A French violinist champions a forgotten British female voice
The Strad Issue: March 2026
Description: A French violinist champions a forgotten British female voice
Musicians: Geneviève Laurenceau (violin) Jean-Frédéric Neuburger (piano) Orchestre de Picardie/David Niemann
Works: Creith: Violin Concerto in G minor. Clarke: Midsummer Moon; Lullaby; Chinese Puzzle. Elgar: Chanson de matin; Chanson de nuit; La capricieuse; Sospiri. Walton: Canzonetta; Scherzetto
Catalogue number: NOMAD MUSIC NMM130
This early 20th-century English programme from French violinist Geneviève Laurenceau is championing a real rarity: the Violin Concerto by Guirne Creith (1907–96), which was premiered in 1936 by its dedicatee Albert Sammons, but then lay forgotten until its manuscript was rediscovered after the composer’s death.
Along with some songs, it represents the entirety of Creith’s surviving output, and it’s musically interesting: long-spun, lyrically sailing violin lines and a lushly scored chromaticism with shades of Wagner and Elgar, are combined with more modern, English-folk-influenced spice.
It has only been recorded once before, in 2008, by Lorraine McAslan with Martin Yates and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Here it has been well served, with crisper, cleaner capturing of both soloist and orchestra than the McAslan.
Laurenceau herself brings rich-toned muscular energy to the opening Maestoso, a mix of sweetness and fiery passion to the slow movement and folkier, brightly dancing fire to the finale – all to close, punchy orchestral partnering.
The shorter piano-accompanied pieces make for an attractive second half. In these performances, strong-toned and expressive, they come across as more than the sum of their parts; all in all, a very enjoyable album.
CHARLOTTE GARDNER
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