SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST CLASSICAL ALBUMS REVIEWED AND RATED

JONATHAN HOPE / GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL CHOIR/ ADRIAN PARTINGTON

Ian Venables embarked on a commission for a Requiem reluctantly but the death of a close friend was the emotional spark which ignited the compositional process. It’s a large scale 40-minute work ending with a radiant Lux aeterna. The world premiere recording benefits from Gloucester Cathedral’s spacious acoustic and Adrian Partington directs the excellent choir, especially effective in the a cappella Pie Jesu. Short works by Venables, Gurney, Joubert and Sanders complete the disc. Death is also the subject of the works in Venables’ song collection Love Lies Beyond the Tomb

Six Songs for Soprano and Piano, with Mary Bevan and Graham J. Lloyd are beautifully reflective and meditative settings. Through These Pale Cold Days, with tenor Allan Clayton, include bitter and trenchant war poems by Owen and Sassoon. Andrew Motion’s eulogy on the Queen Mother – Remember This, for soprano, tenor, piano and string quartet – is an acquired taste.

MICHAEL COLLINS / PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA

Gerald Finzi’s clarinet concerto is closely associated with Michael Collins – this is his third recording of a work which is a perfect match for his virtuoso style. He makes the first movement’s switch from vigorous declamation to lyrical grace a seamless one and the finale’s catchy carefree melody absolutely irresistible. Finzi’s romantic central adagio is to be played “without rigour”, a call for the soloist to sound flexible and improvisatory, which Collins certainly does. He’s quite closely recorded which makes me prefer the slightly distanced vernally fresh sound of his 1987 recording now languishing in Warner Classics’ vaults. Collins conducts the orchestra in Finzi and a well-played, brisk performance of Vaughan Williams’ fifth symphony. Pleasant enough but not matching the best – Haitink’s epic sweep, the opening horn call almost Brucknerian, or Previn’s glorious 1970 LSO recording which accentuates the scherzo’s impish humour and makes the Romanza’s yearning almost palpable.

Norman Stinchcombe

SOFAS to yourself, viewers wearing face masks and staff serving drinks and food right to your seat – that is the nature of post-lockdown cinema in Birmingham.

We went to the flicks for the first time since complexes were given the green light by the Government to reopen.

And, while the experience is a little Ridley Scott (Alien... geddit?), some film fanatics will undoubtedly adore the changes to their favourite cinemas.

Movie fans were in attendance at The

Everyman Cinema, situated at the Mailbox, in Birmingham city centre, as Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster Tenet was released. On arrival at The Everyman – which has a gorgeous interior bar complete with black and gold decor and hilarious statue of Paddington Bear – we were greeted by a staff member at the door.

After completing the formalities of revealing what film we’d come to see, we were handed a menu and escorted through to the screen. We had a sofa to ourselves, with very other sofa taped off to ensure social distancing.

The result was a rather pleasant experience – there was no rubbing shoulders with the viewer next to you, nor fighting over the same bit of armrest.

Everywhere you look there are clear signs telling you about the one-way system.

There are arrows on the floor to ensure you head the right way downstairs to the toilets, and there is signage reminding you to exhibit good hygiene practice.

If you forget your own hand sanitiser, there is a big vat of it at the door. Face masks offered by staff if you forget your own.

Ahead of the movie, a staff member stood in front of the screen and welcomed us to Tenet. She explained the rules around face masks, encouraging you to keep them on unless we are eating and drinking.

She also explained how things like ordering food and drink worked, with staff taking orders via a tablet at your seat and using contactless card machines.

That, naturally, meant there was no congre