You have to dig deep to find encyclopedic references to British composer Madeleine Dring. The lady was born in 1923 and had a fairly rich career in theatre, variety, film and concert music, before dying too young from a brain aneurysm in 1977. However, she had the drawback of neglecting to catalogue her works and refusing biographical notes. Strange.
So, for the vast majority of us, this album recorded by the artist’s compatriots, all clearly convinced of the value of this music, is a discovery. And there is value, yes, if not a newly-found musical genius. Dring certainly had a knack for melodies, and many of those we hear here are charming and attractive. We can understand their success at cabaret evenings in the 50s. Several of these little lyrical bagatelles were arranged for oboe by her husband, Roger Lord, for many years first chair of the London Symphony Orchestra. That said, in her “classical” works (a Trio for flute, oboe and piano, and another Trio for oboe, bassoon and keyboard) we notice her ability to tighten harmonies and give them a modernist edge. The whole programme is performed with great care.
Somewhere between English-style “light music” and “early 20th century” concert music, Madeleine Dring’s palette certainly deserves better than to be relegated to total anonymity, as is still the case to this today.
