Amy Dickson: In Circles

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Ralph Vaughan Williams, William Barton, Ross Edwards, Traditional, (George) Percy (Aldridge) Grainger, Peter Sculthorpe, James MacMillan, Manuel de Falla, Johannes Brahms, Anonymous, Emile Pessard

Genre:

Orchestral

Label: Sony Classical

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 69

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: 19075 94469-2

19075 94469-2. Amy Dickson: In Circles

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Discovery Anonymous, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Anonymous, Composer
Kalkadunga Yurdu William Barton, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
William Barton, Composer
(21) Hungarian Dances, Movement: No. 4 in F minor Johannes Brahms, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Yanada Ross Edwards, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Ross Edwards, Composer
William Barton, Composer
(7) Canciones populares españolas, Movement: Jota Manuel de Falla, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Manuel de Falla, Composer
(7) Canciones populares españolas, Movement: Nana Manuel de Falla, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Manuel de Falla, Composer
Shepherd's Hey (George) Percy (Aldridge) Grainger, Composer
(George) Percy (Aldridge) Grainger, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
From Galloway James MacMillan, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
James MacMillan, Composer
Saxophone Concerto James MacMillan, Composer
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
James MacMillan, Composer
Nicholas Carter, Conductor
Andalouse Emile Pessard, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Emile Pessard, Composer
Djilile Peter Sculthorpe, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Peter Sculthorpe, Composer
William Barton, Composer
She moved through the fair Traditional, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Traditional, Composer
William Barton, Composer
(6) Studies in English folk song Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Amy Dickson, Saxophone
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
Amy Dickson’s recordings seem to fall into two categories: new music, with a focus on minimalists and composers from her native Australia, and programmes of lyrical miniatures. This release, which we’re told ‘celebrates the far-reaching influence of folk music’, gives us a little of both.

I find the saxophonist’s interpretations of the lyrical salon-like pieces oddly straitlaced and unrelentingly languid. Pessard’s sinuous Andalouse could be a lot sexier, for example, and Falla’s Jota is rhythmically square; both lack any feeling of spontaneity. She plays the Vaughan Williams folk-song studies ravishingly – her creamy tone is perfectly even through its range – but it’s under-inflected to the point of blandness. In piece after piece here, Dickson seems to be treating folk song as a holy relic, not as a living, breathing thing.

The new works are more satisfying. James MacMillan composed his Saxophone Concerto for Dickson and she plays it flawlessly – an especially impressive feat as it was recorded live. Wisely, perhaps, MacMillan gives the earthy writing to the string orchestra, leaving the saxophone to soar above. Members of the Adelaide Symphony provide solid support, and the audience is invisible until the end. Why Sony opted to include a good 30 seconds of applause and foot-stomping is perplexing, however. The ovation is well deserved, but the concerto is placed smack in the middle of the programme and the cheering spoils the mood.

To my ears, though, the actual star of this album is didgeridoo player and composer William Barton. In Sculthorpe’s Djilile, Barton provides an entire ensemble’s worth of sonorities, some percussive and some that even suggest electronics. And his own Kalkadunga Yurdu (‘Kalkadoon Man’) is the most experimental – and successfully realised – work here. The earthy intensity of his singing is spellbinding (listen starting around 3'45"), and provides an illuminating foil to the cool perfection of Dickson’s playing.

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