Lennox Berkeley isn't that well-known outside of Great Britain, and even when he is known, he is thought of a lightweight composer. As far as mid-twentieth century piano music goes, his is not as "challenging" as many other contemporary composers' works, but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting. His works are more polytonal than atonal; his harmonies are similar to those of the Impressionists and the neo-Classicists; and his textures are generally translucent. What really infuses his music is a sense of character in his ...
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Lennox Berkeley isn't that well-known outside of Great Britain, and even when he is known, he is thought of a lightweight composer. As far as mid-twentieth century piano music goes, his is not as "challenging" as many other contemporary composers' works, but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting. His works are more polytonal than atonal; his harmonies are similar to those of the Impressionists and the neo-Classicists; and his textures are generally translucent. What really infuses his music is a sense of character in his melodies, particularly in the shorter works like the Preludes, Op. 23, something Margaret Fingerhut brings out wonderfully. Fingerhut also brings out a sweetness in the slower works, such as the "Berceuse" of Three Pieces, Op. 2, and Paysage. The Mazurkas, an homage to Chopin, are very much like Chopin's, but without the ornamentation and with sunnier, or at least less doleful, moods. Fingerhut is extremely sympathetic to Berkeley's use of thematic material, always projecting the...
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