Bax: Symphony No. 6; Into the Twilight; Summer Music.(Sound Recording Review)

David Lloyd-Jones, Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Naxos 8.557144.

Where would we be without Chandos and Naxos? Well, we wouldn't have much of Arnold Bax, that's for sure. The British composer (1883-1953) was at one time well represented in the catalogue by EMI and Lyrita, but today it's almost entirely Chandos and Naxos. While the former label may offer slightly better sound, it's the Naxos label that provides the bargains.

Naxos set out several years ago to record all seven of Bax's symphonies and as many of his short works as possible, most or all of them with conductor David Lloyd-Jones. So, far, Lloyd-Jones has done Symphonies Nos. 2-6, and I suppose we can look forward in the near future to the other two. Symphony No. 6 is performed at least as well as the previous editions, with plenty of Celtic atmosphere. That is what Bax is all about, of course, Celtic atmosphere. With No. 6, we get it in spades, from the moody opening movement with its tempestuous swings to the lilting slow movement and stormy finale, which finally ...