Music Reviews

The Big Three


Many would say that the big three of the top English composers of the 20th Century would be the three whose music makes this album one of the hidden gems available at NativeDSD 

Elgar is celebrated for his Symphonies, his Cello Concerto, and (of course) The Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches.  Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture may not be his most celebrated work, but it is a delightful trip to London at the turn of the last century.  It’s short, light, and full of happy nostalgia. 

Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia is a favorite of mine.  The music consists of non-vocal passages from his opera, Peter Grimes, which work very well as a standalone suite.  Haunting, exciting, superbly orchestrated, this music has become part of the standard repertoire.

But the shining jewel on this album is Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 5.  The Fifth contains some of the most beautiful music ever written, yet when performed properly has the drama and tension that keeps it interesting.  Maestro Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony might not be the first group you’d think of in this music, but they are excellent!  And that excellence is on full display thanks to a fine Pentatone recording.  

No “stiff upper lips” here– just great music to fall into.

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Written by

Bill Dodd

Bill is Senior Music Reviewer at NativeDSD. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area. He is an avid photographer too! Along with his early interest in broadcasting and high fidelity audio, he was exposed to classical music in small doses from age 5, was given piano lessons from age 9— Starting with Bach and including Gershwin. Successful morning personality in San Francisco at age 22. (true). Sang in choirs in high school and college. Although the broadcasting experience was all in popular music, his personal listening has been mostly classical his whole life—along with others including Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Joni Mitchell, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.

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