I suppose Dyson’s music
will have made it when CD liner-notes
omit reference to the composer having
written the grenade manual for
the British Army during the Great War.
That day has not yet come.
Dyson’s At the
Tabard Inn, drawn from his massive
Canterbury Pilgrims choral work,
is a glorious comedy overture in
the English Rabelaisian tradition. On
the international stage comparisons
can be made with Colas Breugnon,
with Till Eulenspiegel and with
Stenka Razin. This pilgrim’s
cavalcade is ribald and touching; gentle
and rough-and-tumble. It is more naturally
recorded without the gorgeously contrived
impact of the recent Chandos
reissue. The horns whoop out over
the finally galloped bars in this exciting
performance.
The Concerto
da Chiesa emerges a much more
impressive work than it appeared on
Hickox’s Chandos CD a decade and more
ago. The music is dignified and yet
touchingly affecting in the Veni
emmanuel movement. The work breathes
the religious passion of the Tallis
Fantasia with the emotional impact
of Suk’s Wenceslas Chorale. A
memorable feature is the poignant work
of the solo string quartet. The resonances
touch on the reverential Tallis and
the plunging ardour of Elgar’s Introduction
and Allegro. Dyson ends the piece
with freshness avoiding the all too
easy hackneyed choices facing any composer
struggling to end a work.
David Lloyd-Jones shaves
several minutes off Hickox’s time for
Dyson’s one and only Symphony.
The approach and the orchestral tone
is leaner - more athletic. However Hickox’s
grip on structure is better in the rambunctious
yet fragmented first movement which
overall has a Korngold-like effusion
as well as the occasional Sibelian moment.
In both the central movements Lloyd-Jones
finds echoes of Elgar’s Enigma Variations
as well as the oft-mentioned reminiscences
of Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin. He makes
a much better sustained job of the impressive
second movement. In the finale we return
to the Russian influences - listen to
Dyson at play with Rimskian brilliance
from 4:43 onwards. This is a symphony
different in mien from the other 1930s
examples: Moeran, Walton 1 and Bax 6
yet serious enough and certainly varied
and provocative.
The strings of the
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are not
a voluptuous luxury item. They tend
to stiffen tone under tension and this
lends a psychological edginess to the
proceedings. This leanness can be compared
with the plush and sleek tone captured
on Chandos. Chandos are at mid-price
while Naxos are in their accustomed
bargain bins. Neither disc will leave
you feeling short-changed and both make
for rewarding listening. Chandos offer
a chance to hear the choral Dyson. In
that sense that disc is more representative.
However David Lloyd-Jones and the Bournemouth
Orchestra make something very special
of the Concerto da Chiesa and
the other pieces here are really very
well done.
Rob Barnett
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones
