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REVIEWS
| The Times on String Quartet No. 1 (Robben
Island) |
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“…his
expertise in writing for stringed instruments shone
through this 25-minute journey through sadness,
agitation, fear and trembling to the joy of South
Africa's new beginning.”
“The four
inner movements were packed with
incident…atmospheric…illustrative...Before and after
came chorales, weaving down from on high, soaked in
sorrow and injustice.”
“The Allegri
proved splendid advocates of this restless, eloquent
piece.”
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Turner Sims
String Quartet No. 1 (Robben
Island) |
| “Michael Stimpson
is one of Britain's fastest rising
composers.” |
|
The Strad on
Sonata for Piano Trio (Dussek Piano
Trio) |
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“...it is a
finely poised, lyrical work. The richly
melancholic Lento was
paced to perfection…in short, a joy to hear.” |
| Sioned
Williams on The Stars Have Withdrawn Their
Shining |
| “Michael's work
for the harp is a major contribution to the harp
repertoire…there has been unprecedented praise for the
work.” |
| UK Harp Association
Journal on The Stars Have Withdrawn Their
Shining |
| “Stimpson's piece
had a felt unity and strength of purpose through all its
varied writing, lights and shades, highs and lows,
complex rhythms. This important piece ought to be
repeated and if possible commercially recorded. Only
then, on repeated hearings, like all good music will it
reveal all its secrets.” |
| The Strad on Three
Variants on a Blue (Peter Fisher, Nadia
Lasserson) |
| “…enthralling…Fisher settled into its breezy blues
feel…flowing with an improvisatory air.” |
|
Salisbury
Journal on A Walk Into War |
“ The cream of
classical musicians came together for a world premiere
presented as one of the highlights of Salisbury Festival
and hailed by the festival director as a ‘masterpiece’ of
modern chamber works.” “It moves from a
summer morning of fresh expectation as the young Laurie
Lee set out to life in London and the grim realities of
the Spanish Civil War to the 'fresh morning skies' as he
leaves the fighting for love and new life. Stimpson's
work is sensitive and dramatic. The music provides a
thoughtful commentary on Lee's words.” |
|
Musical
Opinion on Dylan |
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“The life of the
poet Dylan Thomas was vividly evoked in a new song cycle
by Michael Stimpson”
“…Stimpson's
settings of the poetry and prose enhanced the imagery,
the mystery, the dark moods, the wartime horrors and the
enigmatic verses dedicated to his wife Caitlin. The
penetrating vocal line was supported by evocative harp
accompaniment, particularly telling as a commentary on
the poet's self-confessed battle with drink. The eight
sections built up a revealing and often moving picture
of this flawed but fascinating genius.” |
|
South
Wales Evening Post on
Dylan |
| “Dylan is an
eight-part visionary work which takes the listener
through many episodes in the poet's life. Stimpson
artfully combines spoken excerpts and musical settings
of Thomas's poems, letters, stories and, of course,
Under Milk Wood, in to a ruminative and evocative
monodrama of depth and originality. The most stunning
musical episode was Stimpson's wonderful setting of
Ceremony after a Fire Raid which received a heartfelt
reading by Huw Williams, his plangent voice alternately
tender and dramatic.” |
|
Salisbury Journal on
Dylan |
| “At the close of
this extraordinary work, Michael Stimpson took a proud
bow beside his stars to a rapturous applause. He had
given a tantalising glimpse into a troubled soul; in a
story telling through words and music of rare intensity
leaving the audience spellbound. ” |
|
Llandudno
Festival Review on Dylan |
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“[The piece]
conveyed perfectly the two writing Dylans the robust
word play of the prose and the more elliptical world of
the poems; the song settings perfectly catching that.
Roderick Williams'
dark baritone manoeuvred around the songs with great
control and richness and he coped excellently with the
readings, relishing the word play and the comedy.The
harp is as responsible for characterisations as the
voice and Sioned Williams brought it out to the full.
She was particularly good with “Caitlin”’s astringency
and brilliant in the uncomfortable drunkenness of
“Bottled
God”.
Michael
Stimpson’s composition is a fine understanding of Dylan
Thomas, the poet and the man, and this performance made
it abundantly clear just how good it is ”
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© Michael
Stimpson 2007
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