Eblana String Trio - The King's Alchemist: British String Trios (2021) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

Featuring world premiere recordings of trios by Sally Beamish and Hugh Wood bookended by seldom heard works by Moeran and Finzi, showcases the sheer wealth of string trio repertoire by British composers. Although diverse in style and substance, the four works are bound together by the common strands of vivid storytelling and a shared musical language. Finzi’s Prelude and Fugue – the composers only piece of chamber music for strings alone - was composed in 1938 and conceived as a tribute to the renowned teacher R.O. Morris, with whom Finzi studied 16th century counterpoint. It is recorded here by the Eblana String Trio for only the second time, following its premiere LP recording in 1983. Ithaka by Hugh Wood is described by the composer himself as ‘a sort of mini-symphonic poem’. This one-movement work takes its inspiration from Cavafy’s meditation on Ulysses’ homeward voyage, and vibrantly depicts the adventures, discoveries, and dangers encountered along the way. Sally Beamish’s The King’s Alchemist is similarly programmatic music, reflecting aspects of the extraordinary story of John Damian, a European alchemist who resided at the court of King James IV in the early 16th century. The CD concludes with Moeran’s String Trio, written in 1931 and deservedly counted amongst his finest works.

Tracklist:
01. Finzi: Prelude & Fugue for String Trio, Op. 24: I. Prelude
02. Finzi: Prelude & Fugue for String Trio, Op. 24: II. Fugue
03. Wood: Ithaka, Op. 61
04. Beamish: The King's Alchemist: I. Cantus
05. Beamish: The King's Alchemist: II. Aqua Vitae
06. Beamish: The King's Alchemist: III. Pavana
07. Beamish: The King's Alchemist: IV. Avis Hominis
08. Moeran: String Trio in G Major, R. 59: I. Allegretto giovale
09. Moeran: String Trio in G Major, R. 59: II. Adagio
10. Moeran: String Trio in G Major, R. 59: III. Molto vivace - Lento sostenuto
11. Moeran: String Trio in G Major, R. 59: IV. Andante grazioso - Presto


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