Alexander Mackenzie - Orchestral Music (Martyn Brabbins)

Information

Composer: Alexander Mackenzie

1. Cricket on the Hearth, opera, Op. 62: Overture
2. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 1 Act II Scene 5: 'By my life, this is my lady's hand!'
3. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 2 Act II Scene 5: 'Why, thou hast put him in such a dream'
4. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 3 Act II Scene 3: 'Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch?'
5. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 4 Act I Scene 1: 'O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame'
6. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 5 Act IV Scene 2: 'Fool, there was never man so notoriously abus'd'
7. Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Part 6 Act V Scene 1: 'I'll be reveng'd on the whole pack of you'
8. Benedictus, Op. 37 No. 3
9. Burns (Second Scotch Rhapsody), Op. 24: 'Scots! wha hae wi' Wallace bled'
10. Burns (Second Scotch Rhapsody), Op. 24: 'She's faire and fause'
11. Burns (Second Scotch Rhapsody), Op. 24: 'I coft a stane o' haslock woo' '
12. Coriolanus, incidental music, Op. 61: Prelude: Allegro moderato e marcato
13. Coriolanus, incidental music, Op. 61: Marche funèbre: Andante
14. Coriolanus, incidental music, Op. 61: Entr'acte - Voces populi: Allegro moderato, molto marcato

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins, conductor
Date: 1994
Label: Hyperion
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDH55395

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Review

In 1995, when this album first appeared as Hyperion CDA66764, it was enthusiastically reviewed by both David Johnson and Martin Anderson ( Fanfare 18:6). I find myself in the curious position of grudging them all the enthusiasm they expended on this release, as it renders mine superfluous if spent at length. Of course, that won’t stop me completely, so I’ll merely add that the overture to The Cricket on the Hearth is as memorable—by turns witty and sentimental—and expressively accessible as any two dozen other overtures that are regularly featured both in pops concerts and as starters in regular ones, with a few delightful twists of its own. And that the tone poem Twelfth Night is as subtle yet immediately enjoyable as anything else in the Romantic catalog—and with a masterstroke in the form of a fugue to represent Malvolio’s attempts to prove himself sane. And that the Benedictus is as dignified and fine a thing as comparable works by Bizet and Gounod; while Burns is a more craftworthy exploration of several folk songs from his native land than might be found in other, similar works, such as Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy . And finally, there are three fine incidental pieces from Coriolanus , of which the prelude is my favorite, though some will prefer the funeral march for its combination of noble restraint and public grief.

Not much to add, at all.

The performances by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins are both zealous and technically immaculate, giving their considerable all to these sadly unknown works. With excellent sound, it now comes at a low price. How can you refuse? Strongly recommended.

-- Barry Brenesal, FANFARE

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: *****
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mackenzie-Orchestral-Music-Hyperion-CDH55395/dp/B007BJOMFM

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Alexander Mackenzie (22 August 1847 – 28 April 1935) was a Scottish composer, conductor and teacher best known for his oratorios, violin and piano pieces, Scottish folk music and works for the stage. He had many successes as a composer, producing over 90 compositions, but from 1888 to 1924, he devoted a great part of his energies to running the Royal Academy of Music. Together with Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford, he was regarded as one of the fathers of the Britishmusical renaissance in the late nineteenth century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mackenzie_(composer)

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Martyn Brabbins (born 13 August 1959) is a British conductor. He studied composition at Goldsmiths, University of London, and studied conducting with Ilya Musin at the Leningrad Conservatory. He made a significant mark through recordings not in standard repertory and as one of the main conductors involved in Hyperion's extensive Romantic Piano Concerto series. Brabbins has conducted commercial recordings of music for such labels as Warner, Chandos, Hyperion, NMC, Nimbus, and Deutsche Grammophon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Brabbins

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/martyn-brabbins-mn0001511837/biography

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