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Grace Williams: Orchestral Works

BBC Philharmonic, BBC Philarmonic, John Andrews

Grace Williams: Orchestral Works

Awards:

it’s the strikingly dramatic four Ballads, from 1968, and especially the 1939 Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon, based on an episode from the Mabinogion, and in which Sibelius seems...

Grace Williams: Orchestral Works

BBC Philharmonic, BBC Philarmonic, John Andrews

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96 kHz, 24 bit, FLAC/ALAC/WAV

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44.1 kHz, 16 bit, FLAC/ALAC/WAV

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320 kbps, MP3

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This release includes a digital booklet

Stream now Hi-RES 96 kHz, 24 bit

Awards:

it’s the strikingly dramatic four Ballads, from 1968, and especially the 1939 Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon, based on an episode from the Mabinogion, and in which Sibelius seems...

About

The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, under the expert baton of John Andrews, illuminates four of Grace Williams' orchestral gems, spanning three decades of her illustrious career. This album opens with Four Illustrations of the Legend of Rhiannon (1939), a masterful suite that vividly brings the Welsh goddess to life with cinematic flair. The Sea Sketches (1944), composed during the wartime tumult of London, evoke the longing for her native Barry, Glamorgan, and cement her status among Britain's compositional elite. The Ballads mark a return to Welsh mythos, with movements inspired by the emotional and cultural essence of her homeland. The regal Castell Caernarfon (1969), originally scored for the investiture of HRH Prince Charles, showcases Williams' grandiloquent style. This release pays homage to Williams' legacy, celebrating her as one of the premier Welsh composers of the twentieth century

Contents and tracklist

I. The Conflict
Track length3:22
II. The Nuptial Feast
Track length7:36
III. The Penance
Track length8:19
IV. The Return of Pryderi
Track length7:24
I. Allegro moderato, alla canzone
Track length4:19
II. Alla marcia solenne
Track length4:28
III. Andante calmante
Track length5:01
IV. Allegro furioso
Track length3:25
I. High Wind
Track length3:33
II. Sailing Song
Track length2:33
III. Channel Sirens
Track length4:02
IV. Breakers
Track length2:39
V. Calm Sea in Summer
Track length5:54

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

17th October 2024

it’s the strikingly dramatic four Ballads, from 1968, and especially the 1939 Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon, based on an episode from the Mabinogion, and in which Sibelius seems to be added to her personal stylistic mix, that show Williams at her most distinctive.
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