COMPOSERS: Heath
LABELS: Linn
WORKS: Violin Concerto (The Celtic); Flute Concerto (The Connemara); The Four Elements
PERFORMER: Clio Gould (violin), Dave Heath (flute), Kirk Richardson (percussion)BT Scottish Ensemble
CATALOGUE NO: CKD 073
In taking Dave Heath as composer-in-residence, the BT Scottish Ensemble ensured that it could programme a fair sprinkling of world premieres without frightening away its audience. Heath is unashamedly a populist. His music has a natural, relaxed quality that is both fluent and direct. You don’t need a degree in music to pick up the traditional references in his Celtic Violin Concerto, nor can you miss the wailing sirens in ‘Fire’, from The Four Elements. Besides this, ‘Celtic Air’ ends with a riot of ethereal wind pipes, ‘Water’ begins with the sound of running water, and ‘Earth’ rocks along to the thunder of drums, gongs and wind machines. If all this exotica seems gratuitous, the overall result is actually rather impressive. Christopher Lambton
Heath: Violin Concerto (The Celtic); Flute Concerto (The Connemara); The Four Elements
In taking Dave Heath as composer-in-residence, the BT Scottish Ensemble ensured that it could programme a fair sprinkling of world premieres without frightening away its audience. Heath is unashamedly a populist. His music has a natural, relaxed quality that is both fluent and direct. You don’t need a degree in music to pick up the traditional references in his Celtic Violin Concerto, nor can you miss the wailing sirens in ‘Fire’, from The Four Elements.
Our rating
3
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:38 pm