Day 149
Alan Rawsthorne: Symphonic Studies
London Philharmonic Orchestra
John Pritchard
Alan Rawsthorne was considered to be an important figure in post-war British music, but his star has faded and he is now very much on the periphery of musical life. I don’t think that I had heard any of his music before. These Symphonic Studies - a mixture between a symphony and a concerto for orchestra - are generally considered to be one of his finest achievements - they certainly put him on the musical map when they were performed at an international festival in Warsaw just before the Second World War.
I have to say that I didn’t find much here to grab my attention. The music seemed to me to be lacking in character and at times it felt rather like mere note spinning. It was quite brittle at times and there melodic material wasn’t memorable. The big tune in the last movement didn’t really come off. So a disappointment - I couldn’t see why this piece has the reputation that it seems to have. There is a lot of positive comment about the work on line, so perhaps it is just me, but I can’t see myself exploring more Rawsthorne any time soon.
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