British Light Music Discoveries, Vol. 4

Editorial Reviews
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Xylophones ahoy! John Rutter's Partita of 1976, which begins this fourth collection from ASV of home-grown Light Music Discoveries, is not a piece you might necessarily have expected from the renowned composer of some of the classics of contemporary sacred choral music. Manifesting every intention to entertain rather than challenge, it does exactly that, making a rumbustious opener to this anthology. All manner of percussion enjoy a jolly day out, strings glissando deliciously, and only the grandiose finale of this 20-minute work, pulling out every trick in the book, threatens slightly to overstay its welcome. Almost equally grandiose is the climax of David (African Sanctus) Fanshawe's Fantasy on Dover Castle, inspired by a returning glimpse of the familiar White Cliffs – which makes one gently wonder quite what a Moorish-sounding harp cadenza is also doing in the piece! At the other extreme, Paul Lewis's relatively restrained Miniature Symphony, each movement lasting a minute, is a reminder that the well-crafted miniature is also a frequent feature of light music. Tunefulness is another: Lewis's four movements have it a-plenty, as do Philip Lane's orchestral version of a familiar Arnold march and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett's elaborations of French folk tunes. I must confess that the name William Blezard was new to me, though it appears on one of the previous releases in this series. The composer, 80 this year, is evidently a dab hand at both brevity and wit, judging by the five short pieces that make up what he calls a 'children's suite' – often quite bucolic sounding in places, for all its title. Finally, there is Michael Hurd's Dance Diversions of 1972, for me the best piece here: traditional, even conservative it may be, but beautifully crafted and teeming with graceful instrumental solos – gracefully played too. On this evidence, the light music revival continues: BBC Radio 3 has just begun a dedicated Sunday series, in which this collection will surely figure. Piers Burton-Page

British Light Music Discoveries, Vol. 4, Music, Ian Scott, Malcolm Arnold, Richard Rodney Bennett, William Blezard, David Fanshawe, Michael Hurd, Paul Lewis, John Rutter, Gavin Sutherland, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Classical, Classical Collections-Composer Desc., Classical Music, March for Orchestra, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Orchestral Music, Symphonic, Symphony, V/a Compilations

British Light Music Discoveries, Vol. 4
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British Light Music Discoveries, Vol. 4

Manufacturer: White Line
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Arnold | Arnold, Malcolm | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Rutter | Rutter, John | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005K3P5
Release Date: 2001-07-24