Around Britten: Matthew Barley

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His performance of the Britten lets the light in on what can seem a rather obscure, labyrinthine work: Barley's clear, calm approach lays out the score before us...The rest of the disc is like... — BBC Music Magazine, May 2013, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 14th Jan 2013
Catalogue No: SIGCD318
Label: Signum
Length: 72 minutes

Presto Recording of the Week

14th January 2013

This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched.

Britten: Suite No. 3 for cello solo, Op. 87

Work length21:57

$13.00

$18.20

Matthew Barley

I Introduzione: Lento

Track length2:10

$1.00

$1.40

II Marcia: Allegro

Track length1:49

$1.00

$1.40

III Canto: Con moto

Track length1:19

$1.00

$1.40

IV Barcarola: Lento

Track length1:33

$1.00

$1.40

V Dialogo: Allegretto

Track length1:42

$1.00

$1.40

VI Fuga: Andante espressivo

Track length2:55

$1.00

$1.40

VII Recitativo: Fantastico

Track length1:07

$1.00

$1.40

VIII Moto perpetuo: Presto

Track length0:57

$1.00

$1.40

IX Passacaglia: Lento solenne

Track length4:25

$1.00

$1.40

Mournful Song

Track length0:33

$1.00

$1.40

Autumn

Track length0:19

$1.00

$1.40

Street Song

Track length0:26

$1.00

$1.40

Depart in Peace, with the Saints (Kontakion)

Track length2:42

$1.00

$1.40

Benjamin Britten, Matthew Barley: Greensleeves

Work length2:06

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

Benjamin Britten, Matthew Barley: The Salley Gardens

Work length2:33

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

Bryars: Tre Laude Dolçe

Work length17:31

$3.00

$4.20

Matthew Barley

Track length6:26

$1.00

$1.40

Track length5:18

$1.00

$1.40

III

Track length5:47

$1.00

$1.40

Benjamin Britten, Matthew Barley: Since She Whom I Loved

Work length3:28

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

Tavener: Threnos

Work length7:12

$1.50

$2.10

Matthew Barley

Tavener: Chant for cello

Work length4:25

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

Benjamin Britten, Matthew Barley: Concord

Work length2:26

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

Barley: Improvisation

Work length9:52

$1.50

$2.10

Matthew Barley

Benjamin Britten, Matthew Barley: Oliver Cromwell

Work length0:49

$1.00

$1.40

Matthew Barley

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About

Recording of the Week, Little Britten

14th January 2013

Cellist Matthew Barley marks the centenary of the composer’s birth with a recital centring on the Third Cello Suite, whilst Edward Higginbottom and The Choir of New College Oxford bring a vital, pleasingly rough-round-the-edges approach that recalls Britten’s own children’s choirs to the scared choral music.

Matthew Barley further proves his reputation as one of the UK's most innovative and creative performers with the new programme and CD Around Britten – celebrating the centenary of Britten's birth with a selection of his works, including the Third Cello Suite and pieces by Sir John Tavener and Gavin Bryars.

The release coincides with the start of a tour of 100 events taking Britten's music to a kaleidoscopic variety of venues around the UK, reaching a huge cross section of British society. As well as concerts in conventional concert halls, Matthew will play in galleries, a cafe, a woodland in Devon, a number of cathedrals (including Canterbury), around 12 different National Trust properties and Britten's library at the Red House in Aldeburgh. The events will be featured across the year in BBC Music Magazine, and one concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3. (details of the events can be found here - http://www.matthewbarley.com/?page_id=740).

“I wish more people would think about music the way Matthew Barley does” The Times

Reviews

May 2013

His performance of the Britten lets the light in on what can seem a rather obscure, labyrinthine work: Barley's clear, calm approach lays out the score before us...The rest of the disc is like entering the chill-out room: Barley's well crafted, multi-tracked cello arrangements of Britten's folk songs and 'Concord' from Gloriana will appeal to many.

2nd February 2013

This will surely go down as one of the more offbeat centenary tributes to Britten. Barley, an unclassifiable cellist, builds his anthology around a thoughtful performance of Britten’s Third Suit for cello and the “quietly radiating peace” he finds in it.

April 2013

As always, Barley's playing is fearless. The disc is a voyage around the cello as well as around Britten, and one that never becomes relentless. In his Improvisation, there is skilfully woven reference to the profusion of styles in which he plays...The high point, though, is Barley's arrangement of 'Since she whom I loved'. Even without the words, Barley has managed to capture - and further amplify - its great sadness and isolation.

May 2013

a formidable achievement

14th January 2013

If a disc based on a funeral chant sounds rather elegiac, well - I suppose it is, rather, but it’s suffused with a rapt, meditative quality that makes for wonderful late-night listening and there’s a splendidly boisterous arrangement of ‘Oliver Cromwell’ to round things off!

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Around Britten: Matthew Barley

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Recording of the Week, Little Britten

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