Rumon Gamba: Interview

Rumon Gamba is currently assistant conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, who, under his baton, have produced two remarkable new recordings of Moeran's Sinfonietta and Cello Concerto (with Paul Watkins, cellist). In an exclusive interview for The Worldwide Moeran Database, Rumon told me about his reaction to music that was somewhat new to both him and the orchestra.

Rumon Gamba's BBC Biography

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I started by asking Rumon for a general opinion of Moeran's music - how much of it he knew and what he made of it:

RG "I don't know much of Moeran's music. I've always known his Sinfonietta - it's probably the most popular piece - and I was delighted to discover the Cello Concerto, which I didn't know. As a former cellist I was absolutely delighted by it! It's always very, very beautiful music - people compare him to Walton and what-have-you, but it's such a distinctive voice, and very playable."

AR: I'm not the only one who went through school and university music courses without hearing a note of Moeran's music. Was this the same for you?

RG: "It was, yes - utterley - unfortunately."

Why do you think he's been so neglected?

I don't know. There's a lot of these wonderful English composers who have been overlooked. I'm hoping they're going to start coming back into fashion, now that we've seen everything of Vaughan Williams and everything of Walton. Basically it's time to start exploring these other, wonderful composers.

Judging by the response to the web site, I do seem to have uncovered quite a large number of people around the world who are very keen on Moeran, some of whom were clearly labouring under the impression that they were listening alone. Do you think some of the attitudes of the musical establishment might be softening towards the likes of Moeran?

I hope so - I still think there's a lot of work to do to get him onto concert programmes. I suppose organisations like the BBC are able to programme his music, but less so elsewhere. I think it's going to happen, slowly, with this taste for discovering new things, particularly from our own countrymen.

Moves are afoot to establish a Moeran Society to promote his music - what advice would you as a conductor give to such a body?

All the other societies seem to be thriving at the moment - just not to be too precious about the music. Make sure it's performed everywhere. It doesn't matter who performs it, whether it's a tiny amateur group or a big professional symphony orchestra. There's a couple of societies who are probably a bit snotty about things like that! It's really about getting the music played wherever possible.

On to the two pieces you’ve recently recorded - how well did you know them before you came to them?

I'd only known the Sinfonietta through CDs. I'd never seen it live, I'd never heard of anyone doing it. I just took the scores when I got them and enjoyed learning them.

Was it your own choice to do that particular work or were you given that to do?

I was given that to do, basically.

You attack the final movement with particular vigour and speed, holding the orchestra together magnificently. Did this pose any difficulties?

No, actually - it was very playable. The orchestra got to grips with it straight away. There's a couple of tricky spots for the cellos in the last movement, that's just slightly difficult writing, but otherwise everything seems to fall very naturally. Actually, compared to the CDs I had heard of the Sinfonietta, I felt my speeds were a bit different, but looking on the page the tempi seemed dictated by the writing so very easily, and it's a very performable work.

This is something that also seemed to crop up in the Cello Concerto - the final movement in your recording with Paul Watkins, you take that at a markedly slower pace than other recordings, almost removing from it the Irish jig feel. Is that more the way it is on the page?

I think so, yes. You get a feeling for these things just by looking at them. It felt right doing it like that and not to make it too dancey - I don't know whether the great man himself would agree, but it all seemed to naturally happen that way!

The few people who've heard them so far seem to regard them as newly definitive recordings. What impression did you get of the players reaction to the music?

Well they thought the Cello Concerto was absolutely wonderful, particularly the second movement, I suppose. That hit the orchestra the most - with Paul playing it, it was fantastic! And I think they enjoyed the Sinfonietta as well, actually. None of them had ever heard of it, never heard either of the pieces, and they were pleasantly surprised, I think.

That's encouraging! The conductor Vernon Handley has been a champion of Moeran for many years - describing his music as proving "richly rewarding for those prepared to explore". Do you think Moeran is a composer you might wish to explore further in the future?

Definitely! Without any hesitation at all - definitely!

Would that be in the concert hall as well as in the recording studio?

Whatever - I've grown to love the Sinfonietta and the Cello Concerto, and if I get the opportunity to programme either of them then I shall do!