivace 05:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    05:59
    Composer
    Charles Wood
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  9. 9 III. Adagio 07:51
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Adagio
    Duration
    07:51
    Composer
    Charles Wood
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble
  10. 10 IV. Allegro molto 07:24
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Allegro molto
    Duration
    07:24
    Composer
    Charles Wood
    Ensemble
    London Chamber Ensemble