Stephen Dodgson: Chamber Music, Volume Three: Music for Oboe
This third album in the Toccata Classics survey of the chamber music of London-born Stephen Dodgson (1924–2013) focuses on his works for oboe. It shows a master- craftsman at work: Dodgson fuses a Baroque sense of clarity, a modern English elegance that has echoes of Britten and Tippett and a hint of eastern European mystery. His writing for oboe has a strong sense of narrative, touching a range of moods, from deep emotion to tongue-in-cheek fun.
James Turnbull, oboe
Libby Burgess, piano (Tracks 1-6, 11-22)
EleanorTurner,harp (Tracks 7-10)
Robyn Allegra Parton, soprano (Tracks 15-17)
Listen To This Recording:
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Sonata for Oboe and Piano (1987)
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: I Intrada
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: II Recitativo e Valse
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: III Capriccioso
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: IV Grave
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: V Moto perpetuo
- Sonata for Oboe and Piano: VI Aria e Chacona
- Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp: I Salute for a Royal Birthday (Counting candles)
- Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp: II Nocturne (Counting sheep)
- Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp: III Burlesque (Counting money)
- Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp: IV Envoi (Counting your blessings)
- Sonata for Cor Anglais and Piano: I Andante con moto
- Sonata for Cor Anglais and Piano: II Vivace
- Sonata for Cor Anglais and Piano: III Poco adagio
- Sonata for Cor Anglais and Piano: IV Allegro non tanto
- Three Winter Songs for Sporano with Oboe and Piano: No. 1 Birds in Winter
- Three Winter Songs for Sporano with Oboe and Piano: No. 2 Winter the Huntsman
- Three Winter Songs for Sporano with Oboe and Piano: No. 3 February
- Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano: I Prelude
- Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano: II Arabesque
- Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano: III Scherzino
- Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano: IV Romance
- Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano: V Finale
Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp (1990)
Sonata for Cor Anglais and Piano (1967)
Three Winter Songs for Soprano with Oboe and Piano (1972)
Suite in C minor for oboe and piano (1957)
First Recordings
MusicWeb International :
‘Hats off to all four musicians on this disc: James Turnbull for his quite luminescent playing on both oboe and cor anglais, Libby Burgess for her faithful and sympathetic pianism, Eleanor Turner for a meltingly gorgeous harp in Countdown, and Robyn Allegra Parton for a superb rendition of the Three Winter Songs which, together with Turnbull’s engaging playing made for a highlight on this already highly enjoyable disc.’
—Steve Arloff, MusicWeb International
Double Reed News :
‘James Turnbull and Libby Burgess form an inspired duo, as shown in both the Suite and Sonata for oboe and piano. […] James’ clear, focused tone, with his expressive use of vibrato, however, is perfect for the long slow phrases that occur between the lively passages, to which he brings an appropriate variety of light articulation. […]
James’ warm and mellow tone is perfectly suited to the lyrical nature of [Sonata for cor anglais and piano]. […]
This CD will certainly inspire oboists of today to play these pieces, thereby expanding their repertoire. It is not, on first hearing, always the easiest music to comprehend, but having listened to the CD several times it becomes increasingly more meaningful.
All four performers on the disc are excellent musicians and their playing/singing demonstrates assured technical ability, faultless ensemble, a real understanding and appreciation of Stephen Dodgson’s compositions, together with the means of conveying to the listener his wit and humour, rhythmic tension as well as the constant changes of mood. This is musicianship of a high order.’
—Tess Miller, Double Reed News
British Music Society :
‘Whether descriptive or more pensive […] these are idiomatic and characterful settings. […]
The performances are uniformly good and are led by James Turnbull, an adroit and expressive instrumentalist, and one can’t go wrong with sleeve notes by Lewis Foreman. Toccata’s Dodgson series continues to produce first class performances of beautifully crafted music.’
—Jonathan Woolf, British Music Society
British Music Society :
‘The vocal parts [of the Three Winter Songs] are on the atonal scale but accomplished brilliantly by Robyn Allegra Parton. She is quoted in the accompanying programme note as having ‘clear high tones and clean, flowing coloratura’ (Online Musik Magazin). Yes, absolutely! Her performance sells the texts of the three poems at stirring full value.
The oboe and piano accompaniments, more atmospheric than atonal in their impact, add a marvellous patina of colour to the pictures painted by the words. The climax of the final song brings the idea of the sun bringing an end to Winter. The effect in voice and instruments is magical.
The CD opens with Dodgson’s Sonata for Oboe and Piano (1987). It has six movements all of them spiky and angular with leaps for both oboe and piano. This results in an invigorating freshness. […]
The combination of harp and oboe [in the Countdown: Suite for Oboe and Harp ] works superbly well. […]
For me, the most immediately attractive work was the final one on the CD, the five-movement Suite in C minor for Oboe and Piano. There is a delightful sinuous Arabesque and an attractive Romance which allows a more melodic style. The finale is once again spiky and full of life, bringing out the very best of Turnbull’s oboe virtuosity.’
—Alan Cooper, British Music Society