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BBC Symphony Orchestra|Walton: Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, Cello Concerto & Symphony No. 2

Walton: Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, Cello Concerto & Symphony No. 2

Paul Watkins, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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The works on this album come from the later part of William Walton's career, in the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, with modernist absolutism in full swing, they were negatively reviewed, but now, with a neo-Romantic language mixed with hints of jazz, at least in the Symphony No. 2, they sound pretty prescient and worthy of revival. They get strong performances here. Rarest of all are the Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, composed in 1969, and an intriguing example of a tribute by an older composer to a younger one. The work is a short passacaglia-like treatment of the substitute Impromptu movement theme of Britten's Piano Concerto, putting it through changes that transform it from Britten into Walton. The Cello Concerto, the only one of the three works that fits the stereotype of Walton's later work as relaxed and autumnal, receives a warm and engaging performance from Emerson Quartet cellist Paul Watkins. The jazz elements in the Symphony No. 2 are actually deemphasized by conductor Edward Gardner, leading the BBC Symphony Orchestra, but his rather dry blocks of sound also work well and bring out the many small touches of orchestration in this work. An attractive release that's well worth the time of Walton fans and those of British music in general.
© TiVo

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Walton: Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, Cello Concerto & Symphony No. 2

BBC Symphony Orchestra

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Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, C82 (William Walton)

1
Theme: Lento - Improvisation No. 1. — -
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:03:54

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

2
Improvisation No. 2. Vivo - Improvisation No. 3. Pocchissimo meno mosso -
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:02:39

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

3
Improvisation No. 4. Moderato -
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:03:53

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

4
Improvisation No. 5. Scherzando
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:03:16

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

Cello Concerto, C65 (William Walton)

5
I. Allegro moderato
Paul Watkins
00:07:59

Paul Watkins, Performer - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

6
II. Allegro appassionato
Paul Watkins
00:06:08

Paul Watkins, Performer - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

7
III. Theme: Lento - Variation 1: Con moto -
Paul Watkins
00:04:13

Paul Watkins, Performer - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

8
III. Variation 2: Risoluto tempo giusto - Brioso - Variation 3: Allegro molto -
Paul Watkins
00:02:49

Paul Watkins, Performer - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

9
III. Variation 4: Rapsodicamente - Variation 5: — - Variation 6: Adagio
Paul Watkins
00:06:44

Paul Watkins, Performer - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

Symphony No. 2, C68 (William Walton)

10
I. Allegro molto
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:08:35

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

11
II. Lento assai
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:10:11

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

12
III. Finale: Passacaglia: Themes and Variations -
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:05:39

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

13
III. Finale: Passacaglia: Fugato - Coda: Scherzando
BBC Symphony Orchestra
00:03:42

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra - Edward Gardner, Conductor - William Walton, Composer

(C) 2015 Chandos (P) 2015 Chandos

Album review

The works on this album come from the later part of William Walton's career, in the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, with modernist absolutism in full swing, they were negatively reviewed, but now, with a neo-Romantic language mixed with hints of jazz, at least in the Symphony No. 2, they sound pretty prescient and worthy of revival. They get strong performances here. Rarest of all are the Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten, composed in 1969, and an intriguing example of a tribute by an older composer to a younger one. The work is a short passacaglia-like treatment of the substitute Impromptu movement theme of Britten's Piano Concerto, putting it through changes that transform it from Britten into Walton. The Cello Concerto, the only one of the three works that fits the stereotype of Walton's later work as relaxed and autumnal, receives a warm and engaging performance from Emerson Quartet cellist Paul Watkins. The jazz elements in the Symphony No. 2 are actually deemphasized by conductor Edward Gardner, leading the BBC Symphony Orchestra, but his rather dry blocks of sound also work well and bring out the many small touches of orchestration in this work. An attractive release that's well worth the time of Walton fans and those of British music in general.
© TiVo

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