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Musical Opinion

The distinguished Australian (long UK resident) composer John Carmichael was born in 1930, and has enjoyed a significant reputation for the sheer musicality of his work – steeped in the tonal tradition, and formally never seeking to shock or shout – ‘Look, everyone! It’s me!’ – creativity unfailingly notable for its
inherently aesthetic qualities, which, in musical terms of course mean its melodic distinction and natural harmonic under-pinning and intelligence of structrualisation.

This new disc is most welcome and is comprehensively recommended, ranging from relatively short chamber-music pieces to the Second Piano Concerto and the wind Nonet ‘On the Green’ – and, al-in-all, forming a splendid portrait of an excellent and admirable composer whose music is eminently worthwhile getting to know.

The admirable standard of the artists willing to perform and record Carmichael’s work is itself proof positive of the quality of his inspiration, and the practicality to which the results of that inspiration are
put. The result is an outstanding CD: one can only recommend to performers (and their audiences) such fine music as Contrasts (for viola and piano), the Second Concerto and the notably impressive Piano Trio ‘Toward the Light, as well as the frequently humorous (in the musically best sense) wind nonet On the Green.

Make no mistake, this is an eminently worthwhile issue of some quite outstanding music, which in today’s teeming world is in serious danger of becoming unnecessarily overlooked. Strongly recommended.