Don Banks: Vocal and Chamber Music
During his short life Don Banks (1923–80) enjoyed a reputation as the leading modernist among Australian composers. Studies with Mátyás Seiber, Milton Babbitt and, especially, Luigi Dallapiccola helped refine his serial technique, but his music never retreated into academic abstraction, as this recital of chamber and vocal works demonstrates: it retained a keen sense of drama, an ear for atmosphere, a rather angular lyricism and, occasionally, a touch of humour.
Robert Johnson, horn (Tracks 1–3)
Ole Böhn, violin (Tracks 1–3, 18)
Jenny Duck-Chong, mezzo-soprano (Tracks 4–8, 19–21)
Francesco Celata, clarinet (Tracks 9–11)
Geoffrey Gartner, cello (Tracks 12–14)
Rowan Phemister, harp (Tracks 19–21)
David Kim-Boyle, siren (Track 21)
Alison Pratt, Daryl Pratt and Joshua Hill, percussion (Tracks 19–21)
Daniel Herscovitch, piano
Listen To This Recording:
- I Lento – Allegro moderato
- II Adagio espressivo
- III Moderato
- No. 1 Buy broom buzzems
- No. 2 My Bonny Lad
- No. 3 King Arthur’s Servants
- No. 4 Bonny at Morn
- No. 5 O the Bonny Fisher Lad
- Prologue
- Night Piece
- Blues for Two
- No. 1 Andante – Moderato
- No. 2 Lento espressivo
- No. 3 Allegro con brio
- I Allegro con spirito
- II Largo con espressione
- III Risoluto – Lamentevole
- Sonata for Violin and Piano
- I Lento
- II Adagio – Allegro – Tempo I
- III Vivace – Lento
Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano (1962)
Five North Country Folk Songs (1953)*
Prologue, Night Piece and Blues for Two for clarinet and piano (1968)
Three Studies for Violoncello and Piano (1954)
Sonatina in C sharp minor for piano (1948)
Tirade for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble (1968)*
* FIRST RECORDINGS
MusicWeb International :
‘The performance of all this material is excellent and clearly sympathetic; it is complemented by a clear and vibrant recording.’
—John France, MusicWeb International
MusicWeb International :
‘The musicians – mostly Australian, an excellent idea – do Banks proud. If these performances cannot entice an interest in his music, then nothing will.’
—Gary Higginson, MusicWeb International
Stringendo :
‘At last – a complete recording of the chamber music of one of Australia’s foremost composers. Pianist Daniel Herscovitch, who had personal connections with Banks, has assembled fine performers from NSW. […]
In 1962, Banks wrote his horn trio, a worthy successor to that of Brahms, played here with sensitivity by Robert Johnson, Böhn and Herscovitch. Also featured are Francesco Celata’s expressive clarinet playing and Jenny Duck-Chong who sings with precise diction and expressive agility.’
—Susan Pierotti, Stringendo
Gramophone :
‘Performances throughout are excellent and more than committed.’
—Ivan Moody, Gramophone
The Music Trust :
‘An invaluable collection of works celebrating a composer who should be a household name in this country’s music. […]
The sense of formal rigour that the music [of the Violin Sonata] projects is leavened by passages of genuine lyricism and moments of calm; both manners are perfectly embodied in the authoritative performances of Ole Böhn on violin, who ranges agreeably from a gruff assertive tone to moments of seraphic delicacy, and Herscovitch on piano. [..]
Gartner and Herscovitch display admirable ensemble in bringing [the Three Studies for Violoncello and Piano] to life. […]
For this gripping performance [of the Horn Trio] Böhn and Herscovitch are joined by the estimable Robert Johnson. […]
Herscovitch is joined [in the Prologue, Night Piece and Blues for Two] by Francesco Celata, who negotiates the shifts in register and mood with grace and ease; the slow movement, in particular, a gradually rising clarinet melody surrounded by subtle, quietly powerful piano figurations, is especially beautiful. […]
The music Banks left, as presented in this invaluable collection, is ‘tough’ in so far as neither performers nor listeners can afford to give it anything other than their full attention. There are many works from many centuries of which that could be said, and which, like Banks’s, yield more insights and pleasure on repeated listening. And as Karen Carpenter reminds us, love may grow, for all we know.’
—Gordon Kerry, The Music Trust