Bax: Symphony No.5 in c sharp
London Philharmonic Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, conductor.
Musical Heritage Society MHS-1652 (LP, From Lyrita SRCS-58). Sir Arnold Bax (1883–1953) completed his fifth symphony in 1932 and dedicated it to Sibelius. Its first performance was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham in 1934. Have any of our major orchestras ever played it? Not to my knowledge, and after over 40 years, it's about time. At least we have it on disc now, in addition to The Garden of Fand and Tintagel. Lyrita has even more Bax in their catalog. By now, Raymond Leppard's name should be familiar to record buyers. Somewhat controversial among purists for his versions of works of 16th- and 17th-century composers, Leppard can always be relied upon for a musical performance that has life and breath. The London Philharmonic plays beautifully under Leppard's direction in a fine acoustical setting (North London's Walthamstow Assembly Hall in February 1971).
Perhaps the rhapsodic nature of this symphony and of Bax's output in general can be gleaned from this quote from the 1954 Grove's Dictionary of Music & Musicians: "Bax's two main characteristics are his feeling for poetic beauty of line...and his use of a kind of harmonic arabesque, constantly varied, to enrich his texture." MHS has apparently reproduced the original Lyrita sound quite faithfully. The first movement has moments of particularly fine brass sound, and the lower strings here and throughout the work have a clarity and definition rarely heard on a recording. Balances throughout are excellent also. A highly recommended disc and a good introduction to Bax.
Incidentally, there was a good article on Raymond Leppard in the February 1974 issue of Stereo Review, and you can find out more about the composer from the book Arnold Bax, by Scott-Sutherland (published 1973 by J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd, London).—William Marsh
London Philharmonic Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, conductor.
Musical Heritage Society MHS-1652 (LP, From Lyrita SRCS-58). Sir Arnold Bax (1883–1953) completed his fifth symphony in 1932 and dedicated it to Sibelius. Its first performance was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham in 1934. Have any of our major orchestras ever played it? Not to my knowledge, and after over 40 years, it's about time. At least we have it on disc now, in addition to The Garden of Fand and Tintagel. Lyrita has even more Bax in their catalog. By now, Raymond Leppard's name should be familiar to record buyers. Somewhat controversial among purists for his versions of works of 16th- and 17th-century composers, Leppard can always be relied upon for a musical performance that has life and breath. The London Philharmonic plays beautifully under Leppard's direction in a fine acoustical setting (North London's Walthamstow Assembly Hall in February 1971).
