Search - Cyril Scott, Peter Marchbank, National Symphony Orchestra of the S.A.B.C. :: Scott: Aubade / Neapolitan Rhapsody

A neglected genius

K. Farrington | Missegre, France | 03/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It comes as a shock that Cyril Scott died as recently as 1970 and yet these works refer to the period up to the end of WWI. Scott was deemed to be progressive at this time, after graduating from the Koch conservatory with Quilter, Grainger and Balfour Gardiner at the turn of the century. The Aubade is a musical depiction of dawn and it seems amazing that this has been written by an Englishman. The whole work is an ever shifting set of veils that reveal different colour and lights. It has been compared to Debussy due to its impressionism but somehow none of the French masters fingerprints appear for we have a totally different musical personality. The drifting harmonies are splendid and enable the listener to have 11 minutes of total rapture in a celebration of one of natures true glories. I know of no work that completely sums up the dawn as Scott does here. The Neapolitan Rhapsody for orchestra may have its source of inspiration as folksong/s but to my mind if you love the fin de siecle inventive impressionistic style you will just listen to this beautiful gentle unfolding rhapsody with great pleasure. The woodwind and string writing are superb and Marchbank takes us through it all gracefully and beautifully. The birdsong episodes are lovely and the ending is touching. The Three Dances, Suite Fantastique and Two Passacaglias are all brilliant and leave you wanting more. I would love it if someone would come out with a recording of Scott's Piano Concerto, dating from 1915 and well received at the time. Lyrita came out with one in the 1970s (my local record library had it) and it is now sadly withdrawn. The Piano Concerto shows a more classical side to the romantic composer this welcome CD portrays and its presence among the recordings would balance our appreciation of his art. Scott will never be a 'big gun' like Delius or Bax, for that is not his style. However, in these works he shows an imaginative and atmospheric grasp of the late romantic orchestra modern sensibilities enjoy. These pieces deserve to be heard alongside the more well known Grainger and Quilter. The playing throughout the CD is excellent, with all those tiny touches Scott makes his own (from my memories of the Piano Concerto) revealed on the brilliant recording. Here is another unique voice who should be heard much more if we are to fully assess the English Musical Renaissance of this period."