Northern Ballad No.2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The works gathered on this disc come from Bax's early period, and some influence from Debussy (and perhaps Strauss) can be heard. But they nonetheless triumph as works individual to Bax's own creative temperament. In fact, Spring Fire is Bax's first fully characterized tone poem, written in a free-flowing manner that informs all his later works; it exhibits a kind of boistrous "paganism," as some early critics termed it. Chandos has single-handedly rescued Bax from obscurity and this is one of their best releases in the Bax series. A good place to start. --Paul Cook

Sir Arnold Bax: Spring Fire,Symphony/Symphonic Scherzo/Northern Ballad No.2, Music, Arnold Bax, Vernon Handley, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 20th/21st Century Orchestral Work with Formal Description, 20th/21st Century Symphony, Classical, Classical Music, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Scherzo for Orchestra, Symphonic

Sir Arnold Bax: Spring Fire,Symphony/Symphonic Scherzo/Northern Ballad No.2
Average customer rating:

Bax at his very best!

Sir Arnold Bax: Spring Fire,Symphony/Symphonic Scherzo/Northern Ballad No.2

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000AEJ
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

Spring Fire, Symphony: I - In The Forest Before Dawn
Spring Fire, Symphony: II - Daybreak And Sunrise
Spring Fire, Symphony: III - Full Day
Spring Fire, Symphony: IV - Woodland Love (Romance)
Spring Fire, Symphony: V - Maenads
Symphonic Scherzo
Northern Ballad No. 2

Amazon.com

The works gathered on this disc come from Bax's early period, and some influence from Debussy (and perhaps Strauss) can be heard. But they nonetheless triumph as works individual to Bax's own creative temperament. In fact, Spring Fire is Bax's first fully characterized tone poem, written in a free-flowing manner that informs all his later works; it exhibits a kind of boistrous "paganism," as some early critics termed it. Chandos has single-handedly rescued Bax from obscurity and this is one of their best releases in the Bax series. A good place to start. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Bax at his very best!.......2000-03-27

Bax was the master of the opening of a work. The gentle sea winds of 'the Garden of Fand' or the boiling waves of 'Tintagel' take us away from our prosaic everydayness and transport us immediately into his dream world of myth and legend. The opening of 'Spring Fire' is the best of all with its dripping woodland before dawn, full of expectant tension and thrilling expectation for the glorious day (and Bax work!) beyond. I am now going to be churlish but I believe that Handley takes us just a tad too fast on the beginning but that is minor and my only gripe at this wonderful, fabulous CD. This is the earliest Bax we have, dating from 1914, truly young man's music, full of impetuous energy and as powerful in its way as the ballets of his contemporary, Stravinsky. The harmonies and orchestration are as mature as any of Bax's work with no faults except that it never seems long enough to me. The music Bax wrote in this period for me is his very best when he seems almost 'possessed' by a spirit that tells him how to touch my very soul. He is never better in his orchestration which is the richest he ever achieved. The flights of solo violin and woodwind with celesta runs that almost reveal the fairy land to one with eyes shut. I wonder if there are any Bax works that predate this as the product is so assured I wonder if Bax was really a musical equivalent to Athene who came 'fully-fledged from the head of Zeus'. Every bar of this is magic, nothing else can be said about it. Bax never heard the work due to a sad set of coincidences although in his musical brain he must have 'heard it' and it must have been depressing in his later years when he was unable to recapture 'the ivory tower' of his youth. Apart from my little moan earlier, Handley takes through this rich garden of delights beautifully and the horn players must have had a field day with so much varied writing. The dance rhythms and the slow dreamy sequences are so wonderful. It is inconceivable why these works are not in the permanent repertory. I understand that 'Spring Fire' is now appearing in concerts in the United States. This is great news and I hope that the British wake up and take notice! The Symphonic Scherzo and Northern Ballad No 2 are equally fine. This is a maximum recomendation to all classical music fans everywhere!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

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