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ARNOLD: Philharmonic Concerto, Op. 120 (1976). Fantasy
on a Theme of John Field, Op. 116 for piano and orches†ra (1975).
Symphony No. 7, Op. 113 (1973). FIELD: Nocturne No. 7 in C major "Reverie.
(1821). MALISZEWSKI: Symphony No 3 ni C minor, Op. 14 (1907). Piano Concerto
in B flat minor, Op. 27 (1938) HADLEY: Scherzo Diabolique (1934). Saloime (tøne
poem) Op, 55 (1906).Cleopatra's
Night, Op. 90 (1918). Othello Overture, Op. 96 (1919). San
Franciusco, Op. 121 (1931). The Enchanted Castle Overture, Op. 117 (1933). This site has mentioned many superb recordings of music of Sir Malcolm Arnold including all of the works on this superb new disk—see CD INDEX. Also please check our feature on the composer written in 2000 when he was in the U.S. for the American premiere of his Symphony No 9. This also includes a discussion of many of his works (FEATURE). This splendid new Dutton Epoch issue features Symphony No. 7, and three works composed in Dublin in the 1970. The symphony is the composer's most challenging, cryptically dedicated to his three children. Scoring includes much percussion with a cowbell. It is a brutal, dissonant and disturbing score that shows the darker side of the composer. The other works present Arnold in a jolly mood in music that provides a virtuoso opportunity for all players. Peter Donohoe is soloist in the Field Fantasy, and the disk also includes Field's Nocturne on which Arnold based his music. Performances are brilliant, and perhaps credit should have been given to the solo trombone featured in the demanding long solo in the symphony's second movement. Audio if first-rate stereo. An outstanding release! Boston-born American composer Henry Kimball Hadley (1871 - 1937) was a renowned conductor of his time. He led the New York Philharmonic for several years (that orchestra premiered his first two symphonies). Hadley spent much time studying in Europe and met Richard Strauss whose Salome had yet to be premiered. Hadley liked exotic stories and wrote his symphonic poem Salome at that time . It can be heard on this pleasant Dutton Epoch release. Hadley composed profusely, his works including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, lieder for his wife, concert soprano Inez Balfour, and five operas, none of which have survived.The opera Cleopatra's Night was premiered at he Met January 31,1920 and had four performances (with Frances Alda in the title role). There are few recordings of Hadley's music. Some years ago Karl Kruger recorded Symphony No. 2, and there is a Naxos disk of Symphony Nol 4, The Ocean and The Culprit Fay. This welcome disk contains a number of his works in superb performances by the BBC Concert Orchestra directed by Rebecca Miller. All are premiere recordings except for Salome. It is easy to understand why Hadley's music has not survived. The half-hour Salome suite contains many lush sounds, but little that is memorable, and a four minute Salome's dance is boring indeed. ¹he Scherzo is not very diabolical, Ohtello Overture in no way suggests the tragedy of the subject. San Francisco suite has three brief movements: The Harbour, The Chinese Quarter, and Mardi Gras. All of this music surely is pleasant, and easily forgotten. This disk is welcome as it gives us the opportunity to hear music by an American composer important in his time, if forgotten today. The stereo recording is outstanding. Russian-born Witold Maliszewski (1872 - 1939) studied with many well-known composers including Rimsky-Korsakov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, and Glazunov.He moved to Poland in 1921 and was prominent on the Warsaw musical scene. He founded the Odessa Conservatory and was Chairman of the First International Chopin Competition . Maliszewsk's works include five symphonies, three string quartets, a piano concerto, sacred choral music and, considered to be his major work, the opera ballet La Sirène. His Symphony No. 3 composed in 1907 is a large-scale work in four sections, an opening allegro non troppo,an Adagio misterioso, a theme with variations, and a final Allegro giocoso. It clearly shows the influence of his Russian compatriots. Maliszewski was a superb pianist, and his only piano concerto is a virtuoso display piece well worth attention. It is played to perfection here by the remarkable Peter Donohoe, who seems to specialize in lesser-known concerted works (although his recordings of the Tchaikovsky concertos remain amongf the best). There is much of value here, and the recording made in Glasgow's Henry Wood Hall in June 2015, is wide-range, perfectly balanced stereo. I know of only one other recording of music of Maliszewski, a disk of music for cello strings issued by Dux. Thank you Dutton for giving us an opportunity to experience worthy virtually unknown repertory. R.E.B. (April 2016) |