George Loughlin: Chamber and Instrumental Music
The Liverpudlian George Loughlin (1914–84) was appointed professor of music at the University of Melbourne in 1958, remaining in that post for 21 years. That he was also a composer was generally unknown – a former colleague, hearing one of the pieces on this album, exclaimed: ‘That’s George?’ The earliest works here are audibly by an English composer, one who knew his Vaughan Williams, and blend an honest sincerity with fleet-footed wit. The approach of the later pieces is more philosophical and searching, the harmony more at ease with dissonance and the melodic lines more angular – in both peppy counterpoint and long-breathed lyricism.
Gladys Chua, piano
Darlington String Quartet
Listen To This Recording:
Introduction and Allegro for string quartet (1953) (10:30)
- Introduction (2:57)
- Allegro (7:23)
- Diversion for piano trio (early 1960s) (5:24)
- Folk Tune for Anne (1943) (2:29)
Sonatina for Violin and Piano (1976) (16:20)
- I. Allegro molto (4:29)
- II. Antiphon (3:38)
- III. Theme (1:08)
- III. Var. 1 Ostinato (1:25)
- III. Var 2 Bagatelle (0:56)
- III. Var. 3 Cortège (3:04)
- III. Var. 4 Carillon (1:40)
String Quartet in C (1939) (21:13)
- I. Allegro con brio (6:00)
- II. Presto (4:19)
- III. Andante con moto (4:44)
- IV. Allegro molto e giocoso (6:10)
Spring Trio (1957) (17:22)
- I. Allegro con brio (5:48)
- II. Andante con moto (5:47)
- III. Tarantella (5:47)
MusicWeb International :
‘The early Folk Tune for Anne is a piano piece written for his wife-to-be, in 1943. It’s full of warmth and very brief. On a larger scale is the Violin Sonatina of 1976. This is an attractive, engaging work the pithy dialogues of which add much pleasure. […]
The members of the Darlington String Quartet take on the works in their various permutations and do so with some style but also awareness of textual and expressive matters. […]
Altogether a good case is made for the music of this unknown, expatriate Englishman.’
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International