Leighton: Chamber Music

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Although a fair amount of his music for voices has been recorded, Kenneth Leighton's orchestral and instrumental music is seriously under-represented in the catalogue. This most impressive disc... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: CDLX7118
Label: Dutton
Series: Epoch
Length: 76 minutes

Leighton: Piano Trio, Op. 46

Work length24:16

$4.00

$5.60

Lorraine McAslan, Andrew Fuller, Michael Dussek

I. Allegro con moto

Track length7:24

$1.50

$2.10

II. Scherzo. Precipitoso - Più largo - Presto - Molto più largo, sostenuto

Track length6:48

$1.00

$1.40

III. Hymn. Lento, molto sostenuto

Track length10:04

$1.50

$2.10

Leighton: Partita for Cello & Piano op.35

Work length21:44

$4.00

$5.60

Andrew Fuller, Michael Dussek

I. Elegy

Track length5:52

$1.00

$1.40

II. Scherzo

Track length3:54

$1.00

$1.40

III. Theme and Variations

Track length11:58

$2.00

$2.80

Leighton: Metamorphoses for Violin & Piano, Op. 48

Work length21:08

Album only

Lorraine McAslan, Michael Dussek

Leighton: Elegy for Cello & Piano op.5

Work length9:06

$1.50

$2.10

Andrew Fuller, Michael Dussek

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Although a fair amount of his music for voices has been recorded, Kenneth Leighton's orchestral and instrumental music is seriously under-represented in the catalogue. This most impressive disc gives a good idea of what we're missing: superbly crafted music of at times overwhelming intensity.
The craft and the intensity are inseparable: there's as little here of mere technical cleverness as there is of self-indulgent emotional display; the emotion both needs and is concentrated by tight control.
The Piano Trio is a characteristic example, its first movement building from close working of a broad, sweeping theme and a more subdued and shadowy one to a bitter eloquence slightly reminiscent of Shostakovich before a shadowy, drained conclusion. Calm is eventually achieved, but not serenity. The Partita has similar energy but a less fraught quality; there's even a sort of bony wit, again recalling Shostakovich, to some of the variations of the finale.
Metamorphoses, although ostensibly a single 21-minute movement, could be read as a monothematic sonata, with a quite violent scherzo and a slow finale, by turns poignant and ghostly. The very early Elegy reveals some of Leighton's English roots: descendants of its sustained lyrical theme can be heard in the later pieces, but there are some harmonic shifts that John Ireland would have approved.
The programme, in short, is an ideal introduction to this important but still underrated composer.
He's not underrated by these artists, however, who play with passionate conviction and splendid risk-taking attack; they're admirably recorded.

Leighton: Chamber Music

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