Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA67651/2

Melody for the G string, Op 47

composer
1917; in G flat major; first performed by Lionel Tertis and Bowen on 7 July 1917; published in 1923 by Swan & Co; Andante tranquillo

Lawrence Power (viola), Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano)
Recording details: November 2007
Potton Hall, Dunwich, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: July 2008
Total duration: 3 minutes 53 seconds

Cover artwork: Sunrise by the Red Trees. Romy Ragan
Private Collection / Bridgeman Images
 

Other recordings available for download

Chloë Hanslip (violin), Danny Driver (piano)

Reviews

‘Bowen's music … is full of surprises and of a harmonic language and idiom peculiarly his own … both CDs are beautifully planned … and the performances could hardly be more glowing. Bowen's writing for both instruments is more than demanding yet nothing detracts from Lawrence Power's and Simon Crawford-Phillips's enviable fluency and achievement. Once again Hyperion hits the jackpot in a much-needed revival and the sound and balance are exemplary’ (Gramophone)

‘Following his successful recording of Bowen's Concerto, Lawrence Power turns to this repertoire with similar technical ease, and persuasively idiomatic tempo inflections and portamenti’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The music of the hugely prolific York Bowen is enjoying something of a renaissance … his long association with England's great champion of the viola, Lionel Tertis, produced some signficant sonatas, romances and rhapsodies which see the light of day again in this recording. Lawrence Power's gorgeous dark red tone is perfect for this repertoire’ (The Observer)

‘What a delicious recording … the two sonatas are fully persuasive from their first notes, each blessed with a sixth sense for Bowen's overarching structure. Power pulls new colours from his instrument with irrepressible bravura, while never losing a kindliness for the more intimate moments that … are as stylistically imperative as the grander apotheoses that call to mind Rachmaninov, Chopin or Debussy … the writing is quite masterful in its alchemy of structure and emotion and the performances are exquisitely balanced, refined and mindful of the elegiac character that broadly underpins the work … with music-making of this calibre, who can predict the summit of York Bowen's renewed celebrity? Bravo!’ (International Record Review)

‘All the pieces show Bowen's love of the instrument's capacity to unfold long-limbed, rhapsodic melodies … Lawrence Power's richly expressive moulding of them is a rare treat in itself’ (The Guardian)

‘The two viola sonatas of 1905 and 1906 are clearly inspired by the romantic style of Brahms's late sonatas for clarinet and viola. They are worthy successors, at least when played with the sumptuous tone, passionate convinction and supreme technical address that Power lavishes on them here. Even finer are the two single-movement pieces … Crawford-Phillips relishes the bravura of Bowen's writing for the piano in this superbly executed set, unlikely to be equalled very soon’ (The Sunday Times)

‘Power, the first British winner of the William Primrose International Viola Competition, now returns to this cherishable area of the repertoire with equally stunning results. Accompanied by Crawford-Phillips, Lawrence's fabulous combination of tonal seductiveness and technical wizardry works wonders in the bold expressive outlines of the two sonatas. Yet it is the heart-warming, stand-alone pieces (many recorded here for the first time) … that make this release truly indispensable. Another Hyperion winner’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Violist Lawrence Power and pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips touch the nerve centers of this music and convey its subtle flavors and fragrances. The recording is up to Hyperion’s high standard’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘The viola … has no better exponent than Lawrence Power … we must be very grateful that his music is now in wide circulation again … a real discovery’ (Liverpool Daily Post)

‘Lawrence Power, surely one of the finest viola players of today, and Simon Crawford-Phillips play magnificently and as one in this excellent survey of Bowen’s works for viola and piano. Hyperion’s recording, made at Potton Hall, is outstanding, and the set is recommended without reservation’ (Audiophile Audition, USA)

‘Composers whose rich romanticism was out of favour among 20th-century pundits who favoured angular austerity are finally receiving their due. Bowen believed the viola sounded more attractive than the violin and has a persuasive advocate in Power’ (Classical Music)
Published by Swan & Co in 1923 and later reissued by Josef Weinberger, the Melody for the G string was conceived for violin or viola playing in the same octave register. Accordingly it confines itself to darker hues and a modest range of pitch, its technical challenges arising from its key, G flat major. Assuming an accompanist of professional standing, Bowen is able to embellish and elevate a simple conceit by pianistic and harmonic means. The result is a gently affecting statement in ternary form and triple time, dominated by the rhythm presented in the violinist’s opening notes.

from notes by Francis Pott © 2013

Parue chez Swan & Co en 1923 puis republiée par Josef Weinberger, la Mélodie pour la corde de sol fut conçue pour violon ou alto jouant dans le même registre d’octave. Elle se borne donc à des nuances sombres et à une modeste gamme de hauteurs de son, ses défis techniques découlant de son ton de sol bémol majeur. Misant sur un accompagnateur de niveau professionnel, Bowen peut embellir et exhausser un simple trait d’esprit avec des moyens pianistico-harmoniques. D’où une énonciation paisiblement touchante, de forme et de mesure ternaires, régie par le rythme présenté dans les notes liminaires, au violon.

extrait des notes rédigées par Francis Pott © 2013
Français: Hypérion

Die bei Swan & Co. 1923 erschienene und später von Josef Weinberger neuherausgegebene Melody for the G string wurde für Geige oder Bratsche in der gleichen Oktavlage konzipiert. Entsprechend beschränkt sie sich auf dunklere Farben und einen bescheidenen Tonhöhenumfang, wobei sich die technischen Anforderungen aus der Tonart Ges-Dur ergeben. Bowen war vermutlich ein Begleiter von professionellem Rang und konnte daher einen einfachen Einfall durch pianistische und harmonische Mittel verzieren und aufwerten. Daraus ergibt sich eine sanft ergreifende Komposition in dreiteiliger Form und im Dreiertakt, in der der Rhythmus der Geigentöne am Anfang vorherrscht.

aus dem Begleittext von Francis Pott © 2013
Deutsch: Christiane Frobenius

Other albums featuring this work

Bowen: The complete works for violin and piano
Studio Master: CDA67991/22CDsStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...