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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Hubert Parry (1848-1918) was one of the fathers of the English Musical Rennaissance. Although he was overshadowed in his lifetime by Elgar and then Vaughan Williams, he was a fine composer and most people remember him today by 'Jerusalem', and the moving choral works 'Blessed Pair of Sirens' and 'I was glad'.
This CD contains two suites for string orchestra: An English Suite and Lady Radnor's Suite. In addition, it contains the Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy, the Bridal March from Aristophane's 'The Birds' and his Symphonic Variations.
The Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy is a short symphonic work for full orchestra. It is almost compulsory to describe Parry's orchestral writing as Brahmsian but if you know his music well, there is no doubt he has a strong musical personality though it is difficult to categorise - a certain Elgarian nobility perhaps (but see later). It is by no means a gloomy piece and Parry knows exactly where he is going.
An English Suite consists of seven short movements, most of which are jolly and tuneful. The Saraband, however, is a noble utterance of considerable beauty. The Air is a charming number with an Irish flavour.
The Bridal March from his incidental music to The Birds is interesting because it seems to be a precursor to the 'trios' in some of Elgar's and even Walton's marches, especially at 2'49" onwards. Parry often pre-echoes Elgar and I wonder how much Elgar was influenced by his older contemporary.
Lady Radnor's Suite is another charmer. Again, the Sarabande is the star, though it does not have the weight or depth of its companion.
The Symphonic Variations starts with Parry's easily recognisable theme. The variations (22 in all) are arranged in five groups rather like movements, with common tempi. He manipulates the material with great skill and imagination. There is a remarkable passage where the cellos pick out the theme, pizzicatto, against trilling low clarinets and it is from this point that the music takes on a considerable emotional weight, getting into tingle territory. The emotional charge is halted by a temporary halt and then the music swaggers optimistically to the end, trumpets blazing.
Performances (LSO and LPO, both under Boult) are excellent. The recordings date from 1971 and 1978 and wear their age lightly and the liner notes are clear and free of musical jargon. It is good to see Lyrita back in business - lovers of British music owe the label a great debt.
This CD contains two suites for string orchestra: An English Suite and Lady Radnor's Suite. In addition, it contains the Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy, the Bridal March from Aristophane's 'The Birds' and his Symphonic Variations.
The Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy is a short symphonic work for full orchestra. It is almost compulsory to describe Parry's orchestral writing as Brahmsian but if you know his music well, there is no doubt he has a strong musical personality though it is difficult to categorise - a certain Elgarian nobility perhaps (but see later). It is by no means a gloomy piece and Parry knows exactly where he is going.
An English Suite consists of seven short movements, most of which are jolly and tuneful. The Saraband, however, is a noble utterance of considerable beauty. The Air is a charming number with an Irish flavour.
The Bridal March from his incidental music to The Birds is interesting because it seems to be a precursor to the 'trios' in some of Elgar's and even Walton's marches, especially at 2'49" onwards. Parry often pre-echoes Elgar and I wonder how much Elgar was influenced by his older contemporary.
Lady Radnor's Suite is another charmer. Again, the Sarabande is the star, though it does not have the weight or depth of its companion.
The Symphonic Variations starts with Parry's easily recognisable theme. The variations (22 in all) are arranged in five groups rather like movements, with common tempi. He manipulates the material with great skill and imagination. There is a remarkable passage where the cellos pick out the theme, pizzicatto, against trilling low clarinets and it is from this point that the music takes on a considerable emotional weight, getting into tingle territory. The emotional charge is halted by a temporary halt and then the music swaggers optimistically to the end, trumpets blazing.
Performances (LSO and LPO, both under Boult) are excellent. The recordings date from 1971 and 1978 and wear their age lightly and the liner notes are clear and free of musical jargon. It is good to see Lyrita back in business - lovers of British music owe the label a great debt.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Hubert Parry was a family friend of the Boults', so Sir Adrian knew him from childhood. In his professional life later on, Boult had great sympathy for Parry's music, long neglected in the 20th. century, and his last commercial recording, for EMI, was of Parry. It gave him particular pleasure that that LP entered the classical best-seller lists at the time. This CD comes largely from an earlier Lyrita CD on which, I think, the performances are even better than on the best-selling EMI. The 'Symphonic Variations' is a really fine piece, taut, dramatic and building to a very fine major-key climax (from a minor-key theme). Likewise the 'Overture'. The two suites are very attractive, though in places a little run-of-the-mill, but they are performed with just as much conviction as the more symphonic pieces. The LSO's playing is very good, but it is really the skill and commitment of the conductor which carry the day, and it is good to see this emerge at long, long last for the first time on CD.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
very British, indeed
23 Jun 2007
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hubert Parry is not exactly a household name among classical music lovers, however, this late 19th century composer had a remarkably diverse career as an eminent historian, philosopher, conductor, teacher (Ralph Vaughan Williams was probably his most famous student), and accomplished yachtsman (he was elected to the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1907). He wrote several symphonies and a variety of other pieces, but his most enduring work is included on this well-filled disc: "An English Suite," "Lady Radnor's Suite," and "Symphonic Variations." Parry's work is somewhat reminiscient of Elgar, but without Elgar's occasional Brahmsian indulgances. This is substantial music, expertly crafted, but there is nothing at all tedious here - in fact, there is a lightness to the writing that is refreshing. Sir Adrian Boult, who conducts the LSO and LPO on these recordings, was uniquely gifted as an interpretor of British music and is the perfect choice for this repertory.
In short, this is another wonderful recording from the Lyrita catalog that lay dormant for decades and is now available in excellent remastered stereo sound. I have nothing but praise for Lyrita for reissuing this & many other definitive recordings of British classics. I hope they find the wide audience they deserve.
In short, this is another wonderful recording from the Lyrita catalog that lay dormant for decades and is now available in excellent remastered stereo sound. I have nothing but praise for Lyrita for reissuing this & many other definitive recordings of British classics. I hope they find the wide audience they deserve.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
fine music by any standards ; wonderful interpretations
26 Sep 2008
Format:Audio CD
Boult's family knew Parry, and Boult grew up with a personal awareness of the composer. His very last recording, in the late 1970s for EMI, was of Parry's 5th. Symphony and other works, and he was very pleased when it reached best-seller status. These earlier recordings are perhaps even better, and the two best pieces, the 'Overture' and the 'Symphonic Variations' can stand comparison with any late-19th, century Romantic works - they are really very fine indeed. The conductor's ability to shape and phrase the pieces without ever losing sight of their structure is very marked, and he is an excellent apologist for this little-known but very worthwhile music. It is marvellous to see these old Lyrita recordings reappear on CD (copyright problems kept them out of the catalogue for far too long), and they deserve every success.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Beautiful Music
14 Sep 2009
Format:Audio CD
This beautiful compilation of Hubert Parry's music reminds me of Ralph Vaughan Williams and some of Edward Elgar (Parry came first) very folk-songish English music, light and lilting. I have enjoyed the entire work and recommend this for all music lovers.
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