Elisabeth Lutyens: Organ Music
The organ music of Elisabeth Lutyens (1906–83) presents a meeting of contrasts: it can at the same time be both angular and lyrical, and it spans an enormous dynamic range, from intimate delicacy to sheer, raw, hieratic power. Her reputation as one of Britain’s leading serial composers is belied, too, by the direct appeal, the range of colour and the narrative instinct of many of the pieces recorded here, most of them for the first time.
Philippa Boyle, soprano (Tracks 1, 6)
Dewi Rees, organ (Track 5)
Tom Winpenny, organ of St Albans Cathedral
Listen To This Recording:
- Epithalamion, Op. 67, No. 3
- No. 1 Conte
- No. 2 Berceuse
- No. 3 Rondes
- Plenum IV, Op. 100 (1975)*
- Nativity (1951)*
- Sinfonia, Op. 32 (1955)
- I Prelude
- II Palindrome
- III Pastorale
- IV Chorale
- A Sleep of Prisoners (1966)
- Chorale Prelude (undated)
- Temenos, Op. 72 (1969)
Epithalamion, Op. 67, No. 3 (1968)
Trois Pièces Brèves (1969)
Suite, Op. 17 (1948)
FIRST RECORDINGS
MusicWeb International :
‘The best pieces in this collection have a grandeur and an otherworldly sense of mystery that I found hypnotic. Few composers have made as musical an argument for serial techniques as Lutyens.
Winpenny is clearly a passionate advocate and, in his hands, seemingly esoteric matters such as registration become crucial in illuminating the many colours in Lutyens’ scores. That they are demanding works doesn’t for a second mean they are drab. In my review of Martin Jones’ recording of the piano music I mentioned that he played those pieces as though they were Debussy and Winpenny seems on a similar mission to show us the emotional and sensual range in them. […]
I don’t propose to itemise every work included in this pioneering release – even the early more traditional Chorale Prelude displays immense craft. I should think this ought to be compulsory listening for organists and I hope it represents another significant step in the restoration of the reputation of one of the finest English composers of the second half of the twentieth century. Bravo to all involved!’
—David McDade, MusicWeb International