Was Bernard Herrmann a truly great composer? When in 2010 Gramophone magazine staged a debate on the matter with John Amis, Rumon Gamba and Adrian Edwards, Amis was unambiguous – ‘I don’t think it’s great music, but it’s entertaining’ – not necessarily a verdict that makes much sense. Genius or not, Herrmann never set out to please. …
And still they come. John Wilson and his classy pick-up ensemble would now appear to be embarked on a Rachmaninov symphony series and, as is often the case with this conductor, the results are not quite what might have been expected. The team recently turned in a programme comprising a high-voltage account of the Third …
John Wilson & Sinfonia of London record Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2 for Chandos Read More »
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The music of Mieczysław Weinberg, or Moisey Vainberg as we used to call him, has lately emerged from the shadows. Was he a major independent voice or a mere acolyte, a Shostakovich clone with a Polish-Jewish accent? With his sometime protector’s star so much in the ascendant, Weinberg’s music enjoys much wider dissemination than ever it did in …
Weinberg String Quartets, Volume One – Arcadia Quartet on Chandos Read More »
![English Music For Strings [Sinfonia of London - John Wilson] [Chandos Records- CHSA 5264]](https://www.classicalsource.com/wp-content/uploads/English-Music-For-Strings-Sinfonia-of-London-John-Wilson-Chandos-Records-CHSA-5264-1024x1024.jpg)
Five stars for sensational technical quality in each case. However, neither of these overlapping collections is quite the unqualified success that might have been expected. John Wilson and the strings of the Sinfonia of London come closest to nailing it. As might be expected their music-making is tremendously efficient. Lingering is frowned upon, the mood …
