Old School Romanticism

I love the idea of Neo-Romanticism.

Striving ahead with unadulterated tonality in a 20th Century world taken with dissonance and atonality must have been discouraging for some composers. But as they say, be true to yourself.

And that is what I like about Hadley's music. It is unabashedly Romantic, with no need for excuses.

Does it all land home? No, some of it is overcooked, but I can hardly complain. My family will attest that overcooked is my preferred cooking style!

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have Oozy Channel Keep Honorary Explorer John McLaughlin Williams at the helm. You can also find videos of Williams leading even more Hadley music online. What wonderful advocacy!

A review from 2021

Henry Kimball Hadley is unadulteratedly Romantic in this lone American Classics entry into his symphonic music. Reading the reviews, I was expecting third-rate compositions akin to bland Horatio Parker, but what I got instead were big-boned, singing musical works that are tuneful and colourful. I guess it just goes to show that one listener’s ‘downright embarrassing’, ‘complete waste of money’, ‘unimportant’, ‘dubious’, and ‘crappy’ are another man’s pot of gold. If ‘corn’ was good enough for Korngold, it certainly doesn’t hurt here.

The Ocean is the treasure here, and if you love dramatic, soaring horns, Hadley has the goods for you. The final third, with its hushed, heavenly beauty, is a moment of uncommon musical seduction not to be missed! The Culprit Fay is a mixture of Mendelssohn-ian froth and Strauss-ian colour, perhaps without the hook of a strong tune. Both are quite picturesque musically, with The Ocean as a knockout. It is easy to see their popularity in American music history.

The 'cardinal direction' Symphony 4 is at its best in its North sequence; burnished brass chorales and a big tune that is quite satisfying. The bit in between is a tad overcooked, as it is in the final movement too, but enjoyable. The South has a fair bit of syncopation in homage of its US jazz roots, East is a welcome spotlight for front-desk solos from the Ukraine, with some touching muted brass work, and the finale sends off the work in a gloriously triumphant fashion. This symphony could easily stand up at an orchestral pops concert; its joy, wit, and easy-on-the-ears harmonies are a lot of fun. The bit of Native American cultural appropriation is cringy today, as it still is in the more popular suites of Frede Grofé and Victor Herbert, so avoid if you would find something like that from early American music offensive.

The back of the physical media lists the recording dates from December 1-7, and this amount of dedicated rehearsal and recording time, aside from being unheard of, show in every aspect of this performance. The Ukrainian orchestra sounds like a million bucks consistently throughout the entire program. John McLaughlin Williams who had a dynamite release of John Alden Carpenter’s orchestral music, keeps everything moving, and plays up the Romantic grandeur inherent in Hadley’s musical voice, with excellent leading of this Eastern European ensemble.

Naxos’ sound is pretty good too, better than many recordings in this series. I give this entry a solid recommend, and I can imagine I will happily revisit this music again.

 Listen on YouTube

Works
The Ocean (14.26)
The Culprit Fay (15.53)
Symphony 4 in D minor (38.20)

Performers
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
John McLaughlin Williams, conductor

Label: Naxos
Year: 2001
Total Timing: 68.39

 

High Romanticism of the best kind.

Here, Hadley's masterpiece is The Ocean. Who can resist? Not I!

Find more Hadley recordings HERE!