Beowulf -- a major and overlooked choral work
Jenny Hanniver | Philadelphia, PA, United States | 08/30/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've directed choirs in three large churches, and have considerable acquaintance with choral music, ancient to avant-garde. I discovered "Lament for Beowulf" on an LP (I'll buy anything "modern" and have seldom been disappointed). The first time I heard it, I swear my hair stood on end! I've since replaced the LP with this CD, which has much better sound quality and staying quality.I suppose "Beowulf" hits me from two directions -- the deliberate primitive power of the chant-like themes and the use of a Medieval text of equal passion. Buy this album for a solid performance of one of Hanson's better symphonies, the Fourth (not equal, however, to the lush Second) and the cleverly-written and well-directed "Merrymount Suite" -- but do yourself a favor and listen first to "Beowulf.""
A touching memorial
Michael S.Winningham | Bangor, Maine United States | 11/29/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is unique for many reasons. One is that it is by a somewhat lesser known American composer, and because it is a piece of superb beauty and lyric background. The Seattle Symphony does a beautiful job of making the orchestral colors of this work come alive. Perhaps the most touching part of this work is the Kyrie of the 4th movement. Hanson wrote the music as a memorial to his dead father. It is a movement that contains more feeling and passion than any other of his symphonies. This cd is truly a great find."
Neglected American Masterpieces
Music Is Everything | Colorado Springs, CO USA | 05/29/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first half of the twentieth century was a chaotic time for orchestras. Competition from radio and television was fierce, and the avante garde school of composition was good at getting headlines and bad at selling tickets. Orchestras made a hard shift toward "standard" repertoire, and the greatest casualty of this shift was the neo-Romantic American school of composers: Hanson, Diamond, Piston, Creston, Mennin and Schuman. Only Copland was able to reach commercial success in those days.
This is a modern Romantic music that is, in every way, approachable and utterly human. Howard Hanson's works are among the most accessible within this group. His orchestration was the predecessor of the modern film score sound. Here we find his Fourth Symphony, written in memory of his father and flowing in gorgeous harmonies and thoughtful reflection, followed by two lesser known works--Lament for Beowulf and the Merry Mount Suite. Another reviewer here says plenty about Beowulf, so I'll leave that for her, as she's right on the money.
Merry Mount was Hanson's stab at the quintessential American Opera--a title which was probably won by Porgy & Bess. The complete opera is excellent and also available in recording by Seattle & Schwarz, but the suite is an excellent concert hall work--colorful, exciting, and complex.
The Seattle Symphony plays everything excellently here, and Schwarz clearly has an affinity for this music. All things considered, this series of recordings by Seattle & Schwarz is probably the most significant development in Classical recording in the 1990s, as they successfully uncovered an overlooked and highly worthwhile niche of the repertoire. Only one minor criticism: The recording level for the entire series is rather low, so you have to turn the volume up a bit, but no harm done. Enjoy."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
