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Latest News...

new Lyrita release...

Due out on 8th May, Lyrita have re-issued the 1970 recording by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble of the Theme and Variations Op.7. This was the first work commissioned by the PJBE, at the time when Philip Jones was in the Covent Garden Orchestra and John Gardner was working as a repetiteur. It is on Lyrita SRCD 307 and already listed on the Presto website. Link to Presto Classical

just posted on Youtube...

a lively performance of Fight the Good Fight by the Scottish National Youth Choir conducted by Christopher Bell. The original broadcast was in November 2006.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JKT-sWzQC4s

and on Radio WGUC...

Earl Rivers directs a lovely performance of the Waltzsongs, recorded in February 2007. Listen Here

a curiosity...

A search of the internet recently turned up a recording of a work by John Gardner's grandfather, John Twiname Gardner, who earned his living as a Doctor in Ilfracombe in the late 19th early 20th centuries. The work in question is Cunard White Star, which has been recorded by the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra on their More Candy CD. We spoke to their conductor, Rick Benjamin, who believed that this piece was the offiical theme tune for Cunard White Star and would have been played by the orchestra on board Titanic. It was a surprise to him to learn that J.T.Gardner was English and not American. The CD is on sale direct from the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra.

2008 recordings...

We are still working on plans for a CD of choral music, and will announce the details when they are known. Meanwhile, John Turner is planning to include Six by Four on a CD of British music for counter tenor and recorder. This is due to be released on the Dutton label later this year. The CD will also contain works by John Joubert, Nicholas Marshall, Richard Steinitz, Arthur Butterworth and John McCabe.       

A little controversy...

Shortly before Christmas, a letter from one of JG's Paulina pupils was published in the Times. It described how JG would ask the audience to sing What shall we do with the drunken sailor? whilst the school choir were performing JG's arrangement of I saw three ships. The story was taken up by a Radio 3 presenter who apparently invited listeners to "try it at home". Of course, the two songs do not go together - and JG's arrangement of three ships used the same harmonic structure as drunken sailor. Geoffrey Brace, for whose school the arrangement had been written, called the BBC to correct the mistake and apparently they duly broadcast the John Gardner arrangement.

2007 best sellers...During 2007 we made a number of John Gardner's unpublished works available in print for the first time. During the year the best selling titles included the following:-

Waltzsongs, Op.224 - this was performed at the birthday concert at Brentwood Cathedral and also by the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, a professional choir whose conductor Earl Rivers reported that "The engaging, playful English texts and the manner in which Gardner progresses through distantly related keys were delightful to the ear. For the musicians and audience members, Waltzsongs proved to be the highlight of the program."

Five Dances for Organ, Op.179. The New Zealand based organist Martin Setchell took the Jig from the Five Dances on tour with him, and released it on CD early in the year.

Marche Militaire (Schubert, arr. Gardner). Written in 1974 for the piano museum in Ealing, this classic "musical switch" was the ideal encore at many concerts in 2007, culminating with Graham Johnson and Imogen Cooper bringing the house down at Claus Moser's 85th birthday party at Covent Garden.

Entry of the Three Kings (1951). Having been discovered as a result of the recording by John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir, this little piece, which was written for the 1951 Springhead Play continued to sell well in the run up to Christmas and looks like establishing itself as a staple for the Christmas season. It is particular suited to the ceremony of 9 lessons as there are not very many carols which describe the arrival of the Three Kings.

Christmas 2007....

Christmas is the time of year when you are most likely to hear John Gardner's music, thanks to the continuing popularity of Tomorrow shall be my dancing day and The Holly and the Ivy. On 8th December Bearsted Choral Society welcomed John Gardner to their performance of his Cantata for Christmas, Op.82 conducted by Peter Ashley and accompanied on the organ by Martin Hogben. Pictured with JG in the front row are (l. to r.) Peter Ashley; Maggie Bloor (soprano); Frances Coppola (mezzo soprano); David Clark (tenor); Brian White (bass) and Martin Hogben.   On 21st December the BBC Radio 3 are broadcasting a number of pieces during Afternoon on 3. These are When Christ was born of Mary free, There is no rose, Sunny Bank Carol and The Turning Year, Op.19. The broadcast starts at 1pm and Gardner's pieces are interspersed throughout the afternoon with works by David Matthews and Prokofieff. The full playlist is in the Radio Times and also on the BBC website.   Meanwhile voting is open for Classic FM's favourite Christmas carol. They have resolved last year's confusion by making the votes for Tomorrow shall be my dancing day clear as between the Gardner version and the traditional song.

70th, 80th and 90th birthdays celebrated...

American Choral Directors' Association tribute to John Gardner...

Reviews of the Naxos CD...

The Sunday Telegraph (Michael Kennedy)

 The Symphony 1 of John Gardner, now 90, had a big success at the 1951 Cheltenham Festival but was soon dismissed by trendsetters who wanted only serialism and cacophony. This splendid recording proves that it as good as one thought it over 50 years ago. It is a big work, lasting 40 minutes, and a remarkable Opus 2. The Piano Concerto was also a Cheltenham premiere (1957) but less successful at the time. It is a virtuoso piece, well suited to Peter Donohoe's engaging advocacy.

The Gramophone (Edward Greenfield)

A brilliant birthday tribute to a shamefully neglected composer 

This coupling of two of John Gardner's major works, plus a sparkling comedy overture, could not be more welcome. Celebrating his 90th birthday this year, he has always been astonishingly prolific; maybe one reason for his neglect when there is so much to choose from.

 The First Symphony (1946-47), the most extended work on the new disc, is in four movements spanning more than 40 minutes. The idiom is more abrasive than in Gardner's later works, with a grinding slow introduction leading to an Allegro with echoes of Walton in its jazzy syncopations, though with sharper harmonies. A chartering Scherzo in triple time leads to a Lento slow movement with whole-tone passages and orchestration echoing Debussy and Ravel. The finale is strongly rhythmic. As always in Gardner's music the orchestration is brilliantly clear, and after an interlude of stillness, the work ends with a ripe and optimistic D major chord.

The First Piano Concerto (1957) offers a contrasted idiom in its percussive echoes of the Bartok concertos, suiting Peter Donohoe's strong style admirably in a performance brilliantly backed by David Lloyd-Jones and the RSNO. The clangorous opening movement leads to a still slow movement with echoes of Bartok but also of John Ireland. The finale brings more echoes of Walton and Arnold in music that is invariably attractive and distinctive. The disc is dazzlingy rounded off with a rumbustious comedy overture Midsummer Ale, which I hope will bring renewed attention to the composer's most attractive music.

Music Web

Classics Today

Manchester Evening News

Classical Lost and Found

The Scotsman

Colin Anderson in Classical Source

Andrew Clements in the Guardian

Naxos: David's Review Corner

Customer review on Amazon.co.uk

Radioio.com

Albion Magazine Online

Autumn Events...

On 19th September at Brentwood Cathedral, Stephen King is putting on a lunchtime concert for choir and organ which will include some of Gardner's most popular pieces.  This will include Sonata da Chiesa, Op.136, Five Hymns in Popular Style, Op.54, Waltzongs, Op.224 (Details here).

On Tuesday 9th October at 7pm we have the British Music Society lecture recital which will survey Gardner's life and music.

On Sunday 14th October in the afternoon, Antiphonia are putting on a joint birthday concert of music by Johns Joubert (80 this year) and Gardner.

The first sighting this year of Tomorrow shall be my dancing day comes with the release of a recording by the Gloucester Cathedral Choir. Many more are listed in the new John Gardner discography!

Finally, we hear that a performance of A Burns Sequence is being prepared by Alleyn's School Choral Society, to take place in November. More details when we have them....

The British Music Society celebrates John Gardner's 90th birthday...

Newly Released...

28th August 2007 - the Naxos CD is finally released in their "British Piano Concerto" series.  The catalogue number is 8570406 and the disc is available from the leading online stores. Midsummer Ale, Op.73; Piano Concerto No.1 in Bb, Op.34; Symphony No.1 in D minor, Op.2 Peter Donohoe (Piano), David Lloyd Jones (Conductor), Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Here's a link to the Presto Classical site:- http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/wx/109153, and here's the write up from MDT mail order who are also selling the disc:- A victim of late ’50s Darmstadtism, Gardner’s music is making a welcome comeback” Gramophone.  The English composer John Gardner has been largely neglected, in spite of his prolific output. His career began with great promise before the war, to be resumed gradually afterwards, but seldom with the success he seemed to deserve.  This recording should help to re-establish his reputation with two relatively early works written in the post-war years, the Symphony No. 1, “a superbly crafted work... by a subtle and imaginative orchestrator” (Paul Conway/MusicWeb International) and the Piano Concerto No. 1, both premièred by Barbirolli. The Piano Concerto here receives only its third performance.  Midsummer Ale is a classic piece of British light music with delightfully catchy melodies.

New publications

John Gardner online

Recordings of a number of John Gardner's orchestral and other works are now available as downloads from Classical.Com Use the link on the right to find them.....

90th Birthday Dinner and Concert

The dinner and concert at Eagle House on 20th March was a sell out. We will be posting a report and some more pictures in due course. The Naxos CD (Symphony No.1, Piano Concerto No,1 and Midsummer Ale) is now scheduled for an  August release. (Naxos 8.570406). Another birthday concert is being planned for September and we would also like to draw attention to the fact that the British Music Society will be holding an illustrated talk on John Gardner's music on the evening of Thursday 4th October,  in London. Full details to follow.

"Animated Individuality"

Patric Standford has written an affectionate tribute to JG which has been published in the March/April edition of Choir and Organ, from which we quote: "John Gardner was quickly recognised by real and practical musicians as a composer with a rare symphonic instinct, imaginative orchestral command, lively, diverse and accessible ideas and a particular aptitude for creating choral and vocal music." The article will contain a number of previously unpublished photos.

John Gardner is also featured in article in the the current edition of Oxford Music Now, Oxford University Press's bi-annual composer magazine.

November 2006 - World Premiere recordings

Plans are now well advanced for the release of three of John Gardner's most significant orchestral works. In November, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by David Lloyd-Jones recorded the Symphony No.1 in D minor, Op.2, the Piano Concerto No.1 in Bb, Op.34  (with Peter Donohoe) and the overture Midsummer Ale, Op.73. The CD is scheduled for release by Naxos Records in September 2007. Pictured on the right are (l. to r.) David Lloyd-Jones, Peter Donohoe & JLG. Following its first performance at Cheltenham in 1951, the Symphony has been performed and broadcast many times over the years by several orchestras and conductors. The Piano Concerto did not fare so well following a disappointing first performance by Cyril Preedy and Barbirolli at the 1957 Cheltenham Festival, and has only been performed one more time since, by Malcolm Binns and conducted by Adrian Boult, at the Royal Festival Hall. The boisterous Midsummer Ale Overture is another comparative rarity, and it is also being taken into the repertoire of the Hampshire Youth Orchestra for performances next year.

Publication of Four Songs, Op.235

July 2006 - Peacock Press have issued John Gardner's Four Songs to poems by Thomas Hardy, Op.235. This 11 minute work comprises settings of The Selfsame Song, The Singing Woman, First or Last, and A Bygone Occasion are scored for mixed voices, treble recorder and 'cello. They are dedicated to John Turner, who has prepared the edition for publication. Vocal score, recorder and 'cello parts are available on sale. Peacock Press Catalogue Number PJT 070 Peacock Press can be contacted at Scout Bottom Farm, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, HX7 5JS. Tel 01422 882751, Fax 01422 886157.

3rd recording for Sonata da Chiesa

Michael Tunnell, the Professor of Trumpet at the University of Louisville has recently recorded Gardner's Sonata da Chiesa sopra una thema di Claudio Monteverdi Op.136 on  Centaur Records. This is the third commercially available recording of this successful work for two trumpets and organ. Written in 1976 for Michael Laird, John Wilbraham and John Birch, it has enjoyed many performances and broadcasts. Visit the Oxford University Press website for details of the printed score. For information about Gardner's other works for brass and organ, visit the catalogues page.

Publication of the Petite Suite for Recorder and Strings, Op.245

This charming work, written for the indefatigable John Turner, and recorded by him on the White Line Label ("English Recorder Concertos") is being prepared for publication with a piano reduction by Peacock Press. We will provide full details when the work is available...

Vocal Score for Entry of the Three Kings now available

In 1950, John Gardner wrote this 5 minute piece for the Christmas production at Springhead, the childhood home of the conductor John Eliot Gardiner. Scored for SATB chorus with oboe and optional violin, vocal scores can now be purchased from this website. Visit the unpublished works page. The recording, by the Monteverdi Choir conducted by John Eliot Gardiner is available on the CD "Once as I remember" (Phillips 462050) is available from all good record stores, online shops and from Napster and the iTunes Music Store. We are expecting soon to be able announce the first USA performance, taking place this Christmas....