5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
COMPLETELY MELODIC, March 18, 2001
This review is from: Hymnus / Little Concert / Shahnama (Audio CD)
Friends of mine in London knew that I had never heard the music of one of England's most revered living composers: Nicholas Maw. They sent me this CD and it is magnificent. There are 3 totally different pieces of music here, written between 1987 and 1996, almost as if they were written by 3 different men. The "Hymnus" is arguably the most beautiful. It consists of two hymns (one for dawn, one for evening) performed hauntingly by the Oxford Bach Choir & the BBC Concert Orchestra. Maw paints pictures with his music and much of it is in the British pastoral style, esp. the "Little Concert" written for solo oboe, 2 horns and strings. The "lonely" sound of the oboe immediately reminded me of the music of Gerald Finzi and even of the paintings of Edward Hopper. If you think that a contemporary composer can only write atonal music, give Maw a listen. His work is completely melodic, mysterious, lovely. The sound on this new disc is perfect, as are all the performances.
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