Indispensible 20th century British classics
jsa | San Diego, CA United States | 06/20/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thanks to Lyrita, we now have definitive performances of E.J. Moeran's Sinfonietta & Symphony in G minor available on cd. I've owned these performances by Sir Adrian Boult on vinyl for more than 30 years & can attest to their enduring greatness - both are under-rated works of genius that deserve a very wide audience. One listen to the magnificent sweep of the Sinfonietta will leave the first-timer wondering why there aren't at least a dozen first rate recordings of this work. (There are fine performances on Naxos by David Lloyd-Jones, & by Vernon Handley on Chandos; however, this LPO reading under Boult is the one to have.) It is a singularly original work that's modern, completely approachable, melodic & uplifting - I can't think of anything else in the repertory that's quite like it.
The Symphony in G minor is another masterpiece of 20th century music that is relatively obscure if measured by the number of recordings or orchestral programmings. The writer of the liner notes accompanying this disc observes that "it may be argued that the Moeran Symphony is among the five or six most original compositions in this genre to appear between the two world wars." Too bad he doesn't mention what those other "five or six" works are, but in any event he places Moeran's symphony in very high company & I agree. Works of stature like Walton's first symphony (composed in the early 1930's) come to mind, & I think Moeran's symphony is at least its equal in greatness, even though it's completely dissimilar. Unlike Walton, Moeran remained within familiar British territory by incorporating folk themes into his work, but he elevated this material to a whole new level. Like the Sinfonietta, the Symphony is "serious" music - but Moeran put musical enjoyment first & thus every moment of it is eminently listenable & rewarding.
This disc receives my highest recommendation."
Anglo-Celtic Orchestral Gems deserving of a wider audience
McGillicuddy | Ojai, CA United States | 05/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are drawn to the work of British classical music composers like Vaughan Williams, Holst, Bax, (all of them, not surprisingly, folksong collectors; as was E.J. Moeran)and if you appreciate the nature music and sonic landscapes of Sibelius, then the symphony on this CD may very well become a favorite. As inspiration for his masterpiece, Moeran drew almost exclusively on the countryside and oceanside vistas surrounding Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland--a favorite haunt. The result is a persuasive evocation of environment and mood; both forever changing, and evolving throughout this work. The piece is also something of an elegy for friends lost during WWI. So there is a tangible sorrow, at times;but also astonishing, unforgettable beauty and richness. As with the aforementioned Brit composers, folk song is artfully woven into the composition. I also hear a slight Stravinsky influence in some of the tonalities (don't wanna scare you off, though!; so I will just add the whole piece is pretty accessible and easy on the ear) and a bit of a Brahms influence in some of the string writing.I do seem to occasionally get very excited by certain symphonies: even so, this one is in a class of its own. This is desert island British Classical music for me...and cheaper than a trip to Southwestern Ireland. Recommended with all possible enthusiasm!
A note on the recording history: Both the Boult (very good sounding early 70s analog)and Handley recordings of the symphony are excellent modern performances. If your ear is not offended by late 30s mono recordings, I highly recommend Leslie Heward's premiere recording of the symphony which Dutton Labs issued in an excellent remastering in the early (19)90s; coupled with an equally desirable premiere recording of John Ireland's piano concerto as played by Kathleen Long. Well worth digging up.
Moeran's Sinfonietta is also a work of considerable appeal, composed during his 1944 rush of creativity; except that here the inspiration appears to be the Radnor Forest in Wales. The Boult performance of the Sinfonietta largely holds its own with that of Beecham and Norman Del Mar. These are works well worth discovering!"
Ireland with a Twist
P. Edwin | Fukushima, Japan | 06/30/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Moeran is an important figure in Britsh music wriiten between the wars, yet anyone coming to Moeran's music for the first time would notice that most of his recurring themes are unmistakably Irish. This is due to his Irish ancestry, and this shows in Moeran's own words when he said, the Symphony in G minor was written, " among the the mountains and seaboard of Co. Kerry."
Mostly Moeran writes his own folk tunes that are scattered through all his works, and more to the point these tunes are no artificial contrivance, but seem to naturally belong to each each movement especially in the symphony, and in his other works. The influence of Vaughan Williams is strong, but Moeran is not merely a follower. His musical harmony is diatonic with a modal flavour suggesting of folk-song.
This Lytita issue is essential for those interested in this composer. While the Naxos disc of Moeran's symphony in particular is impressive, I suggest listeners start with these classic Boult interpretations first.
"
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1