Bax Symphony No. 4; Tintagel
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax
Label: Chandos
Magazine Review Date: 1/1984
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: ABTD1091
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Symphony No. 4 |
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer Bryden Thomson, Conductor Ulster Orchestra |
Tintagel |
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer Bryden Thomson, Conductor Ulster Orchestra |
Composer or Director: Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax
Label: Chandos
Magazine Review Date: 1/1984
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: ABRD1091
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Symphony No. 4 |
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer Bryden Thomson, Conductor Ulster Orchestra |
Tintagel |
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer
Arnold (Edward Trevor) Bax, Composer Bryden Thomson, Conductor Ulster Orchestra |
Author: Robert Layton
The symphony was written in the autumn and winter of 1930 and as Lewis Foreman tells us in his valuable sleeve-note, part of the first movement was worked out at Bax's Irish refuge at Glencolumcille but the seascapes that the score brings to mind are mainly those of the coast and islands of the Western Highlands, where Bax spent some of each winter during the 1930s, and whose natural grandeur haunts these pages. The symphony was first given in Los Angeles when it was conducted by Basil Cameron in March 1932, and later the same year in London under Sir Malcolm Sargent. The copious flow of ideas in the best of the symphonies (Nos. 2, 3,5 and 6) does not always go hand in hand with organic coherence, and the overall impression remains of a series of related episodes rather than a growing musical organism. This is not to belittle their power or originality but merely to underline what one perceptive critic has said, that a Bax symphony is ''like an instinctive drama of the emotions rather than a logically sustained argument''. The Fourth is, by general consent, the least concentrated and most hedonistic of the symphonies, and flaunts the ''unashamed romanticism'' which Bax so often proclaimed. It is opulently scored (triple woodwind, six horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, bass tuba, harp, glockenspiel, celeste and organ, as well as the usual percussion and strings) and even if the ideas are not so memorable as those of the Third and Fifth Symphonies, the moods are still powerful and colours vivid.
Bryden Thomson and the Ulster Orchestra have already given evidence of their dedication to Bax's music on an earlier disc coupling The Garden of Fand, November Woods, The Happy Forest and Summer Music (ABRD1066, 4/83), all of which precede the symphonies and come from the same period as Tintagel which completes the record. Both Boult and the LPO (Lyrita SRCS62, 10/72) and Barbirolli and the LSO (HMV ESD7092, 8/80) have recorded this but, artistically, this newcomer has no reason to fear comparison and, technically, this recording is in the demonstration bracket. Throughout Bryden Thomson encourages his players to a scrupulous observance of dynamic nuance (take the slow movement of the symphony from fig. 4 through to 7 which encompasses a wide range, and you will find no mark unobserved) as well as sensitive projection of atmosphere. There is plenty of exuberance and rhythmic vitality and excellent internal balance. As I said in discussing the tone poems ( ''Quarterly Retrospect'', 8/83, page 228) this orchestra and its conductor would be hailed with superlatives if theirs were more glamorous names. I would cheerfully pay money for this record and hope Chandos will go on to record the Third Symphony with them.'
Explore the world’s largest classical music catalogue on Apple Music Classical.
Included with an Apple Music subscription. Download now.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Events & Offers
From £9.20 / month
SubscribeGramophone Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Events & Offers
From £11.45 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.