George W Chadwick (1854-1931) was a leading American composer of his day. Conductor Keith Lockhart explores unrecorded repertoire by Chadwick – the delightful, affirmative Pastoral Prelude of 1890 written when Chadwick was 36, the Shelley-inspired ‘elegiac overture’ Adonais of 1899 and the gorgeous, impressionistic symphonic poem Cleopatra of 1904 with its “lush and amorous” tune for Cleopatra and “big clashing battle scene.” Coupling these works is the Sinfonietta in D major of 1904, effectively the composer’s fifth symphony, presented here in its first CD recording. This is immediately approachable lyrical music, with one of Chadwick’s most memorable melodies in the scherzo of the Sinfonietta.

World premiere recordings.