Idylls and Elegies – Music by John Jeffreys
The music of John Jeffreys is an absolute delight – overtly Romantic and non-modernist, very much in the tradition of Delius, Warlock and Vaughan Williams. Here a number of delicious orchestral works of stunning beauty are accompanied by fine dramatic vocal works and a Suite of Variations for piano. This CD is essential for anyone interested in the English pastoral tradition – or just in exquisite music.
Jeffreys songs also available: The Far Country (DDA 25049) and Northumberland and Beyond (DDV 24128)
Track Listing
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John Jeffreys:
- Serenade For Strings (4:48)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − I. Dream 1 (2:20)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − II. Dream 2 (2:15)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − III. Dream 3 (2:21)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − IV. Dream 4 (2:04)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − V. Dream 5 (2:01)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − VI. Dream 6 (2:02)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − VII. Dream 7 (1:52)
- Toby's Dreams and Elegy − VIII. Elegy for Toby (2:20)
- Sweeney the Mad (4:02)
- A Lyke Wake Dirge (7:13)
- Elegy for John Fry (7:49)
- Poem for End (10:57)
- Elegy for a Conductor (8:31)
- Bickleigh Idyll (6:40)
Reviews
“This CD… did wonders for my mental health. Jeffreys’s music calmed me and made me feel that I was in good hands. Anguished thought and feelings are applied with a delicate brush and lose none of their impact for being invoked with reticence and taste. Toby’s Dreams and Elegy {are] dignified yet sometimes wry little gems. Jeffreys might not be the most daring composer on the block but there is no doubting his sincerity and his appeal. I pity any musician so jaded that he or she would be unwilling to reciprocate.
” —Raymond S. Tuttle
“Mournful, evocative music, definitely stemming from the heart but devoid of any saccharine sentimentality. Traditional, tonal, solid old-school writing. The instrumentation is keen; Elegy for John Fry… could stand head-to-head with works in the genre by Elgar and Vaughan Williams. The recording has lot of body and creates a natural perspective and sense of open space.
” —Jean-Yves Duperron
“An instinctive fondness for melodic lines and rich contemplative gestures…unmistakable overtones of Delius and Frank Bridge. [Elegy for John Fry] is a warm and peaceful tribute…Poem for End.. is a substantial work, beautifully paced and scored. Gentle passions and distinctive craftsmanship.
” —Patric Standford
“[Starts] with a recording of Jeffreys’s delightful Serenade for Strings, lively if all too brief. Jeffreys’s response [ to the Gurney words of Poem for End], as for the rest, is most sensitive, as it is even for his bold setting of the Lyke Wake Dirge. Excellent baritone, Jonathan Veira, firm and dark in tone. A very varied collection offered in clear, well-balanced sound.
” —Edward Greenfield
“[Jeffreys’][Partridge disc was highly enjoyable but in some ways this latest one scores higher because it presents music in more than one genre by this interesting composer. [Serenade] is a lovely little piece… This disc continues and expands the favourable impression made on me [by the previous one]. John Jeffreys is a sincere composer with something to say – and that something is worth hearing, This disc offers an excellent introduction to his music.
” —John Quinn
“Under-rated composer John Jeffreys’ orchestral pieces are very much songs without words. The stand-out work is Poem for End.
” —Peter Palmer
