Holbrooke: Aucassin & Nicolette ballet music & Saxophone Concerto: Recorded at RSNO Centre, Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 31 May & 1 June 2011

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the idiom is affably that of light music, full of pleasantly swinging rhythms and whistle-able melodies. But there's also a certain edge and astringency which keeps you listening...Amy Dickson's... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2012, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 17th Oct 2011
Catalogue No: CDLX7277
Label: Dutton
Series: Epoch
Length: 78 minutes

Joseph Charles Holbrooke: Aucassin and Nicolette - Ballet for Orchestra, Op.115

Work length36:17

$13.00

$18.20

Royal National Scottish Orchestra
George Vass

i. Ballet: Moderato

Track length5:04

$1.00

$1.40

ii. Entry of Count Garin: Poco vivo

Track length0:52

$1.00

$1.40

iii. Marcia: Moderato

Track length1:10

$1.00

$1.40

iv. Danse Path√©tique: Slow

Track length1:32

$1.00

$1.40

v. Return of the Soldiers: Marcia

Track length1:09

$1.00

$1.40

vi. Mazurka

Track length3:40

$1.00

$1.40

vii. Dance for Aucassin: Gracioso

Track length3:24

$1.00

$1.40

viii. Peasant Dances (Trepaks): Vivace

Track length1:37

$1.00

$1.40

ix. Scene: Allegro

Track length3:08

$1.00

$1.40

x. Pas de deux

Track length6:36

$1.00

$1.40

xi. Scene: Con moto

Track length0:54

$1.00

$1.40

xii. Wedding March

Track length1:11

$1.00

$1.40

xiii. Finale ensemble: Maestoso ‚Äì Vivace ‚Äì Waltz ‚Äì Andante con moto ‚Äì Vivo grazioso ‚Äì Pi√π vivo

Track length6:00

$1.00

$1.40

Joseph Charles Holbrooke: Concerto in B flat major for Saxophone and Orchestra, Op.88

Work length24:40

$4.50

$6.30

Royal National Scottish Orchestra
George Vass

i. Barcarolle: Allegretto grazioso

Track length7:26

$1.50

$2.10

ii. Serenade: Allegretto e espressivo

Track length7:24

$1.50

$2.10

iii. Rondo: Con brio

Track length9:50

$1.50

$2.10

Bennett, R R: Seven Country Dances

Work length17:11

$7.00

$9.80

Royal National Scottish Orchestra
George Vass

i. A New Dance

Track length3:42

$1.00

$1.40

ii. Lady Day

Track length1:37

$1.00

$1.40

iii. The Ladies' Misfortune

Track length3:28

$1.00

$1.40

iv. Enfield Common

Track length0:48

$1.00

$1.40

v. The Czar of Muscovy

Track length2:05

$1.00

$1.40

vi. The Mulberry Garden

Track length3:21

$1.00

$1.40

vii. Nobody's Jig

Track length2:10

$1.00

$1.40

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World premiere recordings

Dutton Epoch’s pioneering Holbrooke series reaches its third volume, which couples Amy Dickson in the Saxophone Concerto – the first British concerto for the instrument – with the extended ballet Aucassin and Nicolette, the latter forgotten since its run at Golders Green Hippodrome before the War. In both these sunny scores we forget the grim, operatic Holbrooke evoking dark Celtic legends and revel in this tuneful music reminding us that Holbrooke enjoyed considerable success as a composer of light music. Anton Dolin recalled that Holbrooke’s ballet long-remained one of the most popular items in the repertoire of the Markova-Dolin Company: “It was a simple love story, delicately expressed and enchantingly staged.” Here we have a score brimming with tuneful light-hearted numbers, critics at the time referring to “one of the pleasantest things he has done” and “music of great melodic charm.” Holbrooke’s music is coupled with Richard Rodney Bennett’s delightful Seven Country Dances, setting tunes from Playford’s Dancing Master of 1651. Originally written for oboe and strings, in Richard Rodney Bennett’s previously unrecorded saxophone version soloist Amy Dickson catches to perfection both aspects of the score: the boisterous and the achingly melancholic. As conductor George Vass remarks: “Playford’s tunes are merely starting points round which Bennett weaves ardent rhapsodies full of beautiful harmonies and rich textures – immaculately crafted light music.”

Reviews

March 2012

the idiom is affably that of light music, full of pleasantly swinging rhythms and whistle-able melodies. But there's also a certain edge and astringency which keeps you listening...Amy Dickson's creamy-smooth tonal palette is impressive particularly in the short, mellifluous cadenza...Richard Rodney Bennett's arrangement for saxophone of his Seven Country Dances for a warmly entertaining coupling.

February 2012

The performances of both works are consistently of high quality: George Vass has this style at his fingertips and in the ballet, especially, he is excellent: in the Concerto, he delivers a wholly sympathetic partnership with Amy Dickson, a player of distinction and strong musical intelligence...This is a most attractive and successful release.

Holbrooke: Aucassin & Nicolette ballet music & Saxophone Concerto

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