DYSON: Symphony in G Major / Concerto da Chiesa / At the Tabard Inn

Chronique

Despite the increased popularity of George Dyson's long-neglected Symphony in G (1937), this expansive piece seems to be admired more for its accessible tonality and evocative Romanticism than for any thematic originality, emotional depth, or inherent greatness. Often compared to or contrasted with the symphonies of Walton and Vaughan Williams, Dyson's single essay in the form is considerably less taut and muscular than either of his contemporaries' works, and rather meandering in its washes of sensuous orchestral color, lush chromatic harmonies, and mildly charming melodies. Somewhat more enjoyable for their spontaneity, formal clarity, compactness, and lack of pretense are the festive overture At the Tabard Inn (1943), based on themes from Dyson's choral work, The Canterbury Pilgrims, and the Concerto da Chiesa for string orchestra (1949), based on traditional hymns; both works are more direct in thematic development, tighter in construction, stronger in expression, and perhaps more deserving of attention in the ongoing Dyson revival than the overrated symphony. Under the direction of David Lloyd-Jones, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra sounds sumptuous and often exuberant on this 2005 release from Naxos, and the sound quality is rich and detailed.

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