Composer: Richard Rodney Bennett
Performer: Jonathan Aasgaard
Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: John Wilson
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Chandos
Catalogue: CHSA5266
Release: 2025
Size: 1.17 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Concerto for Orchestra
01. I. Aubade. Vivo – Doppio valore
02. II. Adagio – Pochissimo più mosso
03. IIIa. Tema. Presto
04. IIIb. Var. 1, Leggero
05. IIIc. Var. 2, Molto agitato
06. IIId. Var. 3, Misterioso
07. IIIe. Var. 4, Strepitoso
08. IIIf. Var. 5, Quasi campane
09. IIIg. Var. 6, Appassionato
10. IIIh. Var. 7, Scherzando
11. IIIi. Var. 8, Brillante
12. IIIj. Finale. Molto ritmico – Maestoso
Sonnets to Orpheus
13. I. Allegro – A tempo, tranquillo
14. II. Capriccioso – Stesso tempo ma tranquillo
15. III. Arioso – Molto tranquillo
16. IV. Molto animato
17. V. Adagio – Senza misura
Diversions
18. Theme. Vivo
19. Var. 1, Grazioso
20. Var. 2, Scherzando
21. Interlude I. Allegretto
22. Var. 3, Poco lento
23. Var. 4, Con fuoco
24. Var. 5, Tranquillo
25. Var. 6, Con brio
26. Interlude II. Lento
27. Finale. Molto allegro
John Wilson’s series of orchestral works by his mentor and friend Sir Richard Rodney Bennett reaches Vol. 5, featuring three works composed between 1973 1989.
The Concerto for Orchestra was commissioned at the instigation of Brian Priestman, the British chief conductor of the Denver SO. Its 3-mvt structure, closing with a dazzling set of variations, displays the modern orchestra as a virtuoso body of players.
His rarely performed cello concerto Sonnets to Orpheus forms the centrepiece of the programme. Originally commissioned by the Edinburgh International Festival, it was written at a crisis-point in the composer’s life, as Bennett split with his partner and left the UK for NY, where he would spend the rest of his life. This recording features the acclaimed cellist Jonathan Aasgaard, principal cello of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Sinfonia of London.
Diversions was a commission from the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Schools, to celebrate their tercentenary, in 1990. It was first played by the combined orchestras of all seven schools at a celebratory concert in the Royal Festival Hall and the finished work is an exuberantly colourful set of symphonic variations on the Scottish folksong ‘Whistle and I’ll come to you, my lad’.
