Following a devastating cancer diagnosis in September 2022, Adrian Sutton, composer of the music for War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and other National Theatre productions, made a conscious decision to change his focus, committing himself to working solely on music for the concert hall. This has led to a series of major new works, including his Violin Concerto which received its world première at the Southbank Centre in June 2023, played by Fenella Humphreys and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Adrian commented: ‘We all have limited time – and resources. How to make best use of them? In my situation, there’s only one answer: avoid egregious waste of both time and energy ruminating on things I can’t change. Instead, I can choose how I react to the facts – and I’m choosing not to be a victim.’ This new album of world-première recordings reflects the composer’s new focus. Of the album, Adrian Sutton says: ‘Here's the real musical me. My core musical DNA. The Violin Concerto in particular (being a violinist myself) is for me the main course on this disc, but the other works are a showcase for what I’ve always been about... ranging from the bracing and instrumentally challenging A Fist Full of Fives through to orchestral suites derived from my theatre works. I’m very proud of them all, and pleased to have had the opportunity to share them.’
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Reviews
“…The most substantial work on the disc is his 25 minute Violin Concerto (1923) … The solo line soars, Sutton shooting out ideas thick and fast. Fenella Humphreys is a fearless soloist, golden-toned in the lyrical central movement and athletic in the faster sections…”
Graham Rickson – theartsdesk.com – 12 October 2024
“…Throughout Michael Seal and the orchestra give performances which do full justice to Sutton's musical language, with its melodic felicities, sense of orchestral colour, clear influence of English composers and innate theatricality. The result is a disc that is engagingly listenable but also rather thought provoking.”
Robert Hugill – PlanetHugill.com – 4 October 2024
“…Sutton’s music is very English and doesn’t offer gnarly avant-garde edginess, but even with some detectable hints of musical forebears his skill in delivering communicative, tonal and lyrically expressive music without sounding derivative or occupying a kind of homage-mode is quite remarkable.”
Dominy Clements – Musicwebinternational.com – 2 October 2024
“…The BBC Philharmonic is on top form along with the director on this recording, Michael Seal. Fenella Humphreys is a marvellous violinist in the concerto, the music is engaging and the orchestrations are effective and colourful. This is a most enjoyable disc and one well worthy of your attention.”
Geoff Pearce – classicalmusicdaily.com – 27 September 2024
“… Humphreys, Seal and the BBC Philharmonic have its [Violin Concerto] linguistic number. Humphreys brings her endlessly unfurling violin lines taut, silvery weightlessness. The recording beautifully captures her duets with woodwind, and a tremendous dynamic range…”
Charlotte Gardner – The Strad – October 2024
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