Parry: Orchestral Works

 

When Chandos first issued Sir Hubert Parry's symphonies individually, each symphony came with an orchestral work paired with it. When the symphonies were eventually boxed together shortly afterwards, Chandos left off the paired orchestral works and release this CD separately. Oddly, the Symphonic Variations did end up in the symphonies set and is redundantly included here as well.

Not being terribly familiar with Parry's orchestral music, I am continually surprised by the surging passions which fly from his music, very much in the vein of Austro-German late-Romantic styles. If there is an aspect of these styles on this recording, it would be the heavily Wagnerian-influenced Concertstück for Orchestra, and curiously the Elegy for Brahms too.

I am not particularly taken with the former, for it endlessly rises and falls in waves of yearning, with thick, luscious strings buoyed by brass and winds. Of course, the Wagnerian aspects probably turn me off of this piece of music. It is actually the more intimate moments of the Elegy for Brahms I enjoy most from the piece; some lovely clarinet moments, Dvořák-ian chamber string harmonies, even if Parry prefers to lay it on thick with sweeping Romantic surges of passion rather than anything inward or devotional.

One of Hubert Parry' all-time great works is his Symphonic Variations. It may even be my very favorite Romantic orchestral variations, on par with Dvořák, Rachmaninov, Brahms, and Coleridge-Taylor. The theme is easy to identify, where I especially like the modal opening sections. Best yet, like all finely crafted variations, the work is structured as a three-or-four movement work, with clear goals in tempo and key relationships, and at 14 minutes, keeps things compact, concise, and moving forward.

The From Death to Life is a sort-of Sir Hubert version of Richard Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. I love the slow rocking Death theme of the opening, again set in a minor mode. Here is music I might expect for an Elegy for Brahms! (Too on the nose?) Notwithstanding, Parry goes into full British mode for the second Life section, an musical aspect I haven't heard much from the composer in his symphonic music thus far.

Matthias Bamert and the London Philharmonic Orchestra play in the big, grandiose acoustic of St. Jude's-on-the-Hill, as were Parry's symphonies. I have come to both enjoy and loathe the rather watery Chandos acoustic from St. Jude's in Bamert's set, for while it makes for exciting listening, the ensemble can sound imperious and impenetrable at times, especially at its biggest musical moments. 

As far as competing recording are concerned, the Variations and Elegy were previously recorded by Sir Adrian Boult, always a must-hear in British orchestral repertoire, and From Death to Life was covered by William Boughton as well. As far as I am aware, Bamert's performance is the only place to find Parry's Concertstück. 

Either way, the whole Chandos Parry series is worth hearing, including the symphonies. This separate orchestral works release was reissued on Chandos' budget label Collect in 2000 (pictured below), although I still hold onto the original, pictured at the top.

 

 

Works
Symphonic Variations (14.06)
Concertstück (9.58)
From Death to Life (16.33)
Elegy for Brahms (13.19)

Ensembles
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Matthias Bamert, conductor

Year: 1991-92; 1995
Label: Chandos
Total Timing: 54.24

For me, I enjoy Parry's Symphonic Variations and From Death to Life most of all, with elements of his Elegy for Brahms making an impression upon me. Not too bad, really.

If you enjoyed Parry's symphonies from Bamert and the LPO, this recording, picking up the orchestral pairings from the original symphony releases, should equally please.

 

 

Find more Parry recordings HERE!