The World Of Compact Discs

Contemporary Review, Sept, 2000 by Anthony Paterson

Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) was one of the most gifted composers of what we now must call the last century yet, as Per Skan points out in his excellent notes to the Complete Chamber Music [OLYMPIA OCD 707 A B], it is 'inexplicably often ignored today' due to several factors: Ibert spent much of his life out of his native France, although he was a heroic patriot in both world wars. Perhaps more importantly he was not identified with any musical group. This two-disc set has twenty-two of his works performed by L'integrale de la Musique de Chambre and they show the range of his achievements. The disc also reveals how he drew upon earlier musical traditions such as the French fascination with harp music. Ibert also was a skilful composer for woodwinds and several of the works here are devoted to those instruments.

Ibert is usually thought of as a composer of lightweight, elegant and witty music, and whilst many of the items on these two CDs exhibit these characteristics, a more serious side is shown by the String Quartet (partly written during the Second World War), with its deeply-felt slow movement and the Etude-caprice pour un tombeau de Chopin for solo cello. The performances are polished and well adapted to the differing styles of the various works.

HYPERION, as well as issuing huge series of complete works of quite serious music, for which they are to be highly commended, also has a notable devotion to the lighter repertoire. This is well seen in Fairest Isle [Volume 47 of 'The English Orpheus', CDA 67115]. This delectable recording reminds us of the rich and now sadly neglected tradition of popular songs celebrating Britain:

Fairest isle, all isles excelling,

Seat of pleasure and of love.

This opening song has a verse by Dryden set to music by Purcell and if the other fifteen works lack such pre-eminent names, they -- to quote Dryden again -- are full of

Gentle murmurs, sweet complaining,

Sighs that blow the fire of love.

Most of these songs date from the eighteenth century and two of the most patriotic happily survive: The British Grenadiers and Rule Britannia by Arne. The sparkling music and inspiring words -- anathema to the thought police of political correctness -- can still stir any sympathetic listener. Indeed Rule Britannia received many stirring renditions when the Royal Navy set forth to liberate the Falkland Islands and when the troops returned after that glorious victory.

Among the other songs that linger are Sally in Our Ally and the delightful Lass of Richmond Hill which may refer to George IV's secret wife, the enigmatic Mrs Fitzherbert. These songs are well performed by Catherine Both and a particularly fine young tenor, Joseph Cornwell. Both enunciate especially well and avoid that habit of swallowing words that far too often ruins English lyrics. One minor criticism: Dibdin's Tom Bowling (with its tune familiar from Sir Henry Wood's medley of sea shanties played at the Last Night of the Proms) should really be sung, as its words indicate, by a man rather than by a woman.