Album

William Alwyn was one of Britain's best-loved composers during the middle third of the 20th century, with a large body of film music to his credit along with many colorful orchestral works. He was an ideal candidate for the Naxos label's grand project to rediscover worthwhile non-modernist repertory, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under David Lloyd-Jones has responded with enjoyable recordings of some of his smaller works. Alwyn wrote three works designated as concerti grossi, with only the second closely following the Baroque model in which a small group or concertino plays the role of soloist in contrast to the larger ripieno orchestra. This is a superior short work with a lovely nocturnal slow movement in which the solo string group opens with mutes; it would serve well as a curtain-raiser for any orchestral concert. The other concerto grosso, from the early 1960s, is a more Stravinsky-like piece with brasses in the concertino role. The other three works are even less known than the two concerti grossi, and indeed they receive their world recording premieres here. The opening Dramatic Overture: The Moor of Venice, in fact, has never been performed live in its orchestral version; it was originally written for band. It's a bit hard to imagine this detailed little recapitulation of Othello, complete with Desdemona's "Willow Song," being played by a band, and it's quite ingeniously compact. The Serenade and Seven Irish Tunes, Suite for small orchestra are less substantial works; the Irish Tunes are actual arrangements of Irish folk melodies, while the Serenade was inspired by ideas drawn on Alwyn's stay in Australia. The recording is drawn on a pair of sessions three years apart, but both were done at the orchestra's home at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and the musicians are in a lively mood throughout. A delightful slice of English neoclassicism.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
William Alwyn Composer Overture "The Moor of Venice" Work Recorded 2007 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Conductor
1	Overture "The Moor of Venice"	8:50			$1.49
William Alwyn Composer Concerto Grosso No.2 in G Work Recorded 2007 13:31 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Conductor
2	1.Allegro moderato e vigoroso - A tempo (Poco meno mosso) - A tempo primo - Più agitato - In tempo	4:41			$0.99
3	2.Adagio ed espressivo - Con anima - A tempo	4:01			$0.99
4	3.Vivace (allegro ma non troppo) - (Misterioso) - Poco più mosso - Ancora più mosso - Tempo of 1st	4:49			$0.99
William Alwyn Composer Serenade, for orchestra Work Recorded 2010 11:01 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Conductor
5	1.Prelude: Andantino - Tranquillo - A tempo	2:23			$0.99
6	2.Bacchanal: Moderato (poco Allegro) - Allargando - A tempo	1:42			$0.99
7	3.Air: Andante molto tranquillo e semplice	2:23			$0.99
8	4.Finale: Allegretto - Moderato e molto tranquillo - Presto - A tempo primo (l'istesso tempo)	4:33			$0.99
William Alwyn Composer Irish Tunes (7), suite for orchestra Work Recorded 2010 8:56 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Conductor
9	1.The Little Red Lark: Andantino	1:25			$0.99
10	2.Country Tune: Allegretto giocoso	0:47			$0.99
11	3.The Maiden Ray: Moderato e grazioso	1:15			$0.99
12	4.Reel: The Ewe with the Crooked Horn: Allegro vivace	0:43			$0.99
13	5.The Gentle Maiden: Andante e semplice	1:21			$0.99
14	6.The Sigh: Allegretto (quasi andantino e poco dolente) - Più lento	1:33			$0.99
15	7.Jig: Allegro e giocoso - poco tranquillo - Tempo primo	1:52			$0.99
William Alwyn Composer Concerto Grosso No.3 Work Recorded 2007 15:07 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Conductor
16	1.Maestoso - Moderato e ritmico - A tempo (pochiss. più mosso) - A tempo primo	4:22			$0.99
17	2.Andante - Vivace	3:30			$0.99
18	3.Andante - A tempo - A tempo tranquillo (Meno mosso) - Adagio - Allargando	7:15			$1.49