Bax: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5

Arnold Bax (Composer), Myer Fredman (Conductor), Raymond Leppard (Conductor), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Myer Fredman, Raymond Leppard
• Composer: Arnold Bax
• Audio CD (May 13, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Lyrita
• ASIN: B0012XDFPG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,439 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another unforgettable Bax recording from Lyrita, May 17, 2008

By 

Larry VanDeSande - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bax: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 (Audio CD)

Over in England they're calling this recording the classical CD release of the year; maybe someone will think that highly of it here, too.

This re-release includes show-stopping renditions of the Symphonies 2 and 5 from Arnold Bax (1883-1953), one of Great Britian's lesser known but still magnificent composers from the first half of the 20th century. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Bax was hardly pastoral and completely without influence from Sibelius -- a composer that impressed many Brits in the 1930s -- as the first three minutes of the opening movement of Symphony 2 will tell you in its heaving and sighing romantic soundworld.

Bax maintained a kinship with Frederick Delius (1962-1934) during their collective lifetimes. He was, like Delius, a member of Britain's impressionist crowd taking up the mantle introduced by the French in the early 20th cenutry. Bax tended to mix Ireland-like English romanticism with Delius' brand of impressionism to give us regal scores likes Tintangel, Mediterranean, The Garden of Fand and November Woods, all romantic yet impressionstic enough to remind you over and over again of the composer's love of life and, especially, his love of the Scottish and Irish shores.

To the music at hand, Lyrita -- an English label that in the 1970s churned out great sounding LPs of then little known English composers -- release the Symphony No. 2 and 5, conducted by Myer Freedman and Raymond Leppard, respectively, in 1971 and 1972. These recordings impressed critics around the world and became favorites for audiophiles circa the 1970s -- before everyone turned to tape, then CD, then download (AKA the anti-audiophile crowd.) The recordings sound better today than ever -- exceptionally natural, wide-ranging and with a deep sound stage. The playing of the early 1970s London Philharmonic Orchestra is magnificen.

The Symphony No. 2 is a romantic three movement edifice full of bombast, sweep and high spirits. The openings movement is 18 minutes of powerhouse feelings, both heavy and light, with a dreamy quiet section in the middle. It's followed by an 11-minutes andante -- the only true andante Bax put in any of his seven symphonies -- and closes with more powerhouse and roughouse playing in the third movement labeled Pove largamente - allegro feroce. Freedman leads with expressive power and little reserve, focusing on the composer's feelings for life and love.

The Symphony No. 5 is, with the Symphonies 3 and 6, one of the best of Bax's full scale compositions for orchestra. It is more intellectual than most of his output, more succinct in its messaging (he tends to ramble in this respect) with all the romance and dynamism you'd expect from a composer that was probably a sexaholic, had several mistresses, and labeled himself a romantic in the dodecaphonic era in Europe. The Baroque specialist Leppard would not seem to be the ideal interpreter of a highly romanticized composer and he is surprisingly good here, attentive to the changing moods and intellectual capacity of the score.

This is a very satisfying release for lovers of romantic orchestral music and those that want to know more about either Bax or 20th century British orchestral music. If you have the slightest interest in any of this, buy or borrow this recording and get to know a lyrical, enthusiastic, mystical and romantic 20th century symphonist of high quality.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars more essential Bax recordings from Lyrita, May 28, 2008

By 

jsa (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bax: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 (Audio CD)

My initial exposure to these great Bax symphonies was through the Musical Heritage Society, which licensed many recordings from Lyrita in the 1970's. At the time, MHS was practically the sole source for much of the music from Britain's great 20th century composers, including Alwyn, Bax, Moeran, Finzi, Rubbra, Holst, and Ireland among others. Although the Lyrita recordings were often the only ones available of various compositions, many were (and still are) definitive. Many were conducted by Adrian Boult, who was a great champion of British music (his Vaughan Williams is still the best, to my ears) as well as by Norman Del Mar, Raymond Leppard & a young Vernon Handley.

Among the many outstanding releases licensed by MHS from Lyrita were these great London Philharmonic Bax recordings: Symphony No. 2, conducted by Myer Fredman & No. 5, conducted by Raymond Leppard. These works have been recorded more recently by David Lloyd Jones (Naxos) and Vernon Handley (Chandos), but I still think these later efforts, fine as they may be, are eclipsed by Fredman & Leppard. There is a mystery & grandeur that each conductor brings to the score, which is so necessary to get Bax right, that gives them an edge over the competition. Lyrita, which was known for their outstanding sonics, does not disappoint in this department either.

Classicstoday, which gave this disc their highest rating of 10/10 said, "There has been a lot of water flowing under the Baxian bridge since these sterling performances first appeared, but the bottom line is that they have never been surpassed." I agree.

Very highly recommended!