Post by erik on Nov 13, 2021 18:16:01 GMT -5
Arguably the most important English conductor and composer of choral music of the late 20th century, John Rutter also took up writing for the orchestra as well, as the work in this week's Classical Works Spotlight will attest to.
John Rutter: SUITE FOR STRINGS
Given that 20th century British music had its heavyweights in giants like Sir Edward Elgar, Sir William Walton, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Lord Benjamin Britten, it would have been hard for a later generation to step out from their shadows. John Rutter, however, found his niche all the same. Born in 1945, he was highly attracted to all various forms of English and French choral music of his time, as well as classic American songwriting, a fondness enhanced by his having been in the choir for the first-ever recording of Britten’s “War Requiem” in 1963 under the direction of the composer himself. In-between writing some of the most popular English-language choral works of the late 20th century, Rutter was a director of many prestigious college choirs in England. However, he also had the time to write instrumental works as well, including those solely for orchestra alone. One of his most popular was his Suite For Strings, which he composed in 1973. Like two of Vaughan Williams’ most popular works (“Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis”; “Fantasia On ‘Greensleeves’”), this suite is an adaptation of British folk songs, in this case four of them (“A-Roving”; “I Have a Bonnet Trimmed In Blue”;
Waly Waly”; “Dashing Away”), scored entirely for strings. Both in England and America, the “Suite For Strings” became Rutter’s most popular orchestral work, joining the repertoire among not only similar works from his English predecessors, but also America’s own Samuel Barber (“Adagio For Strings”(; Mozart (“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”); Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/JOHN RUTTER (London/Decca)
Included (Distant Land):
DISTANT LAND
FIVE MEDITATIONS FOR ORCHESTRA
SUITE ANTIQUE FOR FLUTE, HARP, AND STRINGS
BEATLES CONCERTO FOR TWO PIANOS AND ORCHESTRA (Pianos: PETER ROSTAL, PAUL SCHAEFER)
John Rutter: SUITE FOR STRINGS
Given that 20th century British music had its heavyweights in giants like Sir Edward Elgar, Sir William Walton, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Lord Benjamin Britten, it would have been hard for a later generation to step out from their shadows. John Rutter, however, found his niche all the same. Born in 1945, he was highly attracted to all various forms of English and French choral music of his time, as well as classic American songwriting, a fondness enhanced by his having been in the choir for the first-ever recording of Britten’s “War Requiem” in 1963 under the direction of the composer himself. In-between writing some of the most popular English-language choral works of the late 20th century, Rutter was a director of many prestigious college choirs in England. However, he also had the time to write instrumental works as well, including those solely for orchestra alone. One of his most popular was his Suite For Strings, which he composed in 1973. Like two of Vaughan Williams’ most popular works (“Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis”; “Fantasia On ‘Greensleeves’”), this suite is an adaptation of British folk songs, in this case four of them (“A-Roving”; “I Have a Bonnet Trimmed In Blue”;
Waly Waly”; “Dashing Away”), scored entirely for strings. Both in England and America, the “Suite For Strings” became Rutter’s most popular orchestral work, joining the repertoire among not only similar works from his English predecessors, but also America’s own Samuel Barber (“Adagio For Strings”(; Mozart (“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”); Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky.Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/JOHN RUTTER (London/Decca)
Included (Distant Land):
DISTANT LAND
FIVE MEDITATIONS FOR ORCHESTRA
SUITE ANTIQUE FOR FLUTE, HARP, AND STRINGS
BEATLES CONCERTO FOR TWO PIANOS AND ORCHESTRA (Pianos: PETER ROSTAL, PAUL SCHAEFER)