Orchestral Works [incls 'Concerto for Orchestra']

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EDWARD GREGSON
Orchestral Works [incls 'Concerto for Orchestra']
Richard Watkins (horn) Wissam Boustany (flute) / BBC Philharmonic, Bramwell Tovey

[ Chandos / CD ]

Release Date: Monday 30 June 2014

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Edward Gregson is one of Britain's most versatile and prolific composers, his approachable and engaging music having gained recognition worldwide. With the BBC Philharmonic, Bramwell Tovey conducts works that take inspiration from an array of musical and extra-musical sources, revealing the breadth of Gregson's musical imagination.

The Horn Concerto, originally written in 1971 for soloist with brass band, is here heard in a recent orchestral arrangement, played by Richard Watkins, a leading horn player of his generation. Each of the Concerto's three movements displays a different facet of the French horn's character: serious, lyrical, and playful. Aztec Dances began as a substantial piece for recorder and piano; it was reworked for flute and piano at the request of Wissam Boustany, who here performs the final version, for flute and ensemble. Its vivid colours and ritualistic character were inspired by a British Museum exhibition exploring Aztec culture. Like Aztec Dances, the Concerto for Orchestra was revised twice. Its interim title, 'Contrasts', conveys the essence of the work, varieties of character and orchestral colour being key to it. Dream Song was commissioned to be share a concert programme with Mahler's Symphony No. 6. The essence of Mahler pervades the whole of this work which aims to create a parallel musical world to the Symphony.

"Bramwell Tovey conducts wonderfully committed readings of these superbly crafted and often quite beautiful works. The soloists are excellent and the BBC Philharmonic in top form is recorded in typically warm Chandos sound. I have already mentioned Paul Hindmarsh's excellent insert notes. These I have shamelessly plundered. They are yet another asset to this most welcome release." (Recording of the Month MusicWeb Sept 2014)

"Wissam Boustany and Richard Watkins play with superlative technique and verve in the two concertos...There really is something for everyone in this disc - glorious Arnoldesque tunes, stimulatingly serious expression, brilliant orchestration: a very Gregsonian cocktail. Enjoy!" (Gramophone)

Tracks:

Dream Song
Aztec Dances (Wissam Boustany - flute)
Concerto for Orchestra
Horn Concerto (Richard Watkins - horn)