Simpson: Chamber Music, Vol. 1 Tippett Quartet and Emma Johnson featuring Raphael Wallfisch, John Lenehan

• Robert Simpson (1921 - 1997): String Quartet in D Major:
• 1 Simpson: String Quartet in D Major: I. Allegro moderato 04:59
• 2 Simpson: String Quartet in D Major: II. Adagio non troppo 06:17
• 3 Simpson: String Quartet in D Major: III. Allegretto grazioso 03:23
• 4 Simpson: String Quartet in D Major: IV. Presto 04:45
• Trocknet nicht!:
• 5 Simpson: Trocknet nicht! 04:12
• The Cherry Tree:
• 6 Simpson: The Cherry Tree 04:19
• Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano:
• 7 Simpson: Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano: Lento molto – 10:26
• 8 Simpson: Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano: Quarter Note = c. 72 06:58
• 9 Simpson: Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano: Allegro molto e furioso 10:24
• Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Three Double Basses:
• 10 Simpson: Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Three Double Basses: Adagio tranquillo – 06:38
• 11 Simpson: Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Three Double Basses: Allegro – 07:32
• 12 Simpson: Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Three Double Basses: Adagio 04:06
• Total Runtime 01:13:59

Info zu Simpson: Chamber Music, Vol. 1

Der größte Teil der Kammermusik von Robert Simpson (1921-97) wurde in den 1980er und 90er Jahren von Hyperion aufgenommen, aber es blieben einige Lücken in dieser Diskografie. Die Robert Simpson Society hat zwei Alben gesponsert, um diese Lücken zu schließen. Das erste Album enthält ein frühes Streichquartett und zwei Lieder, die erst nach dem Tod des Komponisten ans Licht kamen. Im späteren Leben pflegte Simpson zu sagen, dass Gedichte, die gut genug zum Vertonen sind, keine Musik brauchen - aber diese beiden jugendlichen Essays beweisen, dass er bereits ein Meister war. Das D-Dur-Streichquartett schrieb Simpson als Student in Durham; ein Prüfer beschrieb es als „furchtlos“. Die beiden reifen Werke - typisch Simpson - bringen seinen Sinn für symphonischen Schwung in das Klarinettenrepertoire.

Das Tippett Quartett:
Emma Johnson, Klarinette
Raphael Wallfisch, Violoncello
John Lenehan, Klavier
Eva-Maria Hartmann, Sopran
Cornelis Witthoefft, Klavier
Peter Cigleris, Klarinette
Derek Hannigan, Bassklarinette
Will Duerden, Kontrabass
Levi Andreassen, Kontrabass
Daniil Margulis, Kontrabass

The Tippett Quartet
‘The Tippett Quartet’s performances are little short of astonishing’ - The Times

The Tippett Quartet perform at Wigmore Hall, BBC Proms, Kings Place, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Bridgewater Hall and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. They have toured Europe, Canada and Mexico. Their broad and diverse repertoire highlights the Tippett Quartet’s unique versatility. They have an impressive catalogue of recordings, most recently being awarded Gramophone Record of the Month for their recording of Gorécki Quartets for Naxos:

‘I cannot recommend this recording highly enough, and have run out of superlatives’ Gramophone

The Tippett Quartet pursues a keen interest in educational work with both schools and universities. There were Ensemble in Residence at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University for 2012-13 and from 2015 they have been resident at Royal Holloway University, London.

The Tippett Quartet worked on a ground-breaking reimagining of Beethoven’s Op. 135 with composer/soundscape artist Matthew Herbert and have also given numerous world and UK premieres including newly discovered works by Tchaikovsky and Holst, as well as new works by John Adams, Freya Waley-Cohen, Howard Goodall and Alissa Firsova. They have also worked with Peter Maxwell-Davies for a performance of his 9th Quartet at the South Bank, with Anthony Payne on his Quartet No.1 for a live BBC broadcast from Spitalfields Festival, and Hugh Wood on his String Quartet No.3 at the Presteigne Festival. They have had the great pleasure of collaborating with inspirational soloists such as Kathryn Stott, Craig Ogden, Stephanie Gonley, Lawrence Power, Melvin Tan, Nick Van Bloss, Julian Bliss, Ashley Wass, Lynn Arnold, Emma Abbate, Mary Dullea and James Atkinson.

They have also performed with the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden and have premiered a newly written film score for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 silent film classic ‘The Lodger’. In 2014 they started a collaboration with some of the UK’s finest Jazz musicians with the launch of their ‘Close To You’ project – a tribute to the album that Frank Sinatra made with the Hollywood String Quartet.

In 2011 they celebrated the anniversary of the iconic film composer Bernard Herrmann with a series of concerts and radio broadcasts. They have worked with Damian Montagu and Hugh Bonneville for “In a South Downs Way” – a collection of poems set to music and can also be heard as featured artists on the film Knives Out & Glass Onion.

The Tippett Quartet released a recording of the Penderecki Quartets for Naxos which was described as ‘life-enhancing’ by The Times and gained a 5* review in BBC Music Magazine. This was an extremely special disc having received a letter giving permission from Penderecki in January 2020 to record the 4th quartet, this recording in June 2020 was their first project after the COVID-19 lockdown.

They are delighted to be celebrating their 25th Anniversary with the release of the complete Korngold quartets for Naxos. The Tippett Quartet bring their unique recording experience and expertise to capture the essence of Korngold’s string writing in these three quartets that straddle his Hollywood film career. Viennese charm, strikingly adventurous harmony and romantic film melodies are brought to in this recording, engineered in a state of the art studio.

Booklet für Simpson: Chamber Music, Vol. 1