Vaughan Williams/McEwen: Flos Campi & Viola Concerto

'Lawrence Power's playing is wonderfully varied, at times delicate and poetical, at others broad, passionate and generous … Power (and Brabbins, who exercises his usual imaginative flair and masterly orchestral control in this repertoire) is at his best in the Suite of 1934. Here the very sound of the viola seems to articulate that quintissential voice of the composer … This is a 'must-have' for all lovers of Vaughan Williams and British music in general!' --Gramophone

THE SUNDAY TIMES CLASSICAL CD OF THE WEEK
GRAMOPHONE CHOICE
GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE 2011

'Lawrence Power is the perfect advocate for both works, with his rich, warm, sensuous tone and flamboyant virtuosity … Brabbins and the BBC NOW are in complete sympathy with his musical aims' --The Sunday Times

'Lawrence Power plays with a tone as dark as a cello, and a technique as agile as a violinist's: the ideal combination … Decidedly a favourite disc of 2011' --The Observer

'Lawrence Power's beautiful and mellow playing … [Suite for Viola and Small Orchestra] This gorgeous and fascinatingly structured piece' --The Glasgow Herald

Nicola Benedetti plays Vaughan Williams & Tavener

“…in the violin concerto Lalishri and its companion piece Dhyana the sheer seductive beauty of the sound is hard to resist. …Lalishri in particular is full of surprises, not least Tavener's feeling for the violin both as singer and as virtuoso soloist. It's clear from Nicola Benedetti's performance that she loves this music every bit as much as she loves Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending, which she plays with similar open-hearted warmth and rapt concentration - as well as superb technical control.” --BBC Music Magazine, October 2007 *****

“The third disc of DG's deal with the former BBC Young Musician amply justifies the company's confidence in this wonderfully pure-toned young violinist. It is an imaginative coupling of three Tavener works – two inspired by Benedetti and a third arranged for her – and the VW work voted the nation's most popular classic.

The choral Song for Athene crowned the music at Princess Diana's funeral. This arrangement cannot match that haunting quality although it's beautifully played. Tavener has described Bene- detti's playing as 'like a voice…you feel her breathing a line,' and the brief Dhyana (Sanskrit for 'meditation') is meant to reflect her contemplative style. Lalishri is much more ambitious, almost 40 minutes long, and is inspired by the 14th-century Hindu poet and saint Lalia Yogishwari. The solo violin represents the songs of the poet while the music reflects Tavener's devotion to the Indian raga, meditational depths punctuated by sharp, even frenetic, changes of mood in dance rhythms. Benedetti's fine performance sustains its length well with much double- stopping, pizzicato effects, trills and quarter tones. Unlike much of Tavener's music, the work has great vigour with a powerful rather than meditative close.

The Lark Ascending receives a spacious performance, reflective and pure-toned in the fluttering evocations of the lark and powerful in the tuttis, thanks to the weighty accompaniment of Andrew Litton and the LPO, with far bigger dynamic contrasts than usual. A fascinating disc that should have even more listeners magnetised by the music of Tavener as well as of Vaughan Williams.” --Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

MP3 320 · 143 MB