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FERGUSON, Howard (1908–1999)
Piano Sonata in F min., Op. 8; 5 Bagatelles, Op. 9; (i) Partita for 2 Pianos, Op. 5b; (ii) Discovery (song-cycle), Op. 13
Naxos 8.572289. Raphael Terroni; with (i) Vadim Peaceman; (ii) Phillida Bannister
Born in Belfast (in 1908), educated at Westminster School and the Royal College of Music, the young Howard Ferguson was encouraged to further his musical career by the pianist Harold Samuel at the Royal College of Music, and he subsequently studied composition with Vaughan Williams and formed a deep friendship with Gerald Finzi. But it was Samuel who was his mentor, and when the latter died suddenly in 1937 Ferguson was inspired to write his arresting F minor Piano Sonata. It was first performed by Myra Hess at the famous National Gallery wartime concerts, which Ferguson helped to organize. The work opens with a stormy introduction, intensively developed, but this soon leads into movingly dedicated secondary lyrical material and thence naturally into the delicate Poco adagio, full of reflected melancholy (and very beautifully played here by Raphael Terroni). The angular vitality with which the Sonata began returns in the finale, but there remains an underlying gentleness and an appealing romantic feeling until the final section springs to life with a return of the rhythmic intensity of the opening. The five quirky Bagatelles (1944) make an entertaining interlude, each distinctively characterized, with an endearingly whimsical closing Allegretto.
The song-cycle, Discovery, is a late work (1951), combining five brief, sensitive settings of verse by Denton Welch, with the central Babylon ravishingly lyrical, and the penultimate ‘Jane Allen’ (just 36 seconds long) full of life. Phillida Bannister, the responsive soloist, responds ardently, with rich tone and no exaggerated vibrato. The cycle ends soaringly, with ringing bells from the piano, and it is not surprising to learn (from Richard Whitehouse’s excellent notes) that the cycle was a favourite of Kathleen Ferrier’s.
The pseudo-baroque Partita for 2 Pianos (1935/6), also available in an orchestral version, makes the most of the double-piano sonority. It opens Grave, but establishes its classical antecedents with a double-dotted Allegro pesante, then including a gracefully memorable Sarabande and closing with a perky Reel. All in all this is a most rewarding and attractive programme, splendidly played (and sung), and one’s only regret is the absence of the song texts. The recording is absolutely truthful.
出生于贝尔法斯特(1908年),曾就读于威斯敏斯特公学和皇家音乐学院的霍华德·弗格森,早年得到皇家音乐学院钢琴家哈罗德·塞缪尔的鼓励而深耕音乐事业,后随沃恩·威廉斯学习作曲,并与杰拉尔德·芬齐结下深厚友谊。但塞缪尔才是他的精神导师——1937年恩师猝然离世后,弗格森受触动创作了那部震撼人心的《f小调钢琴奏鸣曲》。这部作品由迈拉·赫斯在著名的战时国家美术馆音乐会首演(该系列音乐会正是由弗格森参与策划),开篇以暴风雨般的引子展开激烈发展,随即转入虔诚动人的抒情副部主题,自然过渡至充满含蓄哀愁的"稍慢板"乐章(拉斐尔·特罗尼的演绎极富美感)。末乐章重现开篇的棱角分明活力,但底层始终流淌着温柔特质与迷人浪漫气息,直到终段以开篇的节奏张力将音乐推向高潮。五首诙谐的《小品曲》(1944)构成趣味盎然的间奏,每首都个性鲜明,末乐章"小快板"尤其充满俏皮魅力。
声乐套曲《发现》是其晚期作品(1951年),为丹顿·韦尔奇的五首短诗谱就细腻乐章:中篇《巴比伦》洋溢着醉人抒情性,倒数第二轨《简·艾伦》(仅36秒)则充满生活气息。女高音菲利达·班尼斯特以丰润音色与克制颤音倾情演绎,终曲在钢琴模拟的钟声中翱翔升腾——理查德·怀特豪斯的精彩解说词透露,这部作品曾是凯瑟琳·费里尔的心头挚爱。
1935-36年创作的《双钢琴帕蒂塔》(另有管弦乐版本)充分发挥了双钢琴的音响魅力:庄重的开篇后,以附点音符构成的"沉重快板"确立古典根基,继以优雅难忘的萨拉班德舞曲,终章则以活泼的里尔舞曲收尾。整张专辑演绎精湛(演唱亦属上乘),曲目编排兼具艺术价值与欣赏趣味,唯缺歌词文本令人遗憾。录音品质则堪称忠实无瑕的典范。
(源于DeepSeek翻译)
找了很久,一无所获。
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