Maconchy Music for Voices

A centenary tribute that surveys Maconchy’s civilised settings

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Elizabeth Maconchy

Genre:

Vocal

Label: Lorelt

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 80

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: LNT127

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Creatures Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Nocturnal Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
(4) Miniatures Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Siren's Song Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Prayer before birth Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
This Day Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
On Stephenses day Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Two Epitaphs Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Propheta Mendax Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
(A) Hymn to God the Father Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
(The) Ribbon in her Hair Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
(The) Voice of the City Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
(The) Armado Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
Still falls the Rain Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
BBC Singers
Elizabeth Maconchy, Composer
Odaline de la Martinez, Conductor
Richard Pearce, Piano
This well filled conspectus was made last year, Dame Elizabeth Maconchy’s centenary year. Her compositions, never less than civilised, prove more varied than one might have expected. There is plenty to sustain and divert, though not perhaps to thrill. Some of Maconchy’s music resembles fined-down Holst but an awareness of continental moderns is a constant, with a Britten-ish tinge to the word-setting, not least in the opening anthology, Creatures (1979).

No choral specialist at the start, Maconchy later responded to all manner of commissions, setting poetry ancient and modern. The wit and point of the lighter fare seem somewhat lost in the acoustic of St Paul’s, Knightsbridge. Elsewhere the resonance suits just fine. Sample the evocative “Sirens’ Song” (1974), recalling VW in “Full fathom five” mode while going further harmonically. As her composer daughter, Nicola LeFanu, writes in a helpful booklet-note: “The men’s voices are the hapless sailors, the high voices the sirens, whose gently spiralling melodies continue to haunt us…”

“A Hymn to God the Father” (1931) is a remarkable student essay revealing Maconchy as potential heir to the Tudor polyphonists. Simpler pieces with piano are different again, demonstrating her Irish republican and communist sympathies in items for the Workers’ Music Association. Despite the championship of Odaline de la Martinez and the expertise of the vocal ensemble, I suspect that a less vibrato-rich group, further forward in the balance, might have made a greater impact. This is repertoire which for all its fascination tends to lack melodic distinction. That said, all credit to Lorelt for producing an attractive package with full texts. A CD of orchestral works is planned.

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.