Goossens Orchestral Works Vol. 1
Hickox bids us farewell with a superbly accomplished pairing from down under
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: (Aynsley) Eugene Goossens
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: Chandos
Magazine Review Date: 6/2010
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 0
Catalogue Number: CHSA 5068

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Phantasy concerto |
(Aynsley) Eugene Goossens, Composer
(Aynsley) Eugene Goossens, Composer Howard Shelley, Piano Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Richard Hickox, Conductor |
Symphony No 1 |
(Aynsley) Eugene Goossens, Composer
(Aynsley) Eugene Goossens, Composer Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Richard Hickox, Conductor |
Author: Andrew Achenbach
The Phantasy Concerto dates from 1942 and this would appear to be its first commercial recording. Inspired in part by “the fantastic and sinister character” of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Devil in the Belfry and written for the Spanish pianist José Iturbi (who first performed it in February 1944 with the composer at the helm of the Cincinnati SO), it’s an attractively spicy, densely plotted score in four linked movements lasting just over 25 minutes, in which the piano largely eschews ostentatious display in favour of a more concertante role (“conversational” was how Goossens described it). Howard Shelley is the fearless soloist and he receives alert support from Hickox and the Melbourne SO. Eminently truthful sound, too, with an astutely judged balance throughout. I doubt whether many more sheerly enjoyable discs will come my way during the remainder of 2009.
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