Digital booklet:  View · Download

Lennox Berkeley: Music for Violin and Piano and Solo Violin

Sir Lennox Berkeley was one of the most accomplished, creative and respected British composers of the twentieth century. His prolific output of works covers all genres of musical composition including opera, music for the theatre and cinema, symphonic music, chamber music, piano music and a vast amount of choral music.

He admired the music of Mozart, Chopin, Ravel and the neo-classical Stravinsky; formed close friendships with Benjamin Britten, Ravel and Poulenc; mixed with W.H. Auden, Diaghilev, Cocteau, Segovia and Les six; and taught a generation of British composers including David Bedford, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Brian Ferneyhough, Professor Peter Dickinson and Sir John Tavener.
Born into an aristocratic family, Berkeley studied French, Old French and Philology at Merton College, Oxford, graduating with a BA in 1926. That same year he met Ravel, who – upon seeing some of Berkeley’s scores – advised him to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Berkeley moved to Paris, and was based there until 1932. Largely self-taught prior to then, Berkeley flourished under Boulanger’s rigorous tutelage.

During World War II Berkeley worked on orchestral programs at the BBC in London, and then from 1946 to 1968 he was professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. Berkeley was given honorary status at a number of universities and professional bodies during the 1970s and 80s, and was the recipient of many honours, including a knighthood in 1974.

Gramophone critic Peter Dickinson chose the recent Move Records release Lennox Berkeley: Complete Music for Violin and Piano as his personal best CD of the year in December 2014's edition of the magazine. Of the disc he said: "Real discoveries here, including Sonata No. 1 - lost for 48 years. The Sonatina and Elegy reveal Berkeley's unique charisma. Edwin Paling led the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for over 30 years, while Arabella Teniswood-Harvey is at the University of Tasmania: a fine duo in revelatory performances 25 years after the composer's death."

Artists

Arabella Teniswood-Harvey

Born in Tasmania, Arabella Teniswood-Harvey studied piano in Melbourne where, in 1999, she was one of the few elite young Australian musicians awarded full scholarship for the prestigious Australian National Academy of Music’s inaugural Advanced Performance Program.

Edwin Paling

Edwin was born in Nottingham, England. After studying violin with Sidney Griller at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Edwin began his professional career playing with the Orchestra of the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (London), the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Sub-Principal First Violin), then the BBC Midland Light Orchestra (Deputy Leader).


Press quotes

“Real discoveries here, including Sonata No. 1 - lost for 48 years. The Sonatina and Elegy reveal Berkeley's unique charisma. Edwin Paling led the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for over 30 years, while Arabella Teniswood-Harvey is at the University of Tasmania: a fine duo in revelatory performances 25 years after the composer's death.”

— Peter Dickinson, Gramophone (Critics' Choice 2014)

“Here is chamber music that is both cultured and approachable. Berkeley's chamber music for violin and piano is beautifully crafted and bound to engage with the listener.” ★★★½

— Brett Allen-Bayes, Limelight

“Here are two unknown British violin and piano sonatas on one CD in an amazing rescue operation since Berkeley regularly dismissed his own early music: written in his later twenties, these works again prove him wrong ...The Sonatina is a classic – Berkeley played the piano part himself and it’s the only commercial recording he made (Dutton CDLX 7232). These players relish the diversity of the charming variations in the finale. The Elegy is a lovely melody, and in the solo violin pieces Berkeley avoids the aridity which often blights unaccompanied writing. These vivid performances by Paley [sic] and Teniswood-Harvey are outstanding and make the best possible case for a full revival of their discoveries. A revelatory CD, well recorded and documented too.”

— Peter Dickinson, Gramophone

Audio previews

Track Listing

    Violin Sonata No. 1 Lennox Berkeley

  1. Lento ma non troppo, Allegro
  2. Adagio, Allegro, Adagio
  3. Allegro con brio
  4. Introduction and Allegro Op. 24 Lennox Berkeley
  5. Theme and Variations Op. 33 No. 1 Lennox Berkeley

    6. Sonatina for Violin and Piano Op. 17 Lennox Berkeley

  6. Moderato
  7. Lento
  8. Theme and Variations, Allegretto
  9. Elegy Op. 33 No. 2 Lennox Berkeley
  10. Toccata Op. 33 No. 3 Lennox Berkeley

    11. Violin Sonata No. 2 Op. 1 Lennox Berkeley

  11. Allegro risoluto
  12. Andante
  13. Rondo, Allegro moderato

Performers

Where to buy

Lennox Berkeley: Music for Violin and Piano and Solo Violin is available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It's available for streaming through Apple Music.

Lennox Berkeley: Music for Violin and Piano and Solo Violin is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Release date
December 2012
Copyright
© 2013 Move Records
Phonogram
℗ 2013 Move Records
Category
Classical
Catalogue number
MD 3361
Alternate catalogue number
MD3361
Barcode
EAN 9314574336122