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Goossens: Phantasy Concerto, Symphony No 1 / Hickox
Chandos

Goossens: Phantasy Concerto, Symphony No 1 / Hickox

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Details

Composer
GOOSSENS, SIR EUGENE
Artist
Shelley, Hickox, Melbourne So
Format
SACD
Label
Chandos
Released
Feb 24, 2009
Catalog #
CHSA 5068
UPC
095115506820

About

Chandos' Featured Release for February will be the final recording made by Richard Hickox, intended as the first in a cycle devoted to orchestral works by Goossens. Offering the premiere recording of Goossens's Phantasy Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, and the rarely recorded Symphony No. 1, this disc serves as a tribute to Hickox and his remarkable legacy of recordings on Chandos. Though principally remembered as a conductor, during the 1920s the prolific Eugene Goossens was regarded as among the foremost British composers alongside Bax, Bridge and Walton. Sadly, his music has been all but forgotten, for the colourful, expressive nature of his music fell out of fashion in the 1950s and 1960s. A recent reviewer of Goossens's music wrote, 'If you have ever gleaned the idea that Goossens is inclined to grey modernism or to windy rhetoric, prepare to have your preconceptions well and truly shattered'. His music is suggestive of fellow composers of the era, notably Holst and Bliss. Having grown up in Britain, Goossens accepted an invitation to come to the United States as the first chief conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in New York State. He was there for twenty years, before moving to Australia where he served as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. His music and character proved a great influence on the Australian classical audience and he is recognised as one of the most important figures in Australian musical life. The rewarding Phantasy Concerto, Op. 60 for Piano and Orchestra was written for the celebrated Spanish pianist José Iturbi who gave its first performance in 1944. 'The work, particularly the slow movement, was influenced by my re-reading at that time of Edgar Allan Poe's The Devil in the Belfry, and might be said to reflect something of the fantastic and sinister character of that story, though in no way being a literal depiction of it', wrote Goossens. The concerto was the outcome of a discussion between Iturbi and the composer over the lack of new piano concertos and especially on a smaller scale. The result is a four-movement piano concerto in compressed sonata form. The soloist plays more of a concertante role than in a display concerto, his part tending towards being integral to the orchestral texture. Goossens used the word 'conversational' to describe this relationship between soloist and orchestra. This premiere recording is coupled with the melodious and imaginative Symphony No. 1. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is regarded as Goossens specialists and here perform with Howard Shelley as the piano soloist.

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 I. Moderato con moto - 07:18
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Moderato con moto -
    Duration
    07:18
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  2. 2 II. Allegro - 04:02
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro -
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  3. 3 III. Andante - 08:54
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Andante -
    Duration
    08:54
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  4. 4 IV. Finale: Vivo (in uno) 05:09
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Finale: Vivo (in uno)
    Duration
    05:09
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  5. 5 I. Andante - Allegro con anima - 09:26
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Andante - Allegro con anima -
    Duration
    09:26
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  6. 6 II. Andante espressivo, ma con moto - 09:19
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Andante espressivo, ma con moto -
    Duration
    09:19
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  7. 7 III. Divertimento: Allegro vivo 06:28
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Divertimento: Allegro vivo
    Duration
    06:28
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox
  8. 8 IV. Finale: Andante moderato 13:38
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Finale: Andante moderato
    Duration
    13:38
    Composer
    Eugène Goossens
    Ensemble
    Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Richard Hickox