Search - Ethel Smyth, Odaline de la Martinez, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra :: Ethel Smyth: Concerto for Violin, Horn & Orchestra; Serenade

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V. Wilson | Cambridge, MA United States | 04/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ethel Smyth is best known (if known at all) for her Mass and the opera The Wreckers. If the quality of the music on this disk is any indication, her concert music ought to be in the standard repertoire.Both pieces on this disk have that tangy sense of modernism found in a number of early-20th century composers who refused to follow Schoenberg and reject the past. Though an Englishwomen, Smyth's music sounds nothing like the pastoralism of Vaughan Williams, nor the grandiloquence of Elgar. In fact, despite echoes of people like Mahler, Nielsen and Dvorak, she really doesn't sound like anyone but herself.The Serenade moves from a somewhat troubled opening movement through a breezy finale. It's very hard to describe the odd undercurrents in this music which fascinate the ear. Nevertheless, my ears hear a masterpiece that deserves concert hall performances.The Concerto for violin and horn is a bit of a curiosity. (The notes make no mention of why she chose this odd and somewhat ungainly combination of instruments.) But again, she pulls it off. The beautiful, sad slow movement (titled In memoriam--but we;re not told for whom) is especially moving, but both the outer movements contain memorable themes.Take the plunge. This is attractive music that should be heard and if enough people buy this disc, perhaps Chandos will favor us with more from Ethel. Performances and sound are up to this labels high standards."