Portrait de la compositrice

Description

The recording works include the 1929 Perséphone Overture; the Suite in F Allegro assai for strings from 1927; Suite for Strings from 1943 (the only piece on this album that has previously been performed professionally); Variations on "Loth to Départ," composed in 1962; Quel homme est-il? from the 1940s; Festival Anthem, composed in 1946 and orchestrated by Colin Matthews; and finally, On Westhall Hill completes the album. Quel homme est-il? and Festival Anthem both receive their premiere performance on this recording. Imogen Holst played a central role in the founding of NMC Recordings with composer Colin Matthews. The creation of the Holst Foundation by Holst, shortly before her death in 1984, ultimately allowed NMC to continue supporting the work of living composers through the Foundation. Colin Matthews, composer and founder of NMC Recordings, stated: "This major album released on the occasion of NMC's 35th anniversary could hardly be more fitting, as without Imogen Holst, NMC would probably never have come into being. When we together established the Holst Foundation, shortly before her death in 1984, Imogen made it clear that her future role should not be to subsidize her father's music, but to support the work of living composers. We discussed at length the possibility of funding recordings, and although it took some time for NMC to take off, I always knew that the label was founded with her blessing, and that she would have wholeheartedly approved of what has been accomplished since 1989. Imo [as she was affectionately called] was desperately evasive when asked about her music, and although I know she had composed her whole life, it was only after her death that we discovered how vast her catalog is - well over 200 works, many of which are arrangements or small-scale, but also numerous substantial pieces. And a number of these more significant works have remained unplayed, as if they were simply set aside while she was preoccupied with her many roles as a teacher, as well as promoting her father's music. It was a great pleasure to pay tribute to Imo with this recording - something that would probably have surprised her, but would surely have delighted her as well. The album boasts of being simply wonderful to be played in the BBC's Maida Vale Studio 1 by the BBC Concert Orchestra, and what a treat to have the impeccable BBC Singers, all conducted by Alice Farnham.