Arnold Bax; John Ireland - Piano Concertos (Mark Bebbington)

Information

Composer: Arnold Bax; John Ireland

1. Bax - Concertino for Piano & Orchestra: I. Lento - Più mosso
2. Bax - Concertino for Piano & Orchestra: II. Lento
3. Bax - Concertino for Piano & Orchestra: III. Allegro
4. Ireland - Concerto for Piano & Orchestra in E flat: I. In tempo moderato
5. Ireland - Concerto for Piano & Orchestra in E flat: II. Lento espressivo
6. Ireland - Concerto for Piano & Orchestra in E flat: III. Allegretto giocoso - Allegro vivace
7. Ireland - Legend for Piano & Orchestra

Mark Bebbington, piano
Orchestra of the Swan
David Curtis, conductor

Date: 2009
Label: SOMM
https://www.somm-recordings.com/recording/works-for-piano-and-orchestra-by-arnold-bax-and-john-ireland/

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Review

An ebullient and invaluable disc for all devotees of Bax and Ireland

This seems to be an age of completions. If a composer was unfortunate enough to die without finishing a piece some zealot will do it for him. It can be worthwhile, as with Elgar’s Third Symphony, and Graham Parlett has carried out another dedicated task with what Bax called a Concertino for piano and orchestra. In fact the work lasts half an hour and even though Bax described it as “a small concerto” for Harriet Cohen it’s a substantial work that accumulates some massive climaxes. Bax left it unfinished in 1939 because he was disillusioned about the war. Parlett had to decide most of the scoring and sometimes fill out the thin textures. There are beefy piano chords in the first movement and at times the writing sounds turgid. But there are many characteristic touches and the finale is insistently ebullient. Anyone interested in Bax will be fascinated.

The Ireland Concerto is inescapably associated with Eric Parkin, whose first recording was with Boult and the LSO in 1968. Surprisingly Bebbington takes a minute longer than Parkin for every movement in the Concerto as well as the eloquent Legend. There’s little impression of Bebbington dragging, although Boult cunningly moved things along from time to time. The rapt piano solos, such as the soloist’s entry in the slow movement, have the same mesmeric quality in both performances. This is vintage Ireland with a real melodic gift and harmonic textures that could come from no other composer.

The old Lyrita LP transferred well but Bebbington’s more modern sound is an asset. So is his total sympathy with the music, well supported by the Orchestra of the Swan. Ireland enthusiasts will rejoice.

-- Peter Dickinson, Gramophone

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: *** / SOUND: ****
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Nov09/Bax_Somm_CD242.htm
http://classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=7613
https://www.allmusic.com/album/bax-concertino-ireland-piano-concerto-legend-mw0001969443
https://www.amazon.com/Bax-Concertino-Orchestra-Ireland-Concerto/dp/B002RB9JR0

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Arnold Bax (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral music. In addition to a series of symphonic poems he wrote seven symphonies and was for a time widely regarded as the leading British symphonist. In his last years Bax found his music regarded as old-fashioned, and after his death it was generally neglected. From the 1960s onwards, mainly through a growing number of commercial recordings, his music was gradually rediscovered.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Bax

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John Ireland (13 August 1879 – 12 June 1962) was an English composer and teacher of classical music. He studied piano with Frederic Cliffe and composition with Charles Villiers Stanford. He was strongly influenced by Debussy and Ravel as well as by the earlier works of Stravinsky and Bartók. From these influences, he developed his own brand of "English Impressionism", related more closely to French and Russian models than to the folk-song style then prevailing in English music. Ireland favoured small forms and wrote neither symphonies nor operas, although his Piano Concerto is considered among his best works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ireland_(composer)

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Mark Bebbington (born 17 January 1972) is a British concert pianist. He studied at the Royal College of Music, and later studied in Paris and Italy with Aldo Ciccolini. Internationally recognised as a champion of British music in particular, Bebbington has recorded extensively for the SOMM label to critical acclaim. In addition to a series of five-star reviews in BBC Music Magazine, he has won Gramophone Editor's Choice and International Record Review's 'Outstanding' accolade. Bebbington has featured both as soloist and recitalist on BBC television and radio, and on major European television and radio networks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bebbington
http://markbebbington.co.uk/

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