01. The Lark Ascending* [17'05]
Dimity Hall- violin, Sinfonia Australis, Antony Walker [rec. 2003]
02. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis^ [15'24]
Patrick Thomas conducting Queensland Symphony Orchestra [rec. date unknown]
03. (arr. Ralph Greaves) Fantasia on 'Greensleeves' [5'10]
David Stanhope conducting Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra [rec. 2003]
04. Five Variants of 'Dives And Lazarus' [11'23]
Carl Pini conducting Sydney Symphony Orchestra [rec. 1971]
05. Symphony No.5 in D major - III. Romanza [11'09]
Patrick Thomas conducting Adelaide Symphony Orchestra [rec. date unknown]
06. - 09. Partita for Double String Orchestra [19'42]
Myer Fredman conducting Sydney Symphony Orchestra [rec. 1980s]
ABC Classics 4812522 [recorded 1971 to 2003; this collection first issued as CD ABC 4729842 in 2003; this digital download released 2016]
[digital download; flacs, cover scan - no booklet]
Recording venues: unknown
Recording engineers: Robert Karbow^, others unknown; Producers: Ralph Lane*, John Culshaw^, others unknown
Many of the recording dates given with the digital download by ABC are fanciful and these are often much earlier. Nevertheless, the performances are all very fine and the sound quality universally very good. Three performances really stand out, The Lark Ascending, Dives and Lazarus and the Partita.
This is one of the most languid recordings of The Lark Ascending that I know - only exceeded in playing time by Nigel Kennedy with Simon Rattle. I usually favour ensemble players for the solo violin part rather than "superstar" soloists. Also, middle of the road tempi such as Hugh Bean with Adrian Boult in 1967 or Iona Brown with Neville Marriner in 1972 rather than the more speedy approach of Jean Pougnet - also with Sir Adrian - in 1952 or Sarah Chang with Bernard Haitink in 1994. But here Dimity Hall (violinist along with Dene Olding of the Goldner String Quartet) manages to float the sublime theme of the lark's soaring flight just as well as Hugh Bean did. Antony Walker is perhaps best known as the conductor of the period instrument Orchestra of the Antipodes and Pinchgut Opera but here we have his modern-instrument Sinfonia Australis. Together they combine to provide this exquisite performance.
Carl Pini, son of cellist Anthony Pini and former leader of the London String Quartet in the 1960s, moved to Australia forming the Carl Pini Quartet, later returned to London as leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra (1975 - 1983) and then returned to Australia to be artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra before Richard Tognetti. Here he conducts the Sydney Symphony in a glowing performance of Five Variants of 'Dives and Lazarus'and another anglo-australian Myer Fredman conducts the same orchestra in an equally compelling performance of the Partita for Double String Orchestra. [The Dives and Lazarus was originally issued on a RCA Gold Seal LP in Europe in 1971 along with works by Eugene Goossens and Malcolm Williamson.]
This is all supported by excellent, if unexceptional, performances of the other orchestral works and it is a shame that a complete recording of the Fifth Symphony couldn't have been included in a twofer release. Presumably ABC actually recorded the complete work with the Adelaide Symphony and Patrick Thomas?