TheArtsDesk.com Grace-Evangeline Mason with Delyana Lazarova on stage with musicians of the Philharmonia Orchestra
‘The Water Garden’ in rehearsal under Delyana Lazarova at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London.
“The world premiere justified its position at the end of a happy hour: Grace Evangeline Mason’s The Water Garden, inspired by Amy Lowell’s poem Chinoiseries and perfect at translating water-poetry into music. ..beautiful writing for the harp perfectly realised.”
“The world premiere of Grace-Evangeline Mason’s The Water Garden, after words by Amy Lowell, which adds a harp to the double quintet for an intricate, luxuriant parade of aqueous imagery.”
On Thursday night, the Philharmonia Orchestra presented concerts curated by and including Anna Clyne, the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Featured Composer this season. This included a concert in their Music of Today Series at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London, conducted by Delyana Lazarova of a programme of Clyne, Thea Musgrave, Nathalie Joachim, and the world premiere of Grace-Evangeline Mason’s ‘The Water Garden’ that was commissioned by the Philharmonia.
Scored for wind dectet and harp, ‘The Water Garden’ (2022) is inspired by the poem ‘Chinoiseries’ by the American, Imagist poet, Amy Lowell (1874-1925). The poem begins ‘When I looked into your eyes, I saw a garden,’ before the speaker describes an idealistic landscape of ‘crimson peonies,’ ‘tinkling pagodas,’ and ‘still lakes’ to create delicate, reflective imagery. This is then tinged with sadness as when the woman reaches through the water to pluck the peonies beneath the surface, the stems fracture and break in her hand staining her rain-blue dress ‘like tears.’ This juxtaposition of tranquil surroundings with undertones of mystery and unease is depicted throughout ‘The Water Garden,’ as the work begins with a mystical, fragile soundworld before transitioning through both static, otherworldly moments, and more rhythmic, whimsical passages. The piece portrays non-linear impressions of the imagery, delicate garden flowers and watery surfaces, and the feelings of both tender sentiments and apprehension in the poem.
Boosey.com Grace-Evangeline Mason with Anna Clyne
“ In Grace-Evangeline Mason’s The Water Garden, inspired by an Amy Lowell poem soaked in garden and water imagery, the high chords – sustained with perfect luminous tuning by the Philharmonia players – entwined tenderly with high harp. It was as delicate as a pressed flower in an album. ”
