John McCabe: Arthur Pendragon

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The most consistently fine and distinctive piece is Pilgrim - what is it about massed strings that so often brings out the best in English composers? The strings of the BBC Scottish sound as... — BBC Music Magazine, August 2007, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 19th Feb 2007
Catalogue No: CDLX7179
Label: Dutton
Series: Epoch
Length: 72 minutes

McCabe, J: Ballet Suite No. 1 - Arthur Pendragon

Work length27:58

$4.50

$6.30

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

I. Uther and the Tribes

Track length6:53

$1.00

$1.40

II. Igraine and Uther

Track length6:40

$1.00

$1.40

III. The Tourney

Track length6:05

$1.00

$1.40

IV. The Lovers

Track length8:20

$1.50

$2.10

McCabe, J: Piano Concerto No. 1

Work length25:33

$5.00

$7.00

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

I. Largo

Track length7:16

$1.50

$2.10

II. Vivo

Track length2:04

$1.00

$1.40

III. Lento - Cadenza - Allegretto - Maestoso - Tempo I

Track length10:10

$1.50

$2.10

IV. Giocoso - Danzato - Giocoso

Track length6:03

$1.00

$1.40

McCabe, J: Pilgrim, for Double String Orchestra: Grave - Andante - Allegro deciso - Tempo primo - Allegro non troppo - Tempo primo

Work length19:06

Album only

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

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Recorded at City Halls, Glasgow, 12-14 June 2006

Reviews

August 2007

The most consistently fine and distinctive piece is Pilgrim - what is it about massed strings that so often brings out the best in English composers? The strings of the BBC Scottish sound as though they enjoy every moment of it but then the whole disc conveys conviction and dedication, and the composer makes a strong and authoritative soloist in the Concerto.

2010

It's long been a source of amazement why McCabe's splendid First Piano Concerto, written for the 1967 Southport Centenary Festival, has not been recorded before so Dutton's committed advocacy is unequivocally to be welcomed.
The concerto's rhythmic élan is a feature prominent in most of his output, including Pilgrim for double string orchestra (1998, arranged from a string sextet original). Although Bunyan's book was the inspiration, the singlespan Pilgrim is not illustrative, rather a slow fantasia with two quicker sections, like a scherzo and trio in negative. As with the concerto's finale, Pilgrim shows how danceable McCabe's concert music is (several works have been successfully choreographed).
The largest item is a suite from his recent ballet diptych, Arthur (1998-2001), the four movements deriving from the first part, Arthur Pendragon, all but the finale from its first act. The vigour and drive of 'Uther and the Tribes' and 'The Tourney' (in which Arthur draws Excalibur from the Stone) contrast with the poignant beauty of 'Igraine and Uther'. The finale, 'The Lovers', is a complex conflation of two pas de deux for Lancelot and Guinevere and the ballet's climax, Arthur's vain and misguided massacre of the innocents (attempting to destroy the infant Mordred). Powerful stuff, the BBC Scottish SO's performance under Christopher Austin is inspired. With excellent sound, this issue is very strongly recommended.

June 2007

Powerful stuff, the BBC Scottish SO's performance under Christopher Austin is inspired. With excellent sound, this issue is very strongly recommended.

John McCabe: Arthur Pendragon

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