The Nashville Symphony adds an outstanding disc to the Gould discography with the late conductor Kenneth Schermerhorn's last recording. On the disc is the complete ballet recording of "Fall River Legend" (the only other complete recording is long out of print), and a CD premiere of "Jekyll and Hyde Variations" (the only other recording was a long-ago LP that hasn't seen the light of day in 40 years).
They show two sides of the serious Gould. Fall River Legend made Gould famous, but Jekyll and Hyde was the piece he considered to be one of his best works. The former fully conveys the dramatic elements of the Lizzie Borden story (while also conjuring up images of turn-of-the-century America). The Variations, while being rooted in 12-tone technique, still manages to sound distinctly Gould (and perhaps that's where Gould's pride in this work is based).
The Nashville Symphony has never been in better form, rising to the challenge of outstanding performances of unfamiliar literature. Schermerhorn was terrific all the way to the end of his career, and life.
Highly recommended.
