Walton

The concept behind the work called Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario is to take as much as possible of William Walton's score for Laurence Olivier's 1943 film and interpolate suitable excerpts from Shakespeare's play to make an hour-long concert work for speaker, chorus, and orchestra. Though it demands all your attention, the high quality of the result thoroughly rewards it, clearly and intelligently combining the two mediums in a single, arresting form.

The working trio of pianist Walton, bassist David Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins is not only bulletproof but in lockstep with Walton's extraordinary musical talents. This set, done at Yoshi's Nitespot in Oakland, CA for radio broadcast over KJAZ-FM, is a perfect example of the Walton trio's brilliance. Of the seven pieces, four are Walton's and comprise his better writings. "Bremond's Blues," an underrated composition in the Walton repertoire, starts and ends by quoting "Giant Steps" and paraphrasing "Sweet & Lovely" in the middle, and spreads buttery melodicism throughout. "N.P.S." is a Walton classic, with Higgins' tango-to-light-swing rhythm accenting a bluesy melody. "Fiesta Espanol" is quicker, brighter, and quite familiar to fans, with Higgins digging in on his lengthy drum solo, while "Ironclad" features an elongated intro and coda, stating the chiming staccato melody in two spurts over 14 minutes…

With his distinctive blend of incisive drama and lyrical expressiveness, Sir William Walton was one of the greatest English composers of the 20th century. He and his wife Susana made their home on the Italian island of Ischia where he composed the Cello Concerto – a work he considered to be the best of his three concertos for string instruments – heard here for the first time in a stunning transcription for viola by Anna Serova. The Italian composer Roberto Molinelli pays homage to Susana’s Argentine roots and the beautiful garden she created, La Mortella, with his concerto Lady Walton’s Garden, displaying a colourful use of South American and Neapolitan instruments. William’s Rock and The Missing E are also dedicated to La Mortella. This fascinating project marks the 40th anniversary of Sir William Walton’s death, and it presents four world premiere recordings, all composed on and celebrating the island of Ischia and the Walton’s famous Giardini La Mortella, still regarded today as one of the most captivating gardens in the world.

Walton's concerto was commissioned by Russian cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, whose reputation as a performer was such that he inspired works by no less than Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Hindemith. Though the concerto was not very well received by critics following its first performance, it is probably the result of Walton's singular aesthetic sensibility and place- perceived as an old-fashioned Romanticism in the post-war period. Wispelwey's performance effortlessly shifts through the strong rhythmic passages and the moments of serenity called for by Walton's composition. The recording also includes three compositions for solo cello: Bloch's Suite no. 1, Ligeti's Sonata for solo cello, and Walton's Passacaglia. The CD is book-ended with Britten's Ciaccona (Cello suite no. 2, op.80) which will clearly establish why Wispelwey is considered one of the foremost Britten interpreters.