Dani Howard: Orchestral Works

Album review

Dani Howard is a comparative newcomer on the orchestral scene, but she has made quite a splash with the kind of sunny, crossover-oriented music that makes British radio listeners roll over and put their paws in the air. Consider the photo of the composer in the graphics, where she looks skyward toward some undefined realm of ecstasy. The first work on the album, Argentum, was composed for the silver anniversary of the listener-friendly Classic FM network, and it gives a good idea of what to expect with its single-word title, completely tonal orientation, and varied orchestration. Probably the strongest piece on the album is the three-movement Trombone Concerto, where Howard's laid-back mood is placed in highly effective contrast with quite a virtuosic solo part. This music requires relatively smooth orchestral work if it is not to fall apart, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic delivers it under conductors Pablo Urbina and Michael Seal (the album was recorded on a couple of different occasions). Trombonist Peter Moore makes a confident soloist. This release, which made classical best-seller lists in the spring of 2024, is especially recommended to listeners who may be new to Howard's music, for they will assuredly be hearing a lot of it in years to come.

© James Manheim /TiVo