Search - William Alwyn, Richard Hickox, London Symphony Orchestra :: Alwyn: Complete Symphonies; Sinfonietta for Strings

A marvellous composer to discover thus

J. F. Laurson | Washington, DC United States | 12/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"William Alwyn is a wonderful composer whose usually tuneful, always romantic (but unmistakably modern) music is a pleasure. He made his living crafting excellent film scores (I Accuse, Odd Man Out) for which he became known - and he used his skill for engrossing movie-goers in his classical works like the symphonies or piano concertos. Lyrita (with most of its catalogue available again) recorded Alwyn's music with the composer conducting. Chandos' Hickox recordings remain the centerpiece of the Alwyn discography, although David Lloyd-Jones on-going Alwyn survey on Naxos offers an excellent alternative."

Stunning performances and recording of one of the most brill

G.D. | Norway | 09/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you don't know this music or these recordings you have truly missed out on something. William Alwyn was one of the greatest British composer of the 20th century, whose music is strikingly original and often immediately recognizable. Originally Chandos issued the symphonies coupled with various orchestral works, and while one might certainly want these as well, this box set contains, after all, what must be considered the center of Alwyn's output - quite simply one of the more important symphonic cycles of the twentieth century, counting not only Britain. To begin with the sound quality: it is simply stunningly vivid and present, with a sense of perspective, ambience and clarity rarely matched. And the presentation is also rather exquisite.



The first symphony is lush and intoxicating, fragrant even, organically developed but with a real bite to it. Stylistically, there are traces of Bax and Sibelius in the ebb and flow of the first two movements. The tone is generally optimistic and the material is inventive and masterfully developed. The somewhat subdued and elegiac third movement gives way to a boisterous, almost brash finale, and the whole work is certainly an auspicious start to the cycle (while being a near-masterpiece in itself). The second symphony is in many ways a tougher nut to crack, sounding sometimes almost a little wayward and dry - although it builds up to a spectacularly powerful climax in the last movement. It is, indeed, a fine work, but cannot match the best works in the cycle.



The third, on the other hand, is a fierce and powerful work; a defiant piece of smoldering power and white-hot intensity, but ending on a surprisingly pastoral and sunny note. It is coupled with the fourth, which is one of the most striking of the cycle; a truly exciting work with truly memorable themes handled with masterly command. Generally fast-paced and excitingly dynamic and muscular and conveying the sense of being written as a single, big arch leading towards a magnificent resolution, the whole work also has an appealingly bittersweet quality to it. As with the other symphonies here, it is also superbly scored.



The fifth symphony is a tautly argued but atmospheric score. It is also probably the summit of Alwyn's symphonic achievement - a compact masterpiece with a tragically noble subtext. Indeed, I will not hesitate to claim that this work can withstand comparison with more or less any symphony written by anyone in the twentieth century, so splendidly brilliant are the ideas, so masterly their development and Alwyn's handling of orchestral textures. It is coupled with the Sinfonietta, a fine work in itself, but one which is not quite in the league of the symphonies. It is energetic and contains some fine music, true, but is a little four-square and academically dry in execution.



I have to confess that I have limited knowledge of the alternative recordings (on Lyrita and Naxos), but Hickox's interpretations sound utterly convincing to me. Maybe, just maybe, they seem a tad cool and blasé at times, but they are certainly full of feral power and energy when needed. And the LSO are of course consistently utterly marvelous. In short, this set is nothing short of an essential acquisition - a superbly performed and recorded collection of genuine masterworks."

Enriching

David Saemann | 03/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was my introduction to William Alwyn's music and it was totally engrossing. The performances seem to be first rate, and the sound engineering is excellent. The first four symphonies form a cycle premiered in the 1950's. While the first takes some time to build up a head of steam, the remaining three are beautifully crafted and fully engaging. There are no big tunes, but instead a subtle manipulation of significant motifs. Number two was Alwyn's favorite of the five, and it is continually fascinating in its exposition of intimate effects. Number five was written somewhat later, and is only 16 minutes long. It follows a literary program, and is quite dramatic. However, my favorite piece in this set is the Sinfonietta for Strings. It has the rich tone that so many English composers exploit effortlessly. The thematic material is influenced by Berg, and indeed there is a feeling of Berg throughout the work. In sum, this was a very engaging set, not on the order of Elgar or Vaughan Williams, but still very rewarding in its own right."