Phantasy
Piatti Quartet String Quartet

The Piatti Quartet continue their exploration of Ina Boyle’s music with this fascinating album on the theme of Phantasies, and the vision of one extraordinary patron of music.
Walter Cobbett (1847 – 1937) was a successful businessman and chamber music patron, who, in 1905 created a competition for British composers, and singlehandedly created the ‘Phantasy’ (his spelling), taking inspiration from the 16th and 17th century instrumental works for viol or string consorts. No work was to exceed 12-15 minutes. The first prize in 1905 was awarded to the tragically short-lived William Hurlstone, a star pupil of Stanford and one of 67 entrants. Subsequent competitions ran from then until 1919. Cobbett also commissioned Phantasies, including the Vaughan Williams work on this album from 1912. Ina Boyle, entered hers in 1919, but misread the requirements of ‘piano & strings’.
Herbert Howells, another Stanford pupil entered his composition in 1917, and Malcolm Arnold, whilst coming after the competitions ended, continued the form with his Phantasy composed when he was 19.
Described by Saint-Saens as the ‘French Muse’ the Anglo-French Augusta Holmès was a close associate of Franck and was a fervent advocate of Wagner’s music. Although based in Paris, she never lost her patriotism for Ireland, and the mythological figure of Hibernia is depicted in the 7th of her Vingt Melodies – a slow nationalist march depicting Christmases of Irish mythology.
Tippett was awarded the Cobbett medal for services to chamber music in 1948, but when Stravinsky died in 1971, he was one of several major composers to commemorate the composer. Dating from 1972, In Memorium Magistri receives its first recording on this album as do the two works by Boyle .

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