A first-rate Britten collection. Takuo Yuasa's Grimes Interludes are a match for the finest available: with the RLPO on powerfully responsive form, his scrupulously sensitive reading steers a profoundly satisfying middle course between Slatkin's cool objectivity and Hickox's more warmly expressive manner. Certainly, ''Sunday Morning'' attains a marvellous, bustling climax, notable for some sparkling work from superbly assertive Liverpool trumpets (truly brillante as marked), whilst both ''Dawn'' and ''Moonlight'' are at once pleasingly atmospheric yet immensely refined of texture, though the darkly passionate undertow of the latter tableau has perhaps been more comprehensively realized elsewhere. Yuasa's ''Storm'' undoubtedly generates great physical excitement, if without quite challenging the elemental fury and breathtaking sweep of Eduard van Beinum's riveting conception (now reissued on Decca, the Dutchman's classic 1953 recording is required listening for all Brittenites).
The six numbers which comprise the ''Pas de Six'' from Act 3 of The Prince of the Pagodas contain some of that ambitious ballet's most engaging invention: I'm thinking particularly of the first variation ''Pas de Deux'' with its sinuously striding melody and the seductive lilt of the ''Pas de Trois'' in 7/8 time. Yuasa and his colleagues positively relish all the music's drama, glitter and poise, and prove themselves no less dashingly committed exponents of the Gloriana concert suite. Here the opening fanfares and popular sequence of ''Courtly Dances'' are delivered with genuine panache, whilst RLPO principal oboist Jonathan Small creates a ravishing impression in the second movement ''Lute Song'' (which utilizes Essex's hauntingly wistful aria ''Happy were he''). Indeed, the whole performance possesses memorable vibrancy, polish and swagger—Uri Segal's useful 1981 Bournemouth version (formerly on EMI Studio, 12/88—nla) now sounds uncomfortably cautious and sedate by comparison.
Featuring top-notch Keener/Clements production-values throughout, this enticing Eminence release deserves a warm welcome. In fact, my only moan concerns the disc's total duration: isn't just 53 minutes of music a touch on the stingy side, mid price or not?'