Article by John Terauds of the The Toronto Star, 10 January 2010, about Iain Bell who has composed songs performed by Julius and Diana Damrau
Young British composer treats voice with respect, not afraid to dip into deep well of tonality for art song cycles
In one of those random journeys — something like a silver ball bumping and rolling inside an old pinball machine — I’ve been seduced by the songs of English composer Iain Bell. I don’t know any more about him than what you can find on his website, which is not much at all, other than him loving the human voice — in the finest possible way.
Here is a young composer not afraid to use what an instrument can do, rather than push it toward something that it supposedly can’t do. Nor is Bell afraid to mine English history for inspiration. The results are wonderful. I can’t help thinking that he is a just heir to the tradition of Vaughan Williams and Walton. I also can’t help thinking of Toronto composer Derek Holman’s beautifully evocative vocal music.
This unabashedly tonal music has been out of style for a long time. Maybe not any more.
I gather than Bell is working on something for the Vienna State Opera based on William Hogarth’s 1732 series of engravings, A Harlot’s Progress, set around luminous German soprano Diana Damrau, who is something of a muse for the composer.
Here are three treats, courtesy of Diana Damrau and pianist Julius Drake.
I. “Boudicca” from Daughters of Britannia, based on Iain Bell’s own lyrics:
II. “Maid Marion” from Daughters of Britannia:
III. “Morgause” from Daughters of Britannia
IV. “Guinevere” from Daughters of Britannia
V. “Godiva” from Daughters of Britannia