Michael Stimpson, Composer

REVIEWS

The Times on String Quartet No. 1 (Robben Island)

“…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.”

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)

“...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Sioned Williams on The Stars Have Withdrawn Their Shining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UK Harp Association Journal on The Stars Have Withdrawn Their Shining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

“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

“[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 ”