Thomas Pitfield: Orchestral Music
Thomas Pitfield (1903–99) was a polymath: artist, bookbinder, cabinet-maker, calligrapher, cartoonist, composer, designer, poet, printmaker and more. He brought to his compositions the same skill and craftsmanship as to his other activities, but during his long lifetime his personal modesty impeded a general awareness of his achievements. Pitfield’s fondness for folk-music sites his music within the broad tradition of English pastoralism established by Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Howells and others – though a touch of steel can occasionally be heard behind the lyricism.
Emma McGrath, violin
Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
Paul Mann, conductor
Listen To This Recording:
Sinfonietta (20:44)
- I. Introduction and Dance-Variants. Lento e flessibilie – Allegro (4:54)
- II. Polka. Moderato articulato (2:54)
- III. Pavan. Poco lento, con molta dignità – (2:07)
- IV. Jig. Allegro giocoso (2:27)
- V. Finale. Allegro risoluto (8:22)
Fantasia on an Old Staffordshire Tune for violin and orchestra (12:29)
- I. Andante contemplativo – (2:14)
- II. Allegro marcato – (3:21)
- III. Cadenza – (1:53)
- IV. Andante contemplativo – Più calmato e sereno (5:01)
- Lyric Waltz for string orchestra (3:02)
Bucolics: Folk Songs Studies (13:10)
- I. Comin’ through the Rye; Faithful Journey (2:48)
- II. Where are you going to, my Pretty Maid? (1:33)
- III. So Far from my Country (2:25)
- IV. Gathering Peascods (1:53)
- V. The Little Room (3:00)
- VI. Carrion Crow (1:31)
Concerto Lirico for violin and orchestra (19:00)*
- I. Allegro apprensivo – Molto allegro grazioso – Allegro giocoso – (6:34)
- II. Requiem – in Memoriam Alber Hardie (August 2, 1958) (2:58)
- III. Cadenza – (1:27)
- IV. Release (3:52)
- V. Tempo primo – Giocoso – Larghetto tragico (4:08)
- Epitaph for string orchestra (6:34)
All Except * First Recordings
MusicWeb International :
‘A discerning approach to this distinguished recording requires one to appreciate that Thomas Pitfield was a true polymath: a composer, poet, artist and craftsman of notable versatility. His musical language reveals the influence of Frederick Delius, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Grainger, yet always retains an individual character. Unhesitant in his engagement with folk song, Pitfield resourcefully integrates it into a classical context. That yields compositions distinguished by appealing melodies, sophisticated harmonic treatment, and a sensitivity to instrumental technique. […]
All the works get committed performances by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra under Paul Mann. The violin soloist, Emma McGrath, gives outstanding accounts of the two concerted pieces. I have already mentioned the liner notes, which add value and interest to the package. The recording is splendid.
This is altogether a valuable exploration of Thomas Pitfield’s eminently approachable music. One hopes that Toccata Classics will soon re-examine his extensive catalogue.’
—John France, MusicWeb International
Classical Music Sentinel :
‘[Pitfield’s] music is unjustly overlooked and rarely performed when compared to other British composers of his generation.
His music is imbued with a generally morose character so typical of the British Isles, but then again that’s exactly how it evokes vivid imagery of a windswept countryside which pulls you in. So once again, to all the collectors out there who bemoan the fact that there isn’t much left in the way of new music to explore, Toccata Classics offers up something quite convincing to the contrary.’
—Jean-Yves Duperron, Classical Music Sentinel
British Music Society :
‘Pitfield’s gifts were considerable; his music displays craftsmanship, gracious writing for the instruments, as well as a strong sense of dance. […]
It is the excellent performances by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra that will play an important part in reassessing his work, with welcome additional text in the booklet contributed by the conductor Paul Mann and violin soloist Emma McGrath.’
Wendy Hiscocks, British Music Society
MusicWeb International :
‘Recording of the month
This is an important release. […]
The splendid Sinfonietta was composed at the behest of Sir John Barbirolli and is a substantial work in five movements. […]
[The Fantasia on an Old Staffordshire] is quite a substantial piece and repeated listening reveals that this work has considerable depth.
The Lyric Waltz showcases Pitfield’s great melodic gift. […]
I really enjoyed Pitfield’s Bucolics: Folk Song Studies. One of the most appealing aspects of the Pitfield style is his sensitive and sometimes unexpected use of harmony; […]
The gorgeous Concerto Lirico for violin and orchestra is unquestionably the most important work on this disc and a clear masterpiece. […]
The recorded sound of this CD is close to ideal. It is excellently balanced and has real clarity and presence. The notes by John Turner and Paul Mann are most interesting and give us plenty of detail about the sometimes fraught relationship the composer had with the BBC, with many of his works sadly failing to be selected by their score reading panel.
This disc goes a long way towards righting these wrongs and is superb in every respect. Emma McGrath makes a first-rate violin soloist in the Concerto Lirico and Fantasia on an Old Staffordshire Tune; she is technically impeccable and I cannot imagine her sensitive interpretations being bettered. The performances by the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra are astonishingly idiomatic – anyone listening might suppose these performances were recorded by a British orchestra. I hope that Paul Mann conducts more orchestral pieces by Thomas Pitfield, as he clearly has an innate understanding of his music.
I hope this disc introduces as many people as possible to this endlessly rewarding composer.’
—David Jennings, MusicWeb International
Pizzicato :
‘He set very pleasant pieces that please with their appealing clarity.
Violinist Emma McGrath fills the solo parts with unobtrusive but determined playing. She knows how to aptly emphasize the folk-song-like and flowing character. […]
The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra from the Latvian city of the same name, the oldest in the Baltic States, is led through the program by Paul Mann. They give Thomas Pitfield’s pieces a formative contour. But they shape the structures without overtaxing the content of the compositions. As a result, they succeed in creating positively connoted performances that are appealing due to their accessibility in terms of work and interpretation.’
—Uwe Krusch, Pizzicato
MusicWeb International :
‘Thomas Pitfield’s music is becoming more widely available and the sense of discovery, or even rediscovery, is one of the pleasurable things about that greater availability. Take this volume from Toccata of his Orchestral Music. Only the Concerto Lirico has been recorded before, which means a healthy number of premiere recordings and with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, with Paul Mann at the helm, we can be assured of committed and first-class performances.
[The Concerto Lirizo] is certainly very well played by Emma McGrath who had earlier played the Fantasia on an Old Staffordshire Tune.
The disc ends with Pitfield’s quietly moving Epitaph for string orchestra.
Pitfield’s circumscribed expressive palette will appeal to admirers of the British Pastoral yet to be acquainted with him.’
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International