Double Concerto For Two Violins And Small Orchestra Op. 49: I. Scherzo
Double Concerto For Two Violins And Small Orchestra Op. 49: II. Lament
Double Concerto For Two Violins And Small Orchestra Op. 49: III. Variations On A Ground
Two Songs Without Words Op.22: 1. Country Song
Two Songs Without Words: 2. Marching Song
Lyric Movement For Viola And Small Orchestra
Brook Green Suite: IPrelude
Brook Green Suite: II Air
Brook Green Suite: III Dance
A Fugal Concerto For Flute, Oboe And String Orchestra Op. 40 No. 2: I Moderato
A Fugal Concerto For Flute, Oboe And String Orchestra Op. 40 No. 2: II Adagio
A Fugal Concerto For Flute, Oboe And String Orchestra Op. 40 No. 2: III Allegro
St. Paul's Suite Op.29 No.2: I Jig
St. Paul's Suite Op.29 No.2: II Ostinato
St. Paul's Suite Op.29 No.2: III Intermezzo
St. Paul's Suite Op.29 No.2: IV Finale (The Dargason)
Listeners who know only The Planets have a very incomplete appreciation of Gustav Holst. Most of these works were written for student orchestras. They are tuneful, folk-flavored, and highly imaginative, not aiming far beyo... more »nd entertainment but achieving that goal admirably. The variety or scoring makes this succession of relatively brief pieces work well as a program, and the performances are quite sensible, with vigorous rhythms and a fine sound from the little orchestra--probably much finer than Holst heard when they were new. Add excellent recorded sound and you've got a winner. --Leslie Gerber« less
Listeners who know only The Planets have a very incomplete appreciation of Gustav Holst. Most of these works were written for student orchestras. They are tuneful, folk-flavored, and highly imaginative, not aiming far beyond entertainment but achieving that goal admirably. The variety or scoring makes this succession of relatively brief pieces work well as a program, and the performances are quite sensible, with vigorous rhythms and a fine sound from the little orchestra--probably much finer than Holst heard when they were new. Add excellent recorded sound and you've got a winner. --Leslie Gerber
"I came across this work to expand my collection of Holst's music. This collection of music is very nice, though some of the music is brief I found them rewarding."
Essential Holst
jsa | San Diego, CA United States | 03/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If your exposure to the music of Holst begins & ends with The Planets, you're in for a very pleasant surprise. This intelligently programmed & beautifully recorded disc features several Holst essentials including the Fugal Concerto, Brook Green Suite & St Paul's Suite, all convincingly played by the City of London Sinfonia conducted by Richard Hickox. That Holst's music is easy to listen to does not make it superficial. Like Ralph Vaughan Williams, Holst used folk material as the basis for some of his music, thus it projects the flavor of pastoral England in a most satisfying way.
This particular compilation compares very favorably with an authoritative Lyrita disc conducted by the composer's daughter, "Imogen Holst Conducts Holst." While there is some crossover in the music, I would recommend both discs to Holst enthusiasts, especially as the Hickox disc includes St Paul's Suite which Imogen Holst also recorded but which appears on a separate Lyrita anthology.
Another Holst disc I highly recommend is "Boult Conducts Holst," also on Lyrita. This is an essential acquisition for lovers of 20th century British music & there are no duplicated pieces between this & the Hickox or Imogen Holst discs.
Very highly recommended!"
Holst
J. Woods | Walla Walla, WA | 03/23/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"A great recording.
Although, the violin solo at the end of St. Paul's Suite (Dargason) seems rushed."
There's more than just "The Planets"
Eric S. Kim | Southern California | 04/18/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It's sort of a shame that most people recognize the English composer, Gustav Holst, with his "Planets". Yes, it's a brilliant masterpiece (and yes, the Mars & Jupiter sequences are a sure kicker), but he's more than just that. To be honest, I most recognize Holst for his "Somerset Rhapsody", his "Edgon Heath" tone poem, and his choral work "The Cloud Messenger". "The Cloud Messenger" is especially striking for its choral lyricism and its orchestral firepower. Yes, Holst is more than just "the guy who created the 'Planets' music", and this CD is further proof.
The "Double Concerto" consists of two solo violins and a very small orchestra. It's a great one, and it reminds me of Holst's "Hammersmith". "Brook Green Suite" & "St. Paul's Suite" are mostly based on folk material, and it doesn't get any better than this. "Lyric Movement" and "Two Songs without Words" aren't as good as the suites, but their sheer lyricism and steadiness makes me want to listen to them over and over. The only drawback to the "Fugal Concerto" for flute, oboe, and string orchestra is that the end sounds horribly anti-climactic. Either the conductor made a mistake, or Holst no longer had interest during the last movement.
Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia do a fine job with these pieces, and the soloists sound very good. I give this an A-."