Bax: Tintagel, Northern Ballads; Bantock: Pagan Symphony

The Pagan symphony by Sir Granville Bantock is a real discovery; and is very thrilling and brim-full of interest !!! I love it !!! There are many beautiful passages in this one movement Symphony; and a fantastic extended pagan climax in the middle with percussion and brass: The work is a Symphonic Poem really: with nods along the way to Sir Edward German, Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Arnold Bax and to Richard Strauss; perhaps you can detect others. The work is brilliantly constructed and Bantock drives the music on with Straussian thrust and inevitability. The recorded sound is brilliant. The Pagan Symphony is the highlight of the disk. Buy it this for this alone !!! The recorded sound is superb. Five Stars for the Symphony. It is one of my records of the year !!!As to the "fillers" : I am afraid that in my view Sir Edward Downes's performance of Bax's Tintagel doesn't quite pass muster. Three stars for that. If you just want Tintagel, look elsewhere ...... Sir John Barbirolli's recording has never been surpassed : and is often described as one of the great recordings of the last Century.The first of Bax's Northern Ballads is harmless enough and makes an "easy-listening filler". Three Stars for that. The second is a much more interesting and inspiring work than the first. Rather thrilling : Excellent stuff !!! Five Stars for that.To re-iterate : The Bantock Pagan Symphony is a MUST for your Library if you love British Music.

All though this disc has already been revolved, I must through in a few words concerning it. To begin with, it appears to be genuine stereo, with marvellous sound. There is a suggestion that the Bantock, at least, was performed before an audience, but there is no indication of such.This disc needs to be reissued by another company. It's a wonderful CD.

The Bax items were originally broadcast in the the extensive Radio 3 concerts for the Bax centenary year, and the two Northern Ballads were either absolute premieres or broadcast premieres. Over the next 20 years much of Bax's unheard oeuvre found its way to performance and eventually to CD - Downes, who had been the second conductor to record Bax's Symphony No 3 - very well indeed, for RCA - conducts the two Ballads and Tintagel as well asanyone here and the BBc recording is well up to standard. I can't claim to be a Bantock enthusiast, but the Pagan Symphony will not waste anyone's time.