In an earlier Dutton Epoch recording of York Bowen's Violin Concerto (CDLX 7169), one critic compared Lorraine McAslan's playing with that of Heifetz, and here in three little-known violin concertos she again presents performances of such eloquence that one immediately wonders why the pieces have not been performed. Dutton Epoch's revelatory Arnell series continues with McAslan's gripping reading of Arnell's substantial Concerto in One Movement, Op.9, music preceding Samuel Barber's Concerto by two years but clearly celebrating the same world. Guirne Creith's lyrical and engaging Violin Concerto was played by Albert Sammons in the 1930s, but the music has long been lost and its discovery by her family has given us the opportunity to hear it again. Manchester-born Thomas Pitfield wrote his tuneful Concerto Lirico when it was not OK to be so heart-on-sleeve. A remarkable group strongly directed by Martin Yates.

Guirne Creith
Concerto in G minor for violin & orchestra (1932-34)
(i) Maestoso (quasi recitativo) Allegro non troppo Tranquillo Adagio
(ii) Adagio con intimo sentimento
(iii) Allegro vivace

Thomas Pitfield
Concerto Lirico for violin & full orchestra (1958)
(i) Allegro apprensivo Molto allegro grazioso Allegro giocoso
(ii) Requiem: Larghetto con dignit (In Memoriam Albert Hardie) Allegro apprensivo
(iii) Release: Allegro con brio Allegretto poco teneramente Pi agitato ma l'istesso tempo Larghetto tragico (tempo di Requiem)

Richard Arnell
Violin Concerto in One Movement op.9 (1940)
Andante con moto Cadenza Allegro moderato Con brio Andante con moto Cadenza Allegro moderato Poco pi vivace Allegro vivace

Lorraine McAslan (violin)
ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA
Martin Yates (conductor)

World premiere recordings

Recorded:
Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 26-28 August 2008

CDLX 7221

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“The performances … are uniformly excellent, as are the recordings … making this an issue of uncommon interest, restoring these very worthwhile works for our profit and the composers’ posthumous honour not only in their own land but also (if Dutton Epoch’s earlier releases are anything to go by) across the world.” Robert Matthew-Walker, International Record Review, June 2009