The Whistling Book
This album derives from a 1998 release from Forsyth Brothers (Manchester) featuring works published in their Recorder Catalogue. It was then called ‘John and Peter’s Whistling Book’. For this new version, remastered in 2022, several extra tracks have been added. The album features the recorder at its most scintillatingly bright – most of the music here, though very recent, is melodic, tuneful, often in dance form, and witty – for example Alan Bullard’s suite inspired by favorite foods from around the world. Two small forays into modernism are provided by superb pieces by Richard Whalley and Kevin Malone.
John Turner is one of the world’s most respected and skilful recorderists, with a long history of recordings, publications and premieres, including regular appearances with the Academy of Ancient Music, the Early Music Consort with David Munrow, English Chamber Orchestra and Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Peter Lawson has also enjoyed a long and illustrious career; he taught at Chetham’s School of Music for almost 40 years and has a large and impressive discography to his name.
Track Listing
- Skally Skarekrow's Whistling Book - I Clouds (with Silver Linings) (1:40)
- Skally Skarekrow's Whistling Book - II. Spring Breezes (2:03)
- Skally Skarekrow's Whistling Book - III. Sunshine (1:19)
- Skally Skarekrow's Whistling Book - IV. Hailstones (2:30
- Prospero's Music (9:55)
- Recipes - I. Coffee and Crossiants (1:59)
- Recipes - II. Barbecue Blues (2:02)
- Recipes - III. Prawn Paella (1:41)
- Recipes - IV. Special Chop-suey (2:32)
- Recipes - V. Fish and Chips (1:34)
- Suite - I. Sarabande (1:20)
- Suite - II. Fantasia (2:26)
- Suite - III. Air (1:08)
- Suite - IV. Jig (1:12)
- Caprice (1:44)
- Song (3:27)
- Spring Dances - I. Allegretto (1:54)
- Spring Dances - II. Andante con moto (2:15)
- Spring Dances - III. Allegro moderato (1:25)
- A Book of Song and Dance - I. Song 1 (0:41)
- A Book of Song and Dance - II. My Luve (1:44)
- A Book of Song and Dance - III. Idyll (2:24)
- A Book of Song and Dance - IV. Song 2 (1:17)
- A Book of Song and Dance - V. Rite (1:46)
- A Book of Song and Dance - VI. Dance 1 (0:20)
- A Book of Song and Dance - VII. Canon (0:49)
- A Book of Song and Dance - VIII. Shenadoah (1:54)
- A Book of Song and Dance - IX. Dance 2 (1:50)
- A Book of Song and Dance - X. Clark Sanders (2:09)
- A Book of Song and Dance - XI. Tired Boy (2:59)
- Her Rapture (3:38)
- Air (1:20)
- Capriccio (3:21)
- Farings - I. Mr. Pitfield's Pibroch (1L37)
- Farings - II. Eighty for William Alwyn (0:57)
- Farings - III. Arbor Avium Canentium (1:48)
- Farings - IV. Batterfeet (1:15)
- Farings - V. Slow Down after Fifty (2:50)
- Farings - VI. Miss Carroll Her Lullabye (1:35)
- Farings - VII. MidWales Lightwhistle Automatic (2:52)
- Farings - VIII. Chant-au-Clair (1:14)
- Four Diversions - I. Intrada (0:59)
- Four Diversions - II. Waltz (0:52)
- Four Diversions - III. Aubade (1:13)
- Four Diversions - IV. Hornpipe (1:54)
- Shadows in Blue, Op. 61 (5:58)
- Divertissement, Op. 52 - I. Entrée (1:33)
- Divertissement, Op. 52 - II. Gavotte (3:08)
- Divertissement, Op. 52 - III. Air (3:32)
- Divertissement, Op. 52 - IV. Gigue (1:27)
- New World Dances, Op. 62 - I. Ragtime (2:22)
- New World Dances, Op. 62 - II. Blues (2:17)
- New World Dances, Op. 62 - III. Bossa Nova (1:56)
- Kokopelli (5:41)
- Saturday Soundtrack (2:24)
Geoffrey Poole (b.1949)>
Michael Ball (b.1946):
Alan Bullard (b.1947):
Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971):
Nicholas Marshall (b.1942):
Douglas Steele (1910-1999):
John Addison (1929-1998):
Robin Walker (b.1953):
Walter Leigh (1905-1942):
Arnold Cooke (1906-2005):
Anthony Gilbert (b.1934):
John Turner (b.1943):
David Ellis (b.1933):
John Golland (1942-1993):
Richard Whalley (b.1974):
Kevin Malone (b.1958):
Reviews
“Very good and anyone who wants an hour-and-a-half of relaxing and witty music should give it a try. Most of the music is melodic and tuneful. The tone ranges from gentle to the almost dance-able and on to the blues – everything from trad English folk to Braveheart-style Celtic whimsy/music. It’s not po-faced or serious, just some entertainment laid on for your delectation by skilled players.
” —Jeremy Condliffe
“Most of the selections are suites of short movements with descriptive written for playing as much as for hearing. What we encounter here is the even keel of the British temperament. It’s what makes it characteristic and distinct. The contents are practical, straightforward, pleasant, and consistently good.
” —Todd Gorman
“Testament to John Turner, whose work for the recorder has helped to put contemporary English music for the instrument on the map. Ensemble is impeccable, and there is a wonderful sense of play from Turner, who is also clearly a consummate master of the recorder. The programming is carefully considered. This is a massively varied twofer, then, and a testament to Turner’s devotion to and command of his instrument. The recording quality is splendid throughout.
” —Colin Clarke
“The performance by Turner and Lawson is uniformly excellent, allowing for the blend of the two instruments to complement each other. About two hours of neatly entertaining works that show that the recorder has a future as a chamber instrument in modern times; i.e., not just an anachronistic pretty, if soft, sound. If you wish to know how an early instrument can fit into the sound world of contemporary music, this is the disc; entertaining, eclectic, and fully expressive of the possibilities of the recorder and piano. Highly recommended.
” —Bertil van Boer
“Stylistically, [the works] range from the naïve to the pretentiously avant-garde; most of them fit into the tonal, approachable, fun and enjoyable category. It would be a pity to miss some of the gems presented here. The music ranges from grade pieces for tyros to major recital works. Almost all of them would enhance a recorderist’s concert. The performance and the recording are beyond reproach. John Turner and Peter Lawson make a hugely talented team.
” —John France
“What is heard here will likely be unknown to virtually anyone who does not play the recorder, and even to many people who do. This is therefore an exploratory release that should be of considerable interest. The admirable way that Turner and pianist Peter Lawson handle these works provides them with as much individuality and differentiation as possible. There is a lot to enjoy here.
” —Mark J. Estren
