CD is excellent recording of music by Arnold Cooke

CD Review: Complete String Quartets: Arnold Cooke

For those interested in 20th Century British music, I’m pleased to report the issue of an excellent recording recently of music by the Yorkshire-born composer Arnold Cooke (1906-2005).

The CD consists of three string quartets by Cooke, numbers 1, 3 and 5 composed in 1933, 1967, and 1978 respectively, and are performed with energy, clarity and lyricism, when required by the changing mood of the works.

The first-class performers are The Bridge String Quartet. The music’s style is agreeable, although far from backward-looking, and I certainly want to hear more of the composer’s works. There is a growing interest in Cooke’s music currently – recordings of his chamber music with piano, organ pieces, and Symphonies 4 and 5 are all available.

Of special interest is the recording venue: All Saints’ Church, Thornham, and The Bridge Quartet will return to record there in May. A concert on the afternoon of Sunday, May, 19 will take place at the church; a date for your diary.

Copies of the disc are available from Toccata Classics: 0 207 8215020 or email: info@ toccataclassics.com

My thanks to the recording series executive producer and distinguished musician Peter Marchbank (who has many local connections) for supplying me with information about the composer. He’s written the CD’s informative booklet and even produced the recording of the composer’s fifth Symphony.

Andy Tyler