Search - Bantock, Royal Philharmonic Orch, Handley :: Hebridean Symphony / Celtic Symphony

For those who missed out on this disc first time around, here is a second (and cheaper) chance to discover the glowing music of Granville Bantock (1868-1946). The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, an often-underrated ensemble these days, excels in this emotional music. The players seem positively inspired by that most musical of British music advocates, conductor Vernon Handley. The superb, clean, and clear recording highlights the lush, tender textures of the Celtic Symphony (scored for string orchestra and no fewer than six harps!). Handley ensures that the indications for each movement are faithfully followed: the lightened string tone for the third movement highlights the marking of tenerezza, and the final Largamente Maestoso fully lives up to expectations. The Witch of Atlas is an extended tone poem (with as delicate an opening as can be imagined). The Hebridean Symphony is the heftiest work on the disc and is presented with the utmost conviction. Throughout, Handley takes extreme care to ensure clarity of texture, so that music which could easily become congested instead carries just the right amount of weight. Bantock has a clear, engaging, and convincing compositional voice. And this disc is just the right place to discover it. --Colin Clarke