EDGAR BAINTON: Concerto fantasia for piano and orchestra BBC Philharmonic & Paul Daniel

• Edgar Leslie Bainton (1880 - 1956): Three Pieces for Orchestra (1916-18, revised 1919-20):
• 1 I. Elegy: Lento, molto tranquillo 04:22
• 2 II. Intermezzo: Vivace, molto leggiero 03:21
• 3 III. Humoresque: Vivace con brio 02:40
• Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal (1924):
• 4 I. Pavane: Andante 02:05
• 5 II. Idyll: Moderato, con grazia 03:26
• 6 III. Bacchanal: Allegro, molto vivace, e con fuoco 03:31
• The Golden River, Op. 16 (1908, revised 1912):
• 7 I. South West Wind Esquire: Molto energico 04:19
• 8 II. Little Gluck: Allegretto 04:06
• 9 III. The King of the Golden River: Allegro, alla burla 02:13
• 10 IV. The Golden River: Andante, molto tranquillo 05:42
• Concerto fantasia (1917-20):
• 11 I. Quasi cadenza - Adagio, molto espressivo 13:13
• 12 II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - 04:49
• 13 III. Improvisation: Quasi cadenza - Lento 06:09
• 14 IV. Finale: Allegro, molto ritmico e risoluto - 05:21
• 15 IV. Finale: Epilogue: Adagio, molto espressivo 02:13
• Total Runtime 01:07:30

Info for EDGAR BAINTON: Concerto fantasia for piano and orchestra

A Stanford-pupil, friend of George Dyson and long-time Principal of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Conservatory, Edgar Bainton emigrated to Australia in 1934, and thus sadly faded from the British music scene. All the works premiered here cover the early part of his creative period, from the early 1900s, prior to his emigration.

This is immediately attractive and accessible music is performed here by the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Paul Daniel. When Fanfare reviewed volume one of Clifford/Bainton orchestral works, they asked ‘Why have these compositions been neglected for so long? This album is a real eye-opener, for these are accessible, melodic and powerful Romantic works.’ In this recording, entirely dedicated to Bainton the same question should be asked for this disc merits the investigation of anyone who enjoys venturing off the beaten track.

The earliest work recorded here, The Golden River, is taken from the Newcastle years and takes its inspiration from the short story by John Ruskin. The original version was completed in 1908 before being completely revised and a new third movement added in June 1912 – the version you hear on this recording. Last performed in 1913; this is the first time it has been heard in over 90 years.

In 1914 while en route to the Bayreuth Festival, Bainton was apprehended as a British civilian in wartime Germany and interned for the next four years in Ruhleben Camp near Berlin. He was placed in charge of music-making at the camp and became acquainted with a number of other musicians, including Ernest MacMillan and cellist Carl Fuchs. Despite many hardships this four-year exile proved to be a period of great creativity, resulting in Three Pieces for Orchestra and a piano concerto, his Concerto Fantasia, which he completed in 1920, and was awarded a Carnegie Prize. Bainton’s approach to Concerto Fantasia is original, (although possibly sparked on hearing Busoni’s Piano Concerto in 1909) the ‘Fantasia’ element being created by the opening cadenza which continually re-appears at various stages of the work and an integral part of the thematic material. At a performance given in Birmingham in 1921, with Bainton as soloist, the critic Alfred Sheldon wrote ‘… the event introduced to Birmingham the most considerable contribution to the repertory of music for piano in combination with orchestra we have had from a composer for many years’.

Here the work is performed by Margaret Fingerhut, who has an extensive discography with Chandos. In a recent review she was described as ‘an accomplished and stylish advocate’ (BBC Music Magazine). Completing the repertoire is Bainton’s only published orchestral work, the poignantly Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal.

'The performances under Paul Daniel, though, with Margaret Fingerhut the agile soloist in the Concerto Fantasia have just the right sparkle and elegance.' The Guardian

EDGAR BAINTON (1880-1956)

Concerto Fantasia for piano & orchestra
Suite ‘The Golden River’
Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal
Three Pieces for Orchestra
Margaret Fingerhut (piano)
BBC Philharmonic / Paul Daniel

Pieces
I. Elegy: Lento, molto tranquillo - 4:22
II. Intermezzo: Vivace, molto leggiero - 3:21
III. Humoresque: Vivace con brio - 2:40

Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal
I. Pavane: Andante - 2:05
II. Idyll: Moderato, con grazia - 3:26
III. Bacchanal: Allegro, molto vivace, e con fuoco - 3:31

The Golden River, Op. 16
I. South West Wind Esquire: Molto energico - 4:19
II. Little Glude: Allegretto - 4:06
III. The King of the Golden River: Allegro, alla burla - 2:13
IV. The Golden River: Andante, molto tranquillo - 5:42

Concerto fantasia
I. Quasi cadenza - Adagio, molto espressivo - 13:13
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - - 4:49
III. Improvisation: Quasi cadenza - Lento - 6:09
IV. Finale: Allegro, molto ritmico e risoluto - 5:21
IV. Finale: Epilogue: Adagio, molto espressivo - 2:13

Margaret Fingerhut (piano)
BBC Philharmonic
Paul Daniel

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