GERARD McCHRYSTAL / CHRISTIAN WILSON - Solas
First Hand Records FHR93
Gerard McChrystal (sopranino, soprano & alto saxophones); Christian Wilson (organ)
Recorded 19th & 22nd August, 2019
Stepping outside the usual remit of reviewing jazz releases, here we have a classical album. Not so unusual in that there have been many notable jazz musicians who have explored the idiom and continue to draw from it. Keith Jarrett has many classical recordings in his oeuvre, and not forgetting Jan Garbarek's wonderful recordings with the Hilliard Ensemble, along with saxophonist Mark Lockheart's Salvator Mundi with organist Roger Sayer released on Edition Records. And should I forget to mention it, Solas also features a composition by the underrated and often overlooked Barbara Thompson, and in my opinion anything by Barbara will have much of merit and worthy of our attention.
The music on Solas, which is the Gaelic word for light, often sounds very familiar and is music that I would have grown up as my father was an ardent admirer of classical music and opera. Drawing on works from composers Haydn, Handel and Purcell, McChrystal and Wilson provide fresh and enticing arrangements of familiar pieces. Interesting too is the saxophonist's choice of instrument playing the seldom heard sopranino saxophone, as well as soprano and alto.
The album opens with 'Adagio' and 'Allegro' from Leonardo Vinci's Flute Sonata No.1 in which McChrystal immediately states his case for the diminutive sopranino with a sound that is at once rich and sweet yet not cloying. Across the registers the sopranino sings perfectly blending with the colours brought forth from the organ. The sopranino is again McChrystal's instrument of choice for 6 Sonatas 'Il pastor fido' No:6 in G minor. A delightful piece originally composed for recorder with a history that has transpired to be the great rock'n'roll swindle of the 18th century. The music was written by French composer, Nicolas Chédeville, in 1737, who published the music under the name of Vivaldi and reaping the additional publicity of the more famous composer, a scam that was not uncovered until 1990. From the same era is George Frideric Handel's 'Eternal Source of Light Divine' dating from 1713 and is also known under its original name, 'Ode For The Birthday Of Queen Anne'. Handel scored the music for voice and trumpet with McChrystal playing these parts on soprano and sopranino respectively in an exhilarating counterpoint.
Of all the music presented, perhaps the most challenging material is provided by two living composers, contemporary compositions of our time that like all great music looks forward as well as acknowledging the past. First up is 'Green' written by Barbara Thompson that was originally composed for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet. This is a wonderful arrangement that exploits the singing quality of McChrystal's soprano saxophone and the darker hue of Wilson's touch at the organ.
The other more recent work is from composer James Whitbourn (born 1963), 'A Brief story Of Peter Abelard' that retells the story of the French medieval philosopher, poet and musician who lived from 1079 - 1142. Whitbourn's composition is built on a series of variations on Abelard's hymn 'O Quanta Qualia', and again the arrangement again brings t the fore Christian Wilson's mastery of the organ in a captivating performance with the soprano sax.
The alto saxophone is not heard until the penultimate piece, 'Choral phrygien. AWV 76' by the French organist and composer Jehan Alain, a contemporary of Messiaen who was tragically killed in action in 1940. Once again, Wilson's organ provides the perfect accompaniment for the forlorn and melodic line of the alto. Much more in keeping with McChrystal's self-confessed admiration for the sound of Johnny Hodges is Henry Purcell's 'When I am laid in earth'. A beautiful arrangement with the pure sound of the alto and sensitive playing of Wilson this is a perfect way to close the proceedings.
I approached this album initially with a curious desire to hear the sopranino saxophone in this context, and if curiosity has not killed this particular cat it has left me with a sense that are more musical avenues that I am keen to explore further.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
First Hand Records FHR93
Gerard McChrystal (sopranino, soprano & alto saxophones); Christian Wilson (organ)
Recorded 19th & 22nd August, 2019
Stepping outside the usual remit of reviewing jazz releases, here we have a classical album. Not so unusual in that there have been many notable jazz musicians who have explored the idiom and continue to draw from it. Keith Jarrett has many classical recordings in his oeuvre, and not forgetting Jan Garbarek's wonderful recordings with the Hilliard Ensemble, along with saxophonist Mark Lockheart's Salvator Mundi with organist Roger Sayer released on Edition Records. And should I forget to mention it, Solas also features a composition by the underrated and often overlooked Barbara Thompson, and in my opinion anything by Barbara will have much of merit and worthy of our attention.
The music on Solas, which is the Gaelic word for light, often sounds very familiar and is music that I would have grown up as my father was an ardent admirer of classical music and opera. Drawing on works from composers Haydn, Handel and Purcell, McChrystal and Wilson provide fresh and enticing arrangements of familiar pieces. Interesting too is the saxophonist's choice of instrument playing the seldom heard sopranino saxophone, as well as soprano and alto.
The album opens with 'Adagio' and 'Allegro' from Leonardo Vinci's Flute Sonata No.1 in which McChrystal immediately states his case for the diminutive sopranino with a sound that is at once rich and sweet yet not cloying. Across the registers the sopranino sings perfectly blending with the colours brought forth from the organ. The sopranino is again McChrystal's instrument of choice for 6 Sonatas 'Il pastor fido' No:6 in G minor. A delightful piece originally composed for recorder with a history that has transpired to be the great rock'n'roll swindle of the 18th century. The music was written by French composer, Nicolas Chédeville, in 1737, who published the music under the name of Vivaldi and reaping the additional publicity of the more famous composer, a scam that was not uncovered until 1990. From the same era is George Frideric Handel's 'Eternal Source of Light Divine' dating from 1713 and is also known under its original name, 'Ode For The Birthday Of Queen Anne'. Handel scored the music for voice and trumpet with McChrystal playing these parts on soprano and sopranino respectively in an exhilarating counterpoint.
Of all the music presented, perhaps the most challenging material is provided by two living composers, contemporary compositions of our time that like all great music looks forward as well as acknowledging the past. First up is 'Green' written by Barbara Thompson that was originally composed for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet. This is a wonderful arrangement that exploits the singing quality of McChrystal's soprano saxophone and the darker hue of Wilson's touch at the organ.
The other more recent work is from composer James Whitbourn (born 1963), 'A Brief story Of Peter Abelard' that retells the story of the French medieval philosopher, poet and musician who lived from 1079 - 1142. Whitbourn's composition is built on a series of variations on Abelard's hymn 'O Quanta Qualia', and again the arrangement again brings t the fore Christian Wilson's mastery of the organ in a captivating performance with the soprano sax.
The alto saxophone is not heard until the penultimate piece, 'Choral phrygien. AWV 76' by the French organist and composer Jehan Alain, a contemporary of Messiaen who was tragically killed in action in 1940. Once again, Wilson's organ provides the perfect accompaniment for the forlorn and melodic line of the alto. Much more in keeping with McChrystal's self-confessed admiration for the sound of Johnny Hodges is Henry Purcell's 'When I am laid in earth'. A beautiful arrangement with the pure sound of the alto and sensitive playing of Wilson this is a perfect way to close the proceedings.
I approached this album initially with a curious desire to hear the sopranino saxophone in this context, and if curiosity has not killed this particular cat it has left me with a sense that are more musical avenues that I am keen to explore further.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
