Orchestral
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Review: O’Brien: Complete Orchestral Music, Vol. 1 (Liepāja Symphony/Paul Mann)

Charles O’Brien was a Scottish composer, who doesn’t have much new to say outside (or inside) the British orchestral oeuvre of the early 20th century. However, his music is forthright and attractive, occasionally with a decided Celtic lilt. Hamish MacCunn was his composition teacher, and The Land of the Mountain and the Flood was clearly an influence. The 45-minute Symphony in F Minor begins soberly before entering into some robust 19th-century symphonic rhetoric, punctuated by Teutonic tuttis. There’s barely a hint of the Highlands; its feet are planted firmly in 19th-century Vienna. The slow movement is thoughtful, without any particularly interesting ideas, the second a graceful Menuetto. The last movement is a vigorous tribute to German Romanticism. Again, well scored, but lacking true inspiration. The music of the Ellangowan Concert Overture is instantly recognisable as Celtic; the only missing instrument is a bagpipe. It’s an enjoyable Scottish romp with a gentle conclusion. The overture is more successful than the symphony. It knows where it lives. The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Paul Mann, who directs the music with understanding. Competent but undistinguished playing, likewise the recording. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a…

July 29, 2016