After listening to this disc, is becomes clear that Armstrong Gibbs is yet another English composer whose music is inexplicably forgotten today. If you like Vaughan Williams, Bax, and other contemporary English composers, e.g. the songs on Bryn Terfel's The Vagabond, you will enjoy this recording. I was hooked right away with this version of The Bells (words by Walter de la Mare, one of Gibbs' favorite poets) as sung by Stephen Varcoe--surely this is a minor masterpiece of music, poetry, and singing.
This is a generous program, and both Varcoe and soprano Geraldine McGreevy do a nice job, as well as pianist Roger Vignoles. Some songs stand out above the others, such as Silver, Arrogant Poppies, and Ann's Cradle Song, but there are many gems. Since Gibbs wrote over 160 songs, we can only hope to have more of them recorded in the future (not to mention the string quartets and much other music).
