Customer Reviews

Marsh: Five Symphonies

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The English composer John Marsh (1752-1828) was an attorney by education and profession. He also was a very accomplished amateur composer and musical director. Originally from Dorking, he moved to Chichester in 1787 and remained there for the rest of his life. He wrote about 40 symphonies, of which 9 survive (the preceeding information was gleaned from the booklet that accompanies this CD). He is perhaps best considered as a "local" composer, locally published and whose music may have never been heard very far from his home in Chichester, which may explain why his excellent music has only recently been revived after being essentially forgotten for about 200 years.

This CD contains performances of 5 of Marsh's surviving symphonies - Nos. 1 (B flat), 3 (D), 4 (F), 6 (D) and the Conversation Symphony for Two Orchestras. Nos. 1 and 3 and the Conversation Symphony are in 3 movements and numbers 4 and 6 are in 4 movements, although only the first 3 movements of Symphony No. 4 are presented on this CD - no explanation is given for the absence of the fourth movement. This recording was originally issued on the Olympia label but was remastered for Alto. The symphonies on this disc were apparently composed during a time period ranging from 1770 to 1796, placing them squarely in the Mozart-Haydn era.

These very fine works sound in many places like Haydn and in other places like Handel. They are not mere imitations of the two masters, however. Instead they consistently have a lightness of their own and are laced with English folk music, giving them an airy and often frolicsome quality and melodic richness rarely surpassed during the late classical era.

The performance by the Chichester Consort is light and energetic and is just right for this music. It is obvious that they took delight in playing this music by their "hometown" composer. The sound quality is very spacious and captures the orchestra exceedingly well. It would be difficult to get better sound reproduction.

This an excellent disc of very enjoyable music, well played and with superb sound. Highly recommended for those who like the late classical era and who are looking for something a little different. When Mendelssohn referred to England as "the land without music", he obviously had not heard these marvelous works by John Marsh.

John Marsh: Five Symphonies

Can only echo Broadhead review:
"Absolutely marvelous .... excellent music .... airy and often frolicsome
quality and melodic richness rarely surpassed during the late classical
era ....excellent disc of very enjoyable music, well played and with superb
sound."
As to:
"Highly recommended for those who like the late classical era and who are
looking for something a little different."
fans of other eras will like it too; and not so much different as just delightful.

As to JHM review, apparently a conservatory is a place where one learns to dislike pretty music.

Now, I know why I never heard of John Marsh back in my conservatory days. His music is extremely simplistic and uninteresting! This particular recording is also quite amateurish! The orchestra sounds as if it's made up of local pickup players from the boondocks-very out of tune and lacking finesse. One might say this is really how most of the orchestras of the day sounded. However, I would be embarassed to actually produce and sell this recording. Overall, it is certainly not representative of the classical recordings coming out of England these days. I played it once and that was enough for me. Don't waste your money.