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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In spite of its age, a wonderful intro to orchestral Bax, 7 Aug 2001
By A Customer
It earns 5 stars for quality of presentation, audio transfer and the sheer Baxian quality of the performances.While recordings of this vintage can hardly be called definitive, the performances certainly can. Bax knew Boult and Barbirolli and he had heard many performances of his Third Symphony. Thus we can confidently believe that Barbirolli's interpretation is very close to Bax's expectation. Eda Kersey's interpretation of the Violin Concerto is another treasure. I will not repeat the cover leaflet except to say this was one of many "special" BBC recordings never to be released commercially until now. Dutton Laboratories have made superb transfers as usual. The music somehow stands forth from the limitations of 78rpm recording. Okay, the sound is a little veiled and some climaxes suffer distortion but such failings aside, these are engaging performances that bear repeated hearing and deserve a place in the collection of any Bax (or Romantic British music) fan. Certainly, there is nothing to equal Barbirolli's version of this Symphony. He carries off energetic passages with vehemence and power; the brass can get angry and sneering (listen to the third movement) but he allows tranquil moments a long pensive lull, except the opening to the second movement which is truly magical and so evocative of faery grottos. Baribirolli stresses the pull between violent outburst and long periods of repose that characterise this symphony. It is like no other, culminating in the half-lit peace of the epilogue - long enough to be a movement in its own right and constructed very simply. Neither Downes (LP) or Bryden Tompson quite catch these important details. The Violin Concerto appeared a little after the symphony and Boult gives a thoroughly engaging account. Eda Kersey's performance is entirely lyrical - very in the spirit of the work. Sadly, she lived only to the age of 40 so we've been robbed of a sensitive, lyrical interpreter of the romantic repertoire. For the newcomer to Bax, these performances are very Baxian. Don't let their age put you off, they will bear repeated hearings easily. Finally, the Symphony was issued on CD by EMI some years ago, a little more hissy - honestly I prefer this version
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~ Arnold Bax
~ Ralph Vaughan Williams
~ Arnold Bax
~ Montague Phillips
~ Arthur Butterworth
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