Highways and Byways: Rarities for Recorder John Turner, Stephen Bettaney, Laura Robinson, Catherine Yates, Alex Mitchell

• Lennox Berkeley (1903 - 1989): Sonatina:
• 1 Berkeley: Sonatina: I. Moderato 04:38
• 2 Berkeley: Sonatina: II. Adagio 02:27
• 3 Berkeley: Sonatina: III. Allegro Moderato 02:27
• Wilfred Heaton (1918 - 2000): Little Suite:
• 4 Heaton: Little Suite: I. Grave - Prestissimo 01:22
• 5 Heaton: Little Suite: II. Con Energia 01:11
• 6 Heaton: Little Suite: III. Cantibile 03:07
• 7 Heaton: Little Suite: IV. Giocoso e ritmico 01:12
• 8 Heaton: Little Suite: V. Presto 02:14
• John Locke (1907 - 1980): Sonatina:
• 9 Locke: Sonatina: I. Allegro Assai 03:07
• 10 Locke: Sonatina: II. Adagio 02:33
• 11 Locke: Sonatina: III. Fughetta 02:13
• David Butler (b. 1953): The Summer Triangle:
• 12 Butler: The Summer Triangle: I. Altair 02:39
• 13 Butler: The Summer Triangle: II. Deneb 02:49
• 14 Butler: The Summer Triangle: III. Vega 06:30
• Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971): Lullaby:
• 15 Stravinsky: Lullaby 04:18
• John Locke: Sonatina:
• 16 Locke: Sonatina: I. Commodo 02:37
• 17 Locke: Sonatina: II. Adagio 02:19
• 18 Locke: Sonatina: III. Allegro moderato giocoso 01:28
• Thomas Pitfield (1903 - 1999): Dancery:
• 19 Pitfield: Dancery: I. March 01:44
• 20 Pitfield: Dancery: II. Pavan on Three Notes (Hommage à Poulenc) 01:15
• 21 Pitfield: Dancery: III. Dorian Gavotte 01:57
• 22 Pitfield: Dancery: IV. Bergamasque 01:14
• 23 Pitfield: Dancery: V. Second Pavan 01:50
• 24 Pitfield: Dancery: VI. Little Tarantella 00:46
• John Turner (b. 1943): Two Pieces:
• 25 Turner: Two Pieces: I. A Sad Pavane 02:23
• 26 Turner: Two Pieces: II. Hopscotch 02:31
• John McCabe (1939 - 2015): Domestic Life:
• 27 McCabe: Domestic Life 03:38
• Sam's Tune:
• 28 McCabe: Sam's Tune 02:05
• Christopher Ball (1936 - 2022): Two Pieces:
• 29 Ball: Two Pieces: I. A Cheerful Little Piece 04:06
• 30 Ball: Two Pieces: Homage to Dvorák 04:31
• Peter Hope (b. 1930): The Edgeley Tram:
• 31 Hope: The Edgeley Tram 03:07
• David Jepson (1941 - 2021): Edgeley Fold:
• 32 Jepson: Edgeley Fold 03:34
• Alexander Gretchaninov (1864 - 1956): Concertino, Op. 171:
• 33 Gretchaninov: Concertino, Op. 171 02:36
• William Bergsma (1921 - 1994): Pastorale and Scherzo:
• 34 Bergsma: Pastorale and Scherzo: I. Pastorale 01:18
• 35 Bergsma: Pastorale and Scherzo: II. Scherzo.wav 03:59
• Dorothy Pilling (1910 - 1998): Conversation Piece:
• 36 Pilling: Conversation Piece 01:32
• David Ellis (1933 - 2023): Mount Street Blues:
• 37 Ellis: Mount Street Blues 02:07
• Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder, Op. 76:
• 38 Ellis: Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder, Op. 76: I. Round Dance 01:28
• 39 Ellis: Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder, Op. 76: II. Sarabande with Doubles 02:19
• 40 Ellis: Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder, Op. 76: III. End-Piece 02:54
• Thomas Pitfield: A Little Caribbean:
• 41 Pitfield: A Little Caribbean 02:38
• Total Runtime 01:44:43

Info for Highways and Byways: Rarities for Recorder

A seminal contribution to the canon of recorder music, this recording assumes a pivotal role, enriching the repertoire and captivating audiences with its distinct allure and technical prowess. Serving as a valuable resource for connoisseurs of recorder music and an inviting introduction for novices, Highways and Byways features a diverse array of compositions. Through its discerning curation and expert execution, this recording not only commemorates the recorder’s storied legacy but also fosters an appreciation for its enduring elegance and adaptability.

John Turner presents recorder pieces by renowned composers such as Lennox Berkeley, John McCabe, and Thomas Pitfield. Discover rare gems by Igor Stravinsky and Alexander Gretchaninov, alongside a remarkable composition for recorder and two violas by the distinguished American composer William Bergsma.

As a special treat, the album includes two previously unknown pieces by the late Christopher Ball, along with two compositions by John Turner himself, including a homage to Ukraine. It’s a veritable feast of rare and captivating music!

Renowned as one of today’s leading recorder players, John Turner’s illustrious career spans performances with esteemed ensembles like David Munrow’s Early Music Consort of London and recordings with prestigious orchestras worldwide. With over 600 premieres to his credit, including works by Leonard Bernstein and Peter Sculthorpe, Turner’s artistry has left an indelible mark on the contemporary recorder repertoire.

John Turner, recorder
Stephen Bettaney, piano
Laura Robinson, recorder
Catherine Yates, viola
Alex Mitchell, viola

John Turner
is one of the leading recorder players of today. Born in Stockport, he was Senior Scholar in Law at Fitzwilliam College Cambridge before pursuing a legal career, acting for many distinguished musicians and musical organisations (including the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Northern College of Music and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain), alongside his many musical activities. These included numerous appearances and recordings with David Munrow’s Early Music Consort of London, the Academy of Ancient Music, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the English Baroque Soloists.

He now devotes his time to playing, writing, reviewing, publishing, composing and generally energising. He has played as recorder soloist with the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Manchester Camerata, and many other leading orchestras and ensembles. Concertos and works with orchestra have been written for him by Gordon Crosse, Anthony Gilbert, Peter Hope, Kenneth Leighton, Elis Pehkonen, Alan Bullard, John Casken, Philip Wood, and many other distinguished composers.

His recordings include no less than five sets of the Brandenburg Concertos, as well as the F Major version of Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 with Menuhin and George Malcolm, but lately he has made numerous acclaimed recordings of the recorder’s contemporary concerto and chamber music repertoire, including four solo concerto discs, all of which have received critical acclaim. The most recent (all on the Divine Art label) are a recording of music by the novelist and composer (and fellow Mancunian) Anthony Burgess, the premiere album devoted to the music of Roy Heaton Smith, and a disc in memory of Alfred Deller (a good friend) with James Bowman and Robin Blaze, including music by Blow, Handel, Tippett and Fricker.

In the last few years he has played in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, France, New Zealand, Japan and the USA, and given many recitals on Radio 3 with pianist Peter Lawson. In all, he has given the first performances of over 500 works for the recorder, with works by many non-British composers, including Leonard Bernstein, Ned Rorem, Peter Sculthorpe, Douglas Lilburn, Petr Eben and Ruth Zechlin. Many of the works he has premiered have now entered the standard repertoire, and these and his own recorder compositions are regularly set for festivals and examinations.

John edits series of recorder publications for both Forsyths and Peacock Press, and founded the periodical Manchester Sounds , in response to the perceived threat to music libraries in Great Britain. In addition he was responsible for the rediscovery of several works for his instrument, including the Rawsthorne Recorder Suite , Antony Hopkins’ Pastiche Suite , Herbert Murrill’s Sarabande , the Handel F Major Trio Sonata and John Parry’s Nightingale Rondo (the only substantial known British nineteenth century work for a fipple flute).

He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Northern College of Music in 2002 for his services to British music, and is a Visiting Distinguished Scholar of Manchester University.

This album contains no booklet.