Songs of Love & Despair / Boyd, Metcalf
Details
- Composer
- Robert Beaser, Beyonce, Luigi Boccherini, Paul Brantley, Marian Budos, Claude Debussy, John Lennon
- Artist
- Boyd Meets Girl, Rupert Boyd, Laura Metcalf
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Sono Luminus
- Released
- Mar 25, 2022
- Catalog #
- DSL-92255
- UPC
- 053479225528
About
Rupert Boyd writes: “This is an album of love. But also of despair. And some things in between. Largely conceived, arranged, rehearsed and recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, Songs of Love & Despair contains the music that we were drawn to during this time -- a time of unprecedented stillness and solitude, traveling at most a few miles from our home for months on end. As a married couple we were fortunate to be able to play music together every day, and this collection of repertoire is half love, half longing; from the delicate beauty of Debussy and the joyousness of Boccherini, to the anguish of Messiaen and heartbreaking Appalachian folk songs, which tell the stories of love, life and loss. The album is a testament to this time, and we welcome you to join us as we traverse the emotions that have enveloped us all.” The album encompasses music from Luigi Boccherini to The Beatles to Beyoncé, from Franz Schubert to Florence B. Price to Radiohead.
REVIEW:
Guitarist Rupert Boyd and his wife, cellist Laura Metcalf, have released their second recording and it includes transcriptions of well-known pieces such as Debussy’s ‘Arabesque No. 1’ with delicately articulated arpeggios by the guitar providing a graceful accompaniment to the lyrical cello melody. Schubert’s ‘Gretchen am Spinnrade’ is delivered fluidly with deep romantic passion in an arrangement by Napoleon Coste (1805–83).
‘A New York Minute’ by Marian Budos, is bursting with energy and close coordination between the two players. Metcalf’s sense of drama and razor-sharp intonation combine to achieve a powerful delivery.
Two arrangements by Lennon and McCartney are pleasantly performed and would be crowd pleasers in concert.
The recorded tone of each of the two instruments is realistic, but the cello is somewhat overpowering on some tracks.
Liner notes are informative and entertaining. All in all, this is an effective project, mixing known works with the new ones—always a plus!
-- American Record Guide (Jim McCutchen)
Tracklist 16 tracks
-
1 2 Arabesques: No. 1 in E Major (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 04:30
- Track
- 1
- Title
- 2 Arabesques: No. 1 in E Major (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 04:30
- Composer
- Claude Debussy
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
2 A New York Minute 04:16
- Track
- 2
- Title
- A New York Minute
- Duration
- 04:16
- Composer
- Marián Budoš
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
3 Gretchen am Spinnrade, Op. 2, D. 118 (arr. N. Coste for cello and guitar) 03:18
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Gretchen am Spinnrade, Op. 2, D. 118 (arr. N. Coste for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 03:18
- Composer
- Franz Schubert
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
4 The Deserted Garden (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 02:15
- Track
- 4
- Title
- The Deserted Garden (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 02:15
- Composer
- Florence Beatrice Price
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
5 Pray You Catch Me (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 04:16
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Pray You Catch Me (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 04:16
- Composer
- Beyonce Knowles
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
6 No. 1. Barbara Allen 03:19
- Track
- 6
- Title
- No. 1. Barbara Allen
- Duration
- 03:19
- Composer
- Robert Beaser
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
7 No. 2. The House Carpenter 02:03
- Track
- 7
- Title
- No. 2. The House Carpenter
- Duration
- 02:03
- Composer
- Robert Beaser
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
8 No. 3. He's Gone Away 05:30
- Track
- 8
- Title
- No. 3. He's Gone Away
- Duration
- 05:30
- Composer
- Robert Beaser
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
9 No. 4. Hush You Bye 04:50
- Track
- 9
- Title
- No. 4. Hush You Bye
- Duration
- 04:50
- Composer
- Robert Beaser
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
10 I. Adagio 03:10
- Track
- 10
- Title
- I. Adagio
- Duration
- 03:10
- Composer
- Luigi Boccherini
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
11 II. Allegro moderato 04:38
- Track
- 11
- Title
- II. Allegro moderato
- Duration
- 04:38
- Composer
- Luigi Boccherini
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
12 Blackbird (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 02:46
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Blackbird (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 02:46
- Composer
- John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
13 Eleanor Rigby (arr. S. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 02:21
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Eleanor Rigby (arr. S. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 02:21
- Composer
- John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
14 Filles de l'Élysée 05:38
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Filles de l'Élysée
- Duration
- 05:38
- Composer
- Paul Brantley
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
15 Daydreaming (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar) 05:15
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Daydreaming (arr. R. Boyd and L. Metcalf for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 05:15
- Composer
- Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Thom Yorke, Philip Selway
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl
-
16 Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time): V. Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus (Praise to the Eternity of Jesus) (arr. R. Mosher for cello and guitar) 07:37
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time): V. Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus (Praise to the Eternity of Jesus) (arr. R. Mosher for cello and guitar)
- Duration
- 07:37
- Composer
- Olivier Messiaen
- Ensemble
- Boyd Meets Girl