"Stephen's Concerto No.1 is modern but very appealing – melodic without being ingratiating. The orchestral writing is beautiful but still allows the guitar to cut through. Much as I like the concertos by Rodrigo et al, I find Stephen's work more interesting and concise. I was itching to play it."
These two discs comprise over two and a half hours of Stephen Dodgson’s strongly crafted music, beautifully played... Both discs are an absolute joy, the performances little short of ideal, perfect in intonation and ensemble, lively and delicate as required.
On a personal note, I absolutely love Stephen's Dormi Jesu, and it works so well in this programme – it's a wonderful moment when, at the end of the unconducted trio which has them absolutely mesmerised, you can hear the audience's audible exhalation and you realise they've been holding their breath in wonder!
This disc is a valuable addition to the composer’s growing discography and one that should be snapped up by all devotees of Dodgson’s and twentieth century English music alike.
Those who gravitate to the serious chamber intimacies of the Modern-Tonal yet expect there to be a consistently intricate edge and would like another twist to a kind of Neo-Classical outlook, seek no further.
Dodgson's later work is long-breathed and convincingly explores material, ending in a poignant and moving epilogue. The earlier work is strikingly avuncular and athletic, with an expressive near-ten-minute hymnal slow movement that includes repeated syncopations. This, and the nonchalant, almost whimsical end of the work makes it a most listenable piece. Dodgson’s control of structural integrity in the Partita for solo cello is powerful and impressive.
Exceptional young guitarist Sungbin Cho, winner of the London International Guitar Competition in 2021, performs Stephen Dodgson’s Guitar Quintet with the Asaka Quartet in an evening performance at the Royal Academy of Music. Graduating with a BMus from the Korea National University of Arts, Sungbin Cho subsequently served in the Republic of Korea Air Force where he completed his two-year military service before entering the Royal Academy of Music to undertake an MA in Performance, with Michael Lewin. He is the first Korean national to play classical guitar at the RAM. Sungbin Cho – guitar Asaka Quartet: Iona Mcdonald – Violin I[...]
Pegasus presents a choice selection of beautiful choral pieces exploring themes of day and night, sleep, and nature, including Stephen Dodgson’s Four Poems of Mary Coleridge and Two Choral Songs, the latter setting verses from Ronald Fletcher’s Old Pathways.
This year, the Barnes Music Festival sees the launch of a year-long international choral project, which marks the 10th anniversary of the composer’s death (2023) and his centenary year (2024) and encourages choirs and vocal groups all over the world to perform and record Stephen Dodgson rich and varied choral output. To mark the start of the project, Barnes Music Festival host a three-choir concert with the opportunity to browse scores and a catalogue detailing Stephen Dodgson’s choral works. Programme ‘Tis Almost One Four Poems of Mary Coleridge Home-bred pictures Two Choral Songs Barnes Festival Consort – dir. James Day Pegasus[...]
The Vickers-Bovey Duo perform a programme at the Barnes Music Festival based around nature and the works of Stephen Dodgson, who wrote prolifically for guitar composing many works for Julian Bream and John Williams, also paying tribute to one of his favourite composers Leoš Janáček. The duo received the Principal’s Prize at the Birmingham Conservatoire and graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with Distinction and the Performance Diploma in 2016. Programme Dodgson – Promenade Janáček – In The Mists (arr. Bovey) Rameau – Pieces de Clavecin (arr. Vickers/Bovey) Dodgson – Riversong
Shining new light on an old treasure. This Barnes Music Festival concert centres around ‘A Beautiful Object’: the harpsichord, with a new work of that same name by a rising figure on the contemporary music scene, composer Héloïse Werner. Auspiciously absent at the start, the harpsichord is introduced with music of its main era, in an arrangement that links its celebrated past to the present. With Héloïse’s piece, then follows an exciting journey of discoveries. Stephen Dodgson’s Sonata has beautiful serenade-like character, with its last movement a nod to the harpsichord’s illustrious past, guiding us back in time again to[...]
Exceptional young guitarist Sungbin Cho, winner of the London International Guitar Competition in 2021, performs his final recital at the Royal Academy of Music: a complete concert of Dodgson guitar works. Programme Partita no. 1 Fantasy-Divisions Guitar Quintet (with the Asaka Quartet) Guitar Concerto (with orchestra) Graduating with a BMus from the Korea National University of Arts, Sungbin Cho subsequently served in the Republic of Korea Air Force where he completed his two-year military service before entering the Royal Academy of Music to undertake an MA in Performance, with Michael Lewin. He is the first Korean national to play classical guitar[...]
Join the Mēla Guitar Quartet in a wonderfully eclectic evening hosted by the Luton Music Club featuring Stephen Dodgson’s Change-Ringers alongside works by Philip Houghton and Laura Snowden and arrangements of Bach, Debussy, Ravel, Glinka, Milhaud, Bizet, Sain-Saëns, and Brubeck and Desmond. The quartet recently recorded Change-Ringers as part of a delightful collection of Dodgson guitar chamber works. Programme Camille Saint-Saëns – Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah arr. Bovey Claude Debussy – Deux Arabesques arr. Tarlton Andante con Moto; Allegretto Scherzando Phillip Houghton – Opals (1995) Black Opal; Water Opal; White Opal J.S. Bach – Organ fugue BWV 578 arr. Mēla Mikhail Glinka – Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture arr.[...]