Phipps Hall, Beauly, 20 March 2008

Mr McFalls Chamber

IN A just world Martyn Bennett would be as widely known and as celebrated as Burns, and he would still be with us. Bennett’s death in January 2005 after a long battle with cancer robbed the world of a creative genius, composer, musician, performer and producer.

At the age of 33 he had accomplished more than most of us can hope for in a lifetime. Like all great artists his understanding of form and tradition was profound, enabling him to explore and create new musical territory. His extraordinary musicianship allowed him to cross genres easily and resist the trappings of categorisation. Bennett’s art was (and still is) expansive, courageous and experimental, but also deeply reverent in relation to the Scottish musical tradition.

It is an absolute joy to hear the “brave new music” of Martyn Bennett played live once more with passion and verve by Mr McFall’s Chamber. The introduction and performance of Bennett’s music by those who knew and collaborated with him, coupled with the intimacy of the Phipps Hall, created the perfect opportunity to remember and celebrate the life and music of one of Scotland’s finest artists.

The Edinburgh-based group were joined by guest artists Fraser Fifield (Scottish smallpipes, Highland bagpipes, flute and whistle), and drummers Tom Bancroft and James Mackintosh. The performance and programme were true to the spirit of Bennett’s music; always evolving, always insistent on pushing creative boundaries.

Formed in 1996, Mr McFall’s Chamber consists of a core group of classically trained musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Greg Lawson (1st violin), Robert McFall (2nd violin), Brian Schiele (viola), Su-A Lee (cello), Rick Standley (bouble bass/ bass guitar) and Grame McNaught (piano). Joined by guest musicians and vocalists such as Michael Marra, Valentina Montoya-Martinez and Taylor Wilson, the group have taken the classical concept of the chamber group out of confinement in the concert hall, exploring a range of musical genres from rock, Scottish traditional, tango, classical, klezmer and jazz to cartoon music.

It is extremely apt that the SAC’s Tune Up initiative which brings together familiar and unfamiliar sounds to audiences across Scotland has brought Martyn Bennett’s contribution to music into focus on this tour. In the last few years of his life when performing was not possible due to his illness, Bennett turned increasingly to the studio. This tour expands his music once more, introducing a wider audience to the breadth and depth of his work through live performance. A superb classical violinist, fiddle player and piper, the programme encompassed all of these strengths of musicianship. Works such as ‘Cuillin’, featuring Fraser Fifield on pipes, and ‘Aye’, with a fine solo performance by Greg Lawson on violin, display a virtuosic energy akin to Bennett’s own.

As a composer Martyn Bennett’s work for the theatre was multilayered and atmospheric, represented by two works in the programme; ‘Peewits’, composed for a production of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped, and a medley of tunes from David Harrower’s play Knives in Hens. The languid syncopated rhythm of ‘Knives in Hens’ is beautifully emotive and subtle, an entirely different palette from his high octane dance beats or soaring pipe music.

Works such as ‘Piece for Quartet, Pipes and Percussion in C’ which contains elements of classical, world, dance and traditional Scottish music reveal the continuing life in his work and his remarkable legacy. A complex and mesmerising tapestry, the work begins with the familiar pipe-like drone played by the cello then joined by bells, strings and pipes.

Although rhythm becomes deconstructed and there are sections of discord Bennett returns us to familiar ground, the poignancy and purity of melody played on the pipes. It is a strong, beautiful and emotive work which clearly reflects Bennett’s deep understanding of musical form, the intimacy of the chamber ensemble and his ability to communicate instinctively through music.

The programme also featured new compositions from Fraser Fifield and Edward McGuire’s ‘Nocturnes’, which was commissioned by Mr McFall’s Chamber in 1998. Described by Robert McFall as a “passionate anti-war and passionate pro-piano piece”, ‘Nocturnes’ is a fascinating work that left me wanting to hear more from the composer. A full range of emotion is expressed by McGuire’s writing for piano which plunges into the depths of human experience in counterpoint with phrases of transcendental melodic sweetness. There is a feeling of human endurance conveyed by this work which is affecting and memorable.

These new compositions were perfectly in keeping with the essence of Bennett’s music, as were elements of improvisation during performance. The group’s encore ‘Swallowtail’ from Martyn Bennett’s eponymous first album was filled with exuberance and solo embellishment from Fraser Fifield on the pipes, akin to the energy of Bennett’s own performances. What was clear throughout this performance was the enjoyment of playing his compositions by the entire ensemble coupled with a deep respect for the musician/ composer.

Mr McFall’s Chamber conclud their tour with gigs in Tobermory (28 March) and Findhorn (29 March). The performance is a great introduction to Martyn Bennett’s music and a rare opportunity to hear new work from contemporary Scottish composers. It is a powerful reminder and celebration of his life’s work, which will continue to endure through recording, performance and reinterpretation.

© Georgina Coburn, 2008

Links

• Tune Up
• Martyn Bennett
• Mr McFalls Chamber