Search - Boughton, English Symphony Orchestra :: Parry: Symphony 1/ From Death to Life

A Good Effort

Hegelian | Concord, MA USA | 05/12/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you want to own one performance of the Parry Symphony No. 1, there is no question it should be Bamert with the London Philharmonic on Chandos. But if you're tired of Bamert, this performance makes an interesting alternative. The strings of the "English Symphony" sound thin and the orchestra is sometimes challenged. This isn't a major orchestra like the London Philharmonic. But Boughton takes a different cut on things, which is refreshing."

Fine performances of a worthy symphony and a dreary symphoni

G.D. | Norway | 07/05/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Parry's first symphony is full of cheeky self-confidence and youthful spirit and it is, while no masterpiece, perhaps, a very enjoyable work. It is an early work but still displays the characteristic Parry orchestration (for good and bad) and sports some finely shaped, memorable themes. In the end, it does perhaps take itself a little too seriously, and the ambitious structure cannot quite be supported by the somewhat thin material. Still, it is a fine piece, and I have no complaints about William Boughton's rather expansive version here. The English Symphony orchestra acquit themselves with spirit and panache and despite a few rough edges provide a very satisfying performance.



The idea behind this disc was, apparently, to contrast early and late Parry, and in that respect it is somewhat unfortunate that the symphonic poem From Death to Life, showcasing the ageing composer, is such a dud. Basically, you get a pompously dreary, banal minor theme unworthy even of a very minor composer (representing Death) being thoroughly flogged to death over a far too long period of time with little happening apart from endless repetitions. When you hope, against all odds, that you don't have to listen to it ever again, it is resurrected in the major (representing Life) and forced to tread on for several very long minutes without anything really happening musically this time around either. This is, quite simply, one of the most boring and dreary pieces of music I have ever heard and the fact that it has several recordings to it beggars belief. I don't think my low opinion of it has anything to do with the performances here either, even though the playing sounds lackluster and heavy-handed (how could it not given the material?). Sound quality is a little dull and unbalanced, but not bad. Overall, this disc is worth hearing for the rather fine and well-played symphony; forget the coupling."