Listen & tracks

9 works

Sonata for solo pianoJohn Tallis 3 movements
1. 1 Statement
2. 2 Interlude
3. 3 Conclusion
4 Fantasy for violin and piano John Tallis
5 Paraphrase: The Sentimental Bloke John Tallis
Suite in eighteenth century styleJohn Tallis 6 movements
1. 6 i. Toccata
2. 7 ii. Allemande
3. 8 iii. Courante
4. 9 iv. Sarabande
5. 10 v. Gavotte
6. 11 vi. Gigue
Seven pieces for pianoJohn Tallis 7 movements
1. 12 i. Prelude
2. 13 ii. Little Fugue
3. 14 iii. Valse Caprice
4. 15 iv. Madrigal
5. 16 v. Tartar March
6. 17 vi. Lullaby
7. 18 vii. Pastoral
Incidental music: Edward IIJohn Tallis 6 movements
1. 19 Prelude
2. 20 Prelude to last act
3. 21 Ballad: The Mountain Snow
4. 22 March for a festive occasion
5. 23 Interlude
6. 24 Epilogue
25 All Suddenly John Tallis
26 Lullaby John Tallis
27 Chigi's Song John Tallis

This CD features music for piano (performed by Stefan Cassomenos), violin (Monica Curro), and soprano (Janet Todd), introducing a fascinating, undiscovered aspect of Australian compositional history.

The most significant work here is the inventive and fresh three-movement Sonata, which has a French influence. Stefan Cassomenos handles the juxtaposition of left- and right-hand motives very skilfully, as well as the forward flow of the interesting links between phrases, and near the end the rapid passages in the left hand with the positive chords in the right. The Interlude is a delightful reverie, and the brilliant and scintillating Conclusion, with a big flourish at the end, would not have been out of place in a work by Ravel.

The Fantasy for violin and piano is based on two Aboriginal themes and displays excellent rapport between the two instruments. Tallis has clad the inventive theme with a seamless development.

The CD includes a paraphrase of The Sentimental Bloke, also for violin and piano; a Suite in eighteenth century style; seven very short pieces for piano; incidental music to Marlowe’s play Edward II; and three delightful songs sung by Janet Todd.

Reviews

The recording is clear and spacious and well balanced, and the piano sounds very good. And I am very impressed by Stefan’s playing – fluent, with a sensitive touch and fine judgment of phrasing, as well as what seems to me to be a good grasp of the composer’s intentions. And that goes also for the sensitive violinist, with her faultless intonation.

— Ian Hunt

Artists

John Tallis

composer

John Tallis studied in Paris with Marcel Dupre and Madame Bascouret in the late 20s and early 30s, and subsequently at the Royal College of Music in London.

Stefan Cassomenos

piano

Melbourne pianist, conductor and composer Stefan Cassomenos gives regular recitals and concerto performances throughout Australia, and has appeared as a soloist throughout Europe and Asia. His 2007 London debut was reviewed in Musical Opinion by John Amis, as ‘a prodigious London debut by a formidable talent’.

Janet Todd

soprano

Janet Todd is a young Melbourne soprano. Janet has been the recipient of the Beleura-Tallis Opera Scholarship through the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust since 2010. She received runner up in the Herald Sun Aria in 2009 and won the Opera Foundation Australia AIMS Award in 2010.

Monica Curro

violin

Violinist Monica Curro graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1987 and completed a Masters Degree at Michigan State University in 1991.