Turnage: Scherzoid; Evening Songs; When I Woke; Yet Another Set To [Hybrid SACD]

Review

This 2005 SACD of the brilliant orchestral music of Mark-Anthony Turnage is significant for being both a compilation of premiere recordings (in two instances, first releases of world-premiere performances) and for being a collection of four astonishingly vivid concert renditions by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, under three conductors. Turnage's elaborately scored music is eclectic, colorful, and accessible, and in the first and last pieces, particularly designed to bring audiences to their feet in enthusiastic applause. The maniacally driven Scherzoid, led by Jonathon Nott, and the robust, concerto-like Yet Another Set To, featuring virtuoso trombonist Christian Lindberg and directed by Marin Alsop, are both rowdy crowd-pleasers that make their points directly, without apologies for being punchy. Much more mysterious in tone and subtler in delicate textures, the haunted Evening Songs, and the brooding When I Woke, (the latter plaintively sung by baritone Gerald Finley, and both conducted by Wladimir Jurowski), are quiet, slowly evolving pieces that represent Turnage's introspective side, and demonstrate that not all of his music is brassy and bold, but sometimes dark and forbidding. Thanks to excellent engineering and the terrific acoustics of London's Royal Festival Hall, this album is extraordinarily clear for its live sound, and especially rich in details and dimensions in the 5.1 multichannel format. Highly recommended. ~ Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

Tracks + Soundclips

Performances