CDs with online ordering
The Proud Recorder (PFCD038)
John Turner, recorder, with Manchester Chamber Ensemble
CD OUT OF STOCK
Available from streaming / download services
Quintets by Karel Janovicky, David Beck and Patric Standford
Variations (Robert Crawford)
Magellan in Moscow (Stephen Plews)
Phantasy (Mervyn Burtch)
Lullaby (David Beck)
Song of the Small White Orchid (Peter Lawson)
The substantial works on this disc show that composers can write for the recorder in a serious context, despite its well-known limitations of dynamic inflexibility and limited range, successfully exploiting those characteristics to produce music of depth and emotion. Other works on this disc are individual responses to the nature of the instrument, ranging from the quirkiness of modern jazz and minimalism to a well known folk tune transmuted into a heartfelt small tone poem, and the playfulness and circus humour of deft changes of different sizes of recorder.
"The indefatigable John Turner approaches each piece with freshness and spontaneity and the Manchester Chamber Ensemble players provide alert and responsive support. These authentic-sounding readings are captured in superbly natural recorded sound by Prima Facie." Paul Conway MusicWeb International review
John Turner
John Turner moved from a legal career to become one of the country’s leading recorder players, performing and being broadcast as soloist with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Academy of Ancient Music, English Chamber Orchestra, English Baroque Soloists, Early Music Consort and many others. He has played in four continents and given many recitals on BBC Radio 3. He has given the premières of over 500 works and received an honorary Fellowship from the RNCM for his services to British music.