Bridge Songs and Chamber Works

These newcomers deserve a place at the top table for this engaging survey

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Frank Bridge

Genre:

Vocal

Label: Epoch

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: CDLX7205

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Phantasy Frank Bridge, Composer
Frank Bridge, Composer
London Bridge Ensemble
All things that we clasp Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
Come to me in my dreams Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
Dawn and Evening Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
Strew no more red roses Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
Scherzo Frank Bridge, Composer
Frank Bridge, Composer
London Bridge Ensemble
(3) Songs Frank Bridge, Composer
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
London Bridge Ensemble
Souvenir Frank Bridge, Composer
Frank Bridge, Composer
London Bridge Ensemble
My pent-up tears oppress my brain Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
Night lies on the silent highways Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
(A) Dirge Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
(A) Dead Violet Frank Bridge, Composer
Daniel Tong, Piano
Frank Bridge, Composer
Ivan Ludlow, Baritone
There’s plenty to enjoy in this attractive survey of early Frank Bridge, which is bookended by mightily impressive accounts of two of the three fastidiously integrated works that the composer entered for WW Cobbett’s prestigious annual chamber music competition. In truth, I can’t immediately recall a more persuasive realisation of the lovely 1907 Phantasie Trio – brain and heart are fully engaged. What’s more, in the glorious Phantasie Quartet of 1910 these stylish newcomers deserve a place at the top table next to such exalted predecessors as the Tunnell Trio with Brian Hawkins (Lyrita) and Benjamin Britten with members of the Amadeus Quartet from the 1967 Aldeburgh Festival (Decca, 8/00 – nla). Not even a weird studio noise at 4'46" breaks the spell.

Elsewhere, the programme allows each instrumentalist to shine: Kate Gould sparkles in the flirtatious Scherzo (1901); Benjamin Nabarro brings a beguiling warmth to the winsome Souvenir (1904); and Tom Dunn joins pianist Daniel Tong and baritone Ivan Ludlow for the Three Songs of 1906-07. We get a further eight songs, all written before the First World War, with the imploring “My pent-up tears”, intimate “Come to me in my dreams” and harmonically probing “Strew no more red roses” the stand-out items. Ludlow’s vibrato is prone to widen under pressure but he sings with belief and intelligence none the less and generates a tangible rapport with Tong (whose cultured pianism affords unqualified pleasure throughout). No quibbles, either, with Simon Eadon’s superior engineering nor Giles Easterbrook’s comprehensive annotation. In sum, a most recommendable mid-price package.

Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music. 

Stream on Presto Music | Buy from Presto Music

Gramophone Print

  • Print Edition

From £6.67 / month

Subscribe

Gramophone Digital Club

  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archive
  • Reviews Database
  • Full website access

From £8.75 / month

Subscribe

                              

If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.