Aldeburgh Strings & Richard Watkins - Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (2016)

This international ensemble of crack musicians reveals the next generations star soloists; led by violinist Markus Däunert (leader of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra), they deliver fresh and energetic performances of some of Brittens finest music for string ensemble.

This recording is the conclusion of projects celebrating Brittens centenary in 2013, at which Aldeburgh Strings performed the closing concert in Brittens musical home of Snape Maltings.

The recording opens with Young Apollo, a radiant, expressive, characterful and dramatic work, featuring pianist Lorenzo Soulès. The Lachrymae subtitled reflections on a song of Dowland explores the violas intensely mellow sonorities; Máté Szücs (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) is the soloist.

The Prelude and Fugue finds Britten indulging in the exuberant technical wizardry of his youthful period whilst recalling Bachs sophisticated contrapuntal textures. To close, one of the great masterpieces of Britten's cannon: the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. The award-winning tenor Allan Clayton and horn player Richard Watkins are the soloists, the latter reprising his role 30 years after first performing it with Peter Pears.

Tracklist:

1. Young Apollo, Op 16* [7:55]
2. Lachrymae, Op. 48a** [14:19]

Prelude and Fugue, Op. 29
3. Prelude [3:06]
4. Fugue [5:43]

Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31
5. Prologue [1:32]
6. Pastoral [3:23]
7. Nocturne [3:52]
8. Elegy [4:00]
9. Dirge [3:29]
10. Hymn [2:03]
11. Sonnet [3:59]
12. Epilogue [1:41]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
13. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis [13:43]

ALDEBURGH STRINGS
Markus Däunert director
Richard Watkins french horn
Allan Clayton tenor
Máte Szücs viola**
Lorenzo Soulès piano*

Recorded at
Snape Maltings, Snape, Suffolk, UK
20–22 October 2012 (Lachrymae, Prelude and Fugue)
24–25 November 2013 (Serenade)
4 April 2015 (Young Apollo)