Havergal Brian, composer

Brian Rayner Cook, baritone
[credit: Richard Armitage]

Roger Vignoles, piano
[credit: Matthew Ford]

Stephen Levine, violin

Peter Lawson, piano

Seventeen songs

[…] deeply impressed […] Brian was no mean song writer […]

It is not just the quality of each individual song which impresses, although some at least are quite clearly short masterpieces in their own right. It is also the breadth of Brian’s imaginative and expressive range. As Malcolm MacDonald’s admirable sleeve note indicates, most of the songs concern themselves with one or more of Brian’s ‘three great themes—love, hate & death’, but within those central preoccupations he proves himself capable of almost infinite variety. He embraces with equal aplomb the teasing humour of Lady Ellayne, the alternating ardour and tenderness of Why Dost thou wound and break my heart, the innocent happiness of Piping down the valleys wild, the almost tragic intensity of Sorrow song, the uncompromising defiance of The soul of steel, the horrified repugnance of The defiled sanctuary and much else besides. Rather a lot may be asked of the performers, but in terms of the intended effect Brian hardly puts a foot wrong. The standard is remarkably consistent with only a growing awareness of harmonic and other technical possibilities, and the general refinement of an already prodigious talent, to mark out the later songs from the very earliest. On this evidence Brian merits serious consideration alongside such major English song writers as Purcell, Dowland, Vaughan Williams and Britten.

The performances impress no less than the songs themselves. Brian Rayner Cook has clearly given much thought to his interpretations and scarcely a shade of meaning or a nuance of feeling escapes him. His technique is equal to all Brian’s demands, strain showing only where Brian quite clearly intended it should. Roger Vignoles handling of the substantial and far from easy piano parts—one can scarcely call them mere accompaniments—is equally fine. It adds considerably to the effect of the performances as a whole.

[…] the sound is commendably full, clear and lifelike. The piano tone, often a weakness in song records, is particularly well reproduced. […]

Godfrey Berry Havergal Brian Society

[…] The sound in the songs is big and unapologetic. […] The notes are exemplary as you would expect from one of the two leading Brian scholars, Malcolm Macdonald. […] The texts are printed in full. The songs are all well-rounded, well recorded and project a grand nobility aided invaluably by Brian Rayner Cook’s distinctive baritone and the sensitive and, when called for, larger than life pianism of Roger Vignoles. This disc will be widely welcomed. The release on CD of these outstanding performances of intriguing and impressive music should find ready takers in the burgeoning market for British song and for the music of Havergal Brian.

Rob Barnett MusicWeb International

This collection of songs plus one work for violin and piano from Havergal Brian's early period show an original mind at work. Superior and idiomatic performances, clear sound.

BBC Music Magazine

Approximately one quarter of Havergal Brian's song output features on this superbly remastered issue, sung vividly in the Wigmore Hall by Brian Rayner Cook, alive to all the moods and colours of this unfamiliar repertoire, accompanied to perfection by Roger Vignoles. […] The recordings still sound fresh and with the bonus of Stephen Levine and Peter Lawson's moving rendition of Brian's sole extant piece of chamber music, Legend […] this disc is warmly recommended.

Guy Rickards Gramophone