These works by Alwyn are reviewed in disc
order starting with the 5th Symphony. The 5th
is a compact four-movements-in-one piece lasting in this
case less than a quarter of an hour. This is a good recording
with plenty of detail allowing one to hear the full range
of orchestral sound from the tumultuous opening to some
very quiet central sections. It’s easier to listen to than
Alwyn’s own recording on Lyrita CD with the London Philharmonic
Orchestra made in the 1970s. Alwyn’s own performance is
30 seconds longer and arguably better played but the CD
transfer of the Lyrita analogue original is not so kind
to the strings as was the LP. This matters, as ultimately
the Naxos disc allows one to hear details better. The work
repays repeated listening for those who enjoy coherent lyrical
music ŕ la Sibelius and Simpson. Alwyn says more in a quarter
of an hour than many lesser composers manage in triple the
time.
The 5th was commissioned by
the Arts Council for the Norwich Triennial Festival. Appropriately
Alwyn turned for inspiration to the writings of one of Norwich’s
famous historical figures, the 17th century polymath
Sir Thomas Browne and particularly his elegy on death Hydriotaphia:
Urn Burial, or a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately
found in Norfolk. Browne was a considerable luminary
of the time and amongst his many interests was one in archaeology.
Some burial urns had been found near the city around 1658
and his detailed study of them took the form of a study
of funeral customs. Being a man of his time, the Renaissance,
his writing took on a contemplative and poetic form, part
science, part philosophy. For more on this intriguing figure
interested readers are referred to the excellent site by
Anniina Jokinen at http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/browne.
According to Alwyn’s own notes Browne’s writing had been
a longtime source of solace. The 5th Symphony,
short though it is, is inspired by no less than four quotations,
all mystical in tone. To a large extent all Alwyn was doing
was providing a literary scaffolding for the sort of music
he wrote anyway. All the music on this disc is soulful and
urgent by turns. What the 5th has is a compacted
power rather reminiscent of Sibelius’ slightly longer 7th
Symphony.
The gorgeous Concerto for Harp, Lyra
Angelica, tries to capture ‘mystical fervour’ according
to Alwyn’s commentary. Suzanne Willison gets the urgency
into her performance (which is 2 minutes faster than that
of Rachel Masters on the obvious competition, Hickox’s Chandos
CD). This must be one of the best harp concertos there is
but the RLPO do not sound as excited by the piece as the
LPO were on Alwyn’s own recording, nor are they on this
occasion so well recorded, the detail on the Lyrita LP I
used for comparison is outstanding. The Chandos performance
seems more passionate than the Naxos though this could be
put down to a clearer recording with a very real sounding
acoustic and closer miking of the orchestra as well as slightly
slower tempi. All these performances of Lyra Angelica
are very good but Osian Ellis, the LPO and Alwyn are simply
the best. If you do not know the work, you owe it to yourself
to listen.
Alwyn notes that the critics were disturbed
by his unconventional approach to symphonic form and cites
that as the reason why the Symphony No.2 did not succeed
in the 1950s. A more likely explanation is that it sounds
like real music, it has tunes and harmonies that caress
the ear – it is very un-Second-Viennese-School. Alwyn’s
ability to evoke atmosphere must have been why he was such
a successful and prolific composer of film music. Part One
of the symphony is largely contemplative though it has plenty
of con moto moments. Part Two is much more explicitly
dramatic and prefigures the Third Symphony written only
three years later. David Lloyd-Jones fails to make the rhythmic
undercurrents urgent enough. It needs more pent-up energy.
If you want to hear the way it should go then try Alwyn’s
own recording on Lyrita.
What I like about Alwyn is that he always
sounds like Alwyn. The quietly passionate lyricism and the
angry outbursts might place him in the same category as
Vaughan Williams but the two remain quite distinct with
Vaughan Williams embracing a wider range of expression as
well as more orchestral colouring. Alwyn may be a more limited
composer but what he does he does impressively well. This
disk can be placed alongside those of the composer and Richard
Hickox and its price as well as its performance quality
make it a valuable contribution to the Alwyn discography.
Dave
Billinge
see also Review
by Rob Barnett August Bargain
of the Month
link to William
Alwyn Website
Suzanne Willison (harp)
