Sally Beamish marks her 70th birthday with an eclectic and deeply personal album, House of Wonder, featuring friends and members of her talented musical family. The British composer, a true musical shapeshifter fluent in classical, jazz, and folk fiddle, takes center stage performing on her own instrument, the viola.
A Family Affair
The album opens with April, a luminous chaconne for viola and accordion, memorializing her friend, jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. Equally poignant is Gerropaedie for viola and harp, a Satie-inspired birthday gift for an elderly patron. Much of the music is autobiographical. Crescent, a trio for viola, piano, and trumpet, draws on family games from her Islington childhood, wistfully offset by what she describes as her father's emotional absence. The charming Sally's Tune is a portrait piece by Celtic folk musicians Catriona McKay and Chris Stout.
Family Contributions
Beamish's sons contribute original pieces: Lurk, a sly, spiky tango for accordion and viola by singer-songwriter Laurie, and the mournful Where You Are by Tom. The title track, House of Wonder, immortalizes the summerhouse where Beamish would retreat to compose, written, played, and sung by her harpist daughter Stephanie. Her bluesy Night Songs include singsong vocals by her husband, writer Peter Thomson.
Listen and Explore
The album is available on Apple Music and Spotify. This review is part of our classical music coverage.
