Customer Reviews

18th Century British Symphonies

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Graham Lea-Cox, with his extremely successful string of Boyce recordings, in which his knowledge of the composer and his music shines through, now treats us to some other great Baroque masterpieces. Although Graham may be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis at the moment (frequently seen wandering around night-clubs in surfing t-shirts, beaded necklaces and dyed hair) his understanding of the music combined with the experience of the renown Hanover Band brings to life the joys of these little known composers.

John Marsh's Symphony No.10 is my favourite and in my opinion typifies British Music at the time. Employing two antiphonal orchestras (hence the Symphony's other affectionate name), the piece is beautifully coloured and exciting to listen to, building to a climax with the horns and drums instilling the images of hunting.

I would heartily recommend this recording for all lovers of baroque music (and surfing, clubbing, poofs and mad conductors)

I agree with the previous reviewer -- this disc is a total knockout, and should be compulsory listening to anyone interested in British music, and especially in the music of the much-neglected mid-eighteenth century. These are all splendid works - I also am enjoying the John Marsh double symphony the most, but the others are tremendously exciting pieces too. They share the vigour and rhythmic energy of the typical British music of the period, written by composers used to producing material for the rowdy theatres and the even rowdier pleasure gardens: ear-catching, toe-tapping, and not at all precious, a particularly English combination of late Baroque forms dressed with country dance and folksong elements, all mixed with the graceful melodies we associate with the galant style, evidenced in some beautiful slow movements. The music of Sullivan is not far away from some of them (and I mean that as a real recommendation - another seriously underrated composer!)
The performances are equally excellent - dynamic, clear, thrusting, evincing great enjoyment . . . really, this is a wonderful disc.
A question: why does Amazon try to sell it under a picture of a Bruckner symphony? Not my idea of persuasive marketing!!

Graham Lea-Cox and the Hanover Band offer a wide-ranging anthology of wonderful music on this disc of 18th Century British Symphonies. Some of the composers represented, such as Arne and Abel, will be known to many listeners, but others, such as the Earl of Kelly or William Smethergell will, I guess, be as new to most as they are to me. All of the pieces included are beautifully performed and recorded with enormous flair, rhythmic vitality and energy. Highly recommended.