A man by the name of Walter Willson Cobbett started a competition-cum-endowment for the creation of Phantasy chamber works, music to be based on the Renaissance / Baroque one-movement model.
Such luminaries as Ralph Vaughan Williams, both Gustav and Imogen Holst, Herbert Howells, and Frank Bridge contributed a Phantasy work in their time. This is certainly a British tradition, and when I spy upon such music, I approach them with glee, for it is such an unusual occurrence from a very specific time and place.
I doubt Eugene Goossens' Phantasy Concerto for Piano was a specific contender, as this was composed in 1942, plus it is not chamber music. Yet, the work is essentially in a single movement (in four sections) and bears the special 'ph', which I am sure was not lost on anyone at the time.
Well, the music did not work for me at all. It is all rather craggy, angular, dissonant, a-melodic (minus a subtle brass figure which appears throughout), with no particular motivic through-line, putting me off as a listener. If the four movements had some contrasting material I might be more amenable to this music, but as it is, the Phantasy Concerto is complete misfire for me, a conclusion I never relish.
Here, though, stalwart British pianist Howard Shelley adroitly tackles this demanding concerto, and tougher skinned listeners might appreciate this more than me, for it is not forbidding music overall.
On the other hand, the composer's Symphony no. 1 is superb. I was initially reticent of the symphony, for its first movement begins similarly to the concerto. However its following movements are quite characterful while providing a satisfying symphonic development throughout.
As I mentioned, there is little in the opening movement I particularly enjoy, but the second movement is airy and atmospheric almost in an Impressionist manner. The third is a raucous little Scherzo, showing Goossens' command of orchestration, reminding me some of Shostakovich in this movement.
As a bit of bookending, the final movement opens slowly and mysteriously, and I daresay the composer flaunts returning to what I didn't care for at the first. Eventually, though, Goossens contrasts his moods with some glitzy Romantic sweeps and bandies between the two settings most effectively. The finale with pipe organ, provides a glamorous close to the symphony.
While this music was only half successful for me, Eugene Goossens shows as having a firm grasp on a rather colorful use of a full symphony orchestra, including some nice displays of percussion, both pitched and unpitched. His musical voice is also filled with big, grand gestures, cozied up with lovely orchestral solos.
Sir Richard Hickox had a lot of recording irons in the fire at the time of his most unfortunate passing. I treasure him for recording rare British symphonic choral literature, after all he was a choral guy at the start of his career, but he blossomed into a fine symphonist as well. He must have had some personal interest in Goossens' music to pursue these particular works, but was unable to continue. Thankfully, Chandos employed Sir Andrew Davis to give us two more Goossens orchestral entries before his death, all with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Listen on YouTube
Works
Symphony 1, op. 58 (39.05)
Phantasy Concerto, op. 60 (25.24)
Soloists
Howard Shelley, piano
Performers
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Sir Richard Hickox, conductor
Label: Chandos
Year: 2009
Total Timing: 64.40
While I didn't care for Eugene Goossens' Phantasy Concerto, the composer's first contribution to the symphony genre is great.
As Richard Hickox's final recording, it is a fine tribute to that British conductor's abilities, here with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Find more Goossens recordings HERE!
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