Across the Atlantic

 

That is how these Dutton Epoch recordings make their way to me.

And they are not cheap either. Somehow, these are tough to find on the used market, so ordering directly from Dutton in the UK is usually the only way to get these recordings.

Unfortunate too, for Dutton recordings offer such rare works from British composers, usually not found easily elsewhere, and certainly not available online. The cost prohibitive aspect across the Atlantic in the US means many will never have the opportunity to hear this music.

With that in mind, this recording is easily skipped for most listeners. I wasn't really taken in by any of this music, particularly the incidental music from Richard II, nor these performances, such as Rochat's tentative cello in the Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes. Even baritone Roderick Williams in Songs of Travel are found here in their orchestrated form, where the UK baritone was found in finer mettle with the piano elsewhere.

A review from 2023

The incidental music from Richard II by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams isn’t for me. 30 minutes of endless fanfares and menacing under-rumblings just could not sustain my interest. RVW’s wonderful compositional sound is there, but the whole affair was too fragmentary and disjointed.

The Suite de Ballet and Sussex Fantasia are more folksong based, both of which came and went pleasantly. Anna Noakes’ fluting is lovely, although I sensed Nadège Rochat’s cello in Sussex Folk Tunes to be a tad understated.

There are a number of quality Songs of Travel recordings, a great song cycle for baritone and piano. This performance is orchestrated, a version which also has a handful of recordings available. The orchestra adds shades of color and contrast which the piano cannot, although I would be loath to say it is a preferred over the original.

British baritone Roderick Williams is more of a dewy-eyed romancer in this recording of Songs of Travel. Soldiering, world-weary baritones, those burly of voice remain in my memory in this music, such as that by Bryn Terfel on DG, but I think there is room for different approaches.

Not my favorite of Dutton’s Vaughan Williams recordings, but there are a few bright spots of rarer recorded music here.

 

 

 

 

 

Work
Richard II (27.48)
Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes (25.49)
Suite de Ballet (7.16)
Songs of Travel (24.34)

Soloists
Anna Noakes, flute
Nadège Rochat, cello
Roderick Williams, baritone

Ensembles
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Martin Yates, conductor

Label: Dutton
Year: 2019
Timing: 72.49

 

 

 

 

If it weren't so difficult to acquire Dutton recordings, this particular one would be tossed to The Kraken.

This recording is saved by the rarity of the works, and the means taken to acquire this recording.

Everyone else can feel free to skip this one.