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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Although this CD contains little-known works, it is my favourite Bax CD and would be a great introduction to this composer. The Festival Overture starts out conventionally but eventually features an entirely characteristically atmospheric Baxian tune. Nympholept is a fine tone poem (used memorably at the end of a TV documentary about the life of J R R Tolkien a few years ago)which should be better known. I feel that Bryden Thomson's recording is more atmospheric and preferable to either of the alternatives on Naxos or the later Chandos recording. Paen is great fun and Christmas Eve is an early masterpiece with its haunting vision of peace in the conflict-ridden land of Ireland. It is a quite beautiful work and this is a wonderful performance. The original (full price) issue of this CD also featured Tintagel (one of the best recordings) and I am sorry that it has been replaced here by some less important works. However, at its new bargain price this CD is irresistible and also represents a fine tribute to that great, underrated conductor; Bryden Thomson.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Sumptuous playing of some fine music
17 Jan 2009
Format:Audio CD
Along with their new release of the symphonies come these reissues of orchestral works, repackaged and recombined (in order to complement rather than compete with the new Handley release, I assume). Volume 5 centers on some less known works of which not all can be said to belong to his best - but there are certainly some gems here.
The Festival Overture is a substantial piece, brash and loud with some good themes but in the end not really very memorable - though it makes for a nice opening to the rest. Christmas Eve does not sound particularly Christmassy (though it was, apparently inspired by the suffering of the Irish people through the times) apart from the bell-like effects at the end. Wild Irravel is a piano piece orchestrated for large forces including organ, and it too is a fine work despite falling rather short of being a masterpiece.
The most important track here, however, is the finest performance of Nympholept on disc. This is richly scored work which wonderfully conjures up images of the fantastic and mysterious - and none of the competitors beat Thomson on the vivid conjuration of faery woodlands. Paean is also an impressive piece, a roaring, grandiose march with an epic sweep despite its short duration. The Overture to a Picaresque Comedy is a high-spirited, boisterous work with a beautifully lyrical and wistful central section, followed by a processional almost obsessively forward-moving Cortege.
Everything is played with élan and meticulous attention to detail and orchestral color (though the performance of Nympholept should again be singled out) and sumptuously recorded. This is not, perhaps, the best place to start your investigation of Bax - not all the pieces are consistently top-drawer - but for the already converted this is an extremely valuable addition to the catalogue.
The Festival Overture is a substantial piece, brash and loud with some good themes but in the end not really very memorable - though it makes for a nice opening to the rest. Christmas Eve does not sound particularly Christmassy (though it was, apparently inspired by the suffering of the Irish people through the times) apart from the bell-like effects at the end. Wild Irravel is a piano piece orchestrated for large forces including organ, and it too is a fine work despite falling rather short of being a masterpiece.
The most important track here, however, is the finest performance of Nympholept on disc. This is richly scored work which wonderfully conjures up images of the fantastic and mysterious - and none of the competitors beat Thomson on the vivid conjuration of faery woodlands. Paean is also an impressive piece, a roaring, grandiose march with an epic sweep despite its short duration. The Overture to a Picaresque Comedy is a high-spirited, boisterous work with a beautifully lyrical and wistful central section, followed by a processional almost obsessively forward-moving Cortege.
Everything is played with élan and meticulous attention to detail and orchestral color (though the performance of Nympholept should again be singled out) and sumptuously recorded. This is not, perhaps, the best place to start your investigation of Bax - not all the pieces are consistently top-drawer - but for the already converted this is an extremely valuable addition to the catalogue.
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