The Music of Frederick Laurence in Bloomington, MN

Some of the publicity for this release by pianist
Anna Tilbrook
and violinist
Jack Liebeck
promotes the style of British composer
Frederick Laurence
as avant-garde, but that is a stretch.
Laurence
was born
Frederick Kessler
but followed the British royals in replacing his German name with an English one. What is heard here are mostly short piano pieces, and it is a bit odd that
Liebeck
seems to get top billing when, in fact, most of the music is played by
Tilbrook
alone. The titles ("Erotic," for which the listener is invited to decide whether the music lives up to the title, or
Phases
) make them sound more experimental than they are, but the music is enjoyable.
boils down the extended harmonies of
Hugo Wolf
and the French Impressionists to salon dimensions. His most innovative quality may be his use of shifting meters. The opening
Spring Nocturne
, featuring both musicians, would make a good addition to a collegiate duo recital, and the album makes a satisfying whole; the tempo rarely diverges too far from Moderato, and the title of one solo piano piece, "Contemplation," could apply well enough to the album as a whole.
's music has been little played in recent years, and these smooth performances by
and
are to be welcomed. ~ James Manheim