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Amazon.co.uk Review
Here's an irresistible opportunity to acquaint yourself with one of the most loveable of all British symphonies in a finely engineered performance of infectious dedication and impressive power. Bax completed the Third of his seven symphonies in early 1929. It's one of his very best scores, crammed full of bewitchingly beautiful melody (nowhere more so than in the wonderfully serene epilogue with which the work closes) and thrillingly evocative of the rugged coastline and mountains in and around Morar (Bax's Scottish winter retreat). David Lloyd-Jones's bright-eyed interpretation is, on balance, the most satisfyingly lucid since Sir John Barbirolli's wartime premier recording with the Hallè. Moreover, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra rise to the challenge with unstinting fervour and impressive polish. For a fill-up we get a enjoyably robust, at times boisterous reading of the earlier, toothsome tone-poem The Happy Forest, its gorgeous central portion lacking just a fraction in rapt wonderment. Overall, though, yet another British music winner from Naxos, and an absolute must at the price. --Andrew Achenbach
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A magnificent performance of a magnificent Symphony,
By
This review is from: Bax: Symphony No. 3 / The Happy Forest (Audio CD)
This is a wonderful symphony which should be performed more often. There are moments in the epilogue (especially where the celesta remembers the initial theme) that are some of the most memorable and special moments in all music! The performance seems or sounds to me to be as good as any. The above reviewer may be right about the Thomson/Chandos account, but I still enjoy that very much too, with its superb sound. However, this is now the disc to go for, and THE HAPPY FOREST is a lovely bonus.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb - a great modern performance,
By
This review is from: Bax: Symphony No. 3 / The Happy Forest (Audio CD)
This is the finest recording of the Third Symphony since Barbirolli's famous 1944 recording - reissued twice now, but you must be prepared to "listen through" the deficiencies of 78rpm records if you choose that version. I tend to judge performances of this symphony by how well a conductor can balance the oft-times violence with periods of respite that characterise the work, the release in violent energy ; and how well the changes of tempo can be managed without the orchestra going out of sync, as it were. Lloyd-Jones brings these off superbly, building tension resolutely and releasing the energy without racing ahead and wasting the climaxes (a feature of Downes' recording for RCA, in my view). Yet he drifts in and through tranquillity with utter sensitivity and beauty. The opening to the second movement, as with Barbirolli, is pure magic, as is the epilogue. And I should mention the eerie darkness of the opening bars, once more brought off totally effectively. This recording is a must for anyone wanting an introduction to Bax or the British romantic movement. It has none of the quirkiness and exaggerated tempo changes of Bryden Thompson's Chandos recording and is far more sensitive than Downes'. To top it all, the recording is brilliant. Value for money? This disk proves a point, all right. To me, it's either this or the Barbirolli. Both seem to touch deeply on Bax's musical spirit.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant performance of an incredible symphony,
By A Customer
This review is from: Bax: Symphony No. 3 / The Happy Forest (Audio CD)
Naxos have scored a sure winner with this disc. David Lloyd-Jones has extracted the maximum emotional quality from this, rich, complex music. There is monstrously exciting aggression, with tender romance and utterly beautiful nostalgic mystery. One of the great British symphonies, and rounded off with a light-hearted, colourful tone poem that demonstrates Bax's orchestral dexterity. I listen to this disc more than any other in my collection!
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