Gibbs: Dale and Fell & other chamber music

CDA67093

Recording details: February 1999
Henry Wood Hall, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Tony Faulkner
Release date: November 1999
DISCID: B80F4010
Total duration: 63 minutes 29 seconds

'A quiet mastery of the medium that brings constant pleasure, nicely performed and recorded.' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Outstanding playing' (Classic FM Magazine)

Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960)

Dale and Fell & other chamber music

Guildhall Strings, Robert Salter (conductor)

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LISTEN TO ALL EXTRACTS

		Prelude, Andante and Finale Op 112 arr. Lawrence Ashmore (b?)
1		Prelude: Alla marcia [4'58]
2		Andante: Andante rubato [7'26]
3		Finale: Allegro marcato [5'04]
		Dale and Fell
4		Prelude: The Beck Climb [2'52]
5		Rest at noon [3'21]
6		Over the high Fells [2'58]
7		Threnody for Walter de la Mare [7'40]
		A Spring Garland Op 84
8		Kingcup: Ben ritmico [2'02]
9		Dog Violet: Con grazia [2'15]
10		Daffodil: Tempo di menuetto [2'17]
11		Windflower: Alla gavotta [2'28]
12		Tulip: Con anima [1'59]
13		Almayne Op 71 [4'12]
		Suite for Strings
14		Prelude: Con moto moderato [4'15]
15		A song of sleep: Molto lento [5'41]
16		Promise of spring: Con brio [4'01]

Everything on this CD is receiving its first commercial recording. Armstrong Gibbs's most famous piece is the once very popular little orchestral movement called 'Dusk', which was recorded on our first 'British Light Music Classics' CD. Looking for suitable repertoire to introduce Guildhall Strings into the Hyperion catalogue we asked their programmer, Ben Buckton, to investigate Gibbs's other music. The composer's granddaughter, Anne Rust, told Ben that, for safekeeping, she had sent some scores many years ago to the Britten-Pears Music Library in Aldeburgh where they have remained untouched ever since. Ben's request for 'anything for strings' by Gibbs resulted in the production of a stack of dusty folders containing the handwritten manuscripts. The work on the top of the pile was the Threnody for Walter de la Mare, and it immediately became clear that the journey to Suffolk was going to lead to more than anyone had expected.

This is attractive, well-written music in a lighter vein, dating from the first half of the century.

(Useless but interesting information: Gibbs was one of the toothpaste family.)

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