Eric Biddington: Last Notes - Chamber Works

Eric Biddington: Last Notes - Chamber Works

NV6431 (Navona Records, CD)

COMPILATION (27 May 2022)
Tracks: 20
© 2022 Navona Records LLC
Main country of recording: New Zealand
Reviewer: Geoff Pearce
Review of Eric Biddington: Last Notes - Chamber Works published on 13 July 2022

David McGregor, clarinet (track 1)
Alison Holden, piano (tracks 1, 3-11 and 19-20)
Kathy Irons, solo violin (track 2)
Isaac Shatford, violin (track 2)
Amandine Guerin, violin (track 2)
Sharon Baylis, viola (track 2 and 16-18)
Tomas Hurnik, cello (track 2)
Ross Radford, double bass (track 2)
Jenny Johnson, oboe (tracks 7-9)
Ashleigh Mowbray, oboe (tracks 7-11 and 15)
Carolyn Scholes, violin (track 12)
Maurice Till, piano (track 12)
Gregory McMillan-Perry, oboe (track 13)
John Pattinson, piano (track 13)
Julie Ann Link, bassoon (tracks 14 and 19-20)
Laura Barton, violin (tracks 16-18)
Paul Lee, cello (tracks 16-18)

Eric Biddington (born 1953):

1 A Little Dance

2 Introit for Solo Violin and String Quintet

Four Preludes
3 I
4 II
5 III
6 IV

Trio No 2 for Two Oboes and Piano
7 I
8 II
9 III

Two Romances for Oboe and Piano
10 I
11 II

12 Sentimental Piece

13 Canzonetta For Oboe and Piano

14 Scherzetto

15 Peace for Julie

Trio for Violin, Viola, Violoncello
16 I
17 II
18 III

Two Pieces for Bassoon and Piano
19 I
20 II

Recorded on 12 October 2020 at The Piano – The Music Centre. Christchurch, New Zealand (tracks 1, 2, 19, 20), 8 July 2021 at Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, Christchurch, New Zealand (tracks 3-11 and 14-18) and in 1997 at the Chapel, The Music Centre of Christchurch, New Zealand (tracks 12 and 13).

This is an album tracing the musical footprint of composer Eric Biddington's compositional history through revived works of the past. Some written nearly thirty years ago, the unearthed gems featured here speak in a fresh tone, effusing elegance and thoughtfulness across varied orchestrations and moods. From the tender sentiments teeming in Peace for Julie to the playful nature of A Little Dance and his deeply moving passages for bassoon and piano, Biddington covers a wide gamut of expression in these chamber works.