Mixed Doubles
Gordon Crosse and Sir John Manduell have been two senior pillars of the British composing fraternity for many years, and both have written concertos for pairs of instruments with string orchestra – all recorded here for the first time. These are excellently structured works which are modern yet very approachable with beautifully rich string writing. We also now dedicate this album to the memory of Sir John who passed away in 2018.
Track Listing
Reviews
“These recordings were made in the presence of the composers so there is the implication of authenticity to add to the evidence of what we hear. Crosse plays tribute to recorder player par excellence John Turner. [His works] sing to the ear. The Manchester Sinfonia manage some fairly testing string writing in great style. The Manduell disc offers up two beefy works. A substantial collection of concertante works … much to stimulate among this temperate, argumentative and atmospheric music.
” —Rob Barnett
“The three works [by Crosse] are thoughtful and expertly crafted. Michael Cox expertly negotiates the flourishes, harmonics, pitch bends and what not [in Manduell’s Flutes Concerto] … in the Double Concerto Richard Simpson and Alison Teale do the westernized solo parts proud.
” —Michael Round
“[The Crosse pieces] combine lyricism with an individual voice and successfully manage to avoid pastiche. [The works by Manduell] are also individual, interesting and confidently composer works. All works are performed with flair and conviction.
” —Em Marshall-Luck
“[Crosse’s ] Viola Concerto, an immensely likeable 22-minute offering of striking substance… reveal a discerning and imaginative voice. [Manduell’s] Flutes Concerto proves a notable discovery.. just as impressive is the Double Concerto. Enterprising release … well worth hunting down.
” —Andrew Achenbach
“The [Crosse] Viola Concerto is impressive and significant… I believe that this is one of the most important viola concertos in the catalogue. If I was seriously impressed by the [Manduell] Flutes Concerto, then the Double Concerto ‘took my breath away’. Manduell has created a diaphanous sound-world that is strikingly beautiful as well as being musically interesting. The performance of all five pieces on this CD is splendid. These are demanding works that are not in the standard repertoire, yet the soloists and the Manchester Sinfonia make them sound second nature. The CD sound quality is ideal and reflects the typically intimate nature of these works.
” —John France
“[The Crosse Viola Concerto] … a short but potent work. The whole work is magically scored. John Manduell’s Flutes Concerto…is a masterly example of Manduell’s style. This seems to me to be an important work, original in concept and execution. Manduell’s exciting Double Concerto …is the most exuberant of the works on this disc, lively in rhythm and strong in melody. It shows Manduell’s lighter side and certainly should appeal to small ensembles.
” —Michael Kennedy
“A fine recording from Metier of works by Gordon Crosse and John Manduell, giving further proof of the number of fine composers Britain has… some glorious music with distinctive textures and colours. The Manchester Sinfonia under Timothy Reynish gives wonderful performances throughout and the recordings made at St Thomas’ Church, Stockport, England are excellent.
” —Theclassicalreviewer
“The Crosse works are in the best English pastoral tradition and yet speak with a fresh, vital and totally individual voice. The Manduell works are in many ways no less lyrical than the Crosse; one of the most striking features of the two works on this CD is the ear for orchestral colour … immediately striking effects that grab the ear. The performances throughout are uniformly excellent. We should be grateful to Metier for bringing these unjustly neglected works to our attention.
” —Douglas Jarman
“This is a very rewarding pair of discs featuring music that, whilst certainly contemporary in nature, is immediately accessible and of genuine appeal – another significant release from Metier.
” —Andrew Mayes
“This is an outstanding CD… the recording is wonderfully well balanced between the soloists and the Manchester Sinfonia. It is exciting to hear such vibrancy and clarity in every track, and the pieces by Sir John Manduell and Gordon Crosse complement each other brilliantly. Throughout the disc, [the] quality of musicality both in performance and composition is exquisitely balanced. [In Manduell’s Flutes Concerto] Michael Cox handles every musical and artistic demand with complete command.
” —Lisa Nelsen
“I’ve been blown away by the poetry in [Crosse’s] Brief Encounter. The Concerto for viola and strings is a feast for the ears. Manduell gets fascinating sounds from the whole ensemble. The musicians play very well and the sound is good.
” —Stephen Estep
