Meditations for All Seasons

Total time: 257:36
Label: Nimbus
SPAR: DDD
Availability: In stock
Item #: 8008668

List Price: $49.98

Review

Read About This Recording

Here at last is a set of music that will keep you enraptured the whole year through! The four-disc boxed set, Meditations for All Seasons, contains music perfectly matched to reflect the mood of each season (one per disc, of course) and the playing itself is quite enjoyable.

Society favorites like the English String Orchestra, The Hanover Band, The Philharmonia, pianist Martin Jones and organist Kevin Bowyer top the list of talented performers, all of whom have garnered critical praise. The editors of this fine collection have also culled some of the most emblematic music for this collection, including works by Copland, Vivaldi, Smetana, Britten, Debussy, Vaughan Williams, Brahms, Offenbach, Elgar and dozens more.

Some of the music is an obvious choice: Appalachian Spring and Rodeo for the warmer months or The Skaters' Waltz and In Dulci Jubilo for winter. Likewise, there are some real surprises in the mix, which are best left for you to discover on your own.

-Elaine Sutcliffe

Quotes

There is no more intoxicatingly sensual an instrumental combination than flute and harp, as this enchanting recital from Judith Hall and Elinor Bennett amply demonstrates. This is clearly a most desirable collection. -CD Review

AJudith Hall and Elinor Bennett play beautifully ... gently evocative and compelling. -Fanfare

Boughton is delicate, refined and sensitive. -Oxford Times

Boughton elicits solid, brilliant, feeling performances with never a trace of tiredness nor of bombast. -Fanfare Magazine

The (Philharmonia) orchestra's playing combines technical brilliance with tremendous enthusiasm and panache, and it is these qualities that audiences love. -Leicester Mercury

Consistently superb playing by the Philharmonia. -The Guardian

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90: Allegro vivace; Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave); Haydn: Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Le Matin: Adagio-Allegro; Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo: Corral Nocturne; Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, Pastoral: Allegro ma non troppo; Toldra: Vises al mar: Allegro con brio La ginesta; Berkeley: Serenade for Strings: Vivace; Cimarosa: Oboe Concerto in C Minor: Allegro; Vivaldi: Oboe Concerto in D Major, FVII 10, RV453: Allegro; Smetana: The Bartered Bride: Overture; Alwyn: Naiades; Debussy: Le Petit Berger (Children's Corner); Premiere Arabesque; Syrinx; The Snow is Dancing from Children's Corner; Des pas sur la Niege; Persichetti: Serenade No. 10; Nielsen: The Fog is Lifting; Payne: A 1940s Childhood; Tournier: Vers la source dans le bois; Jolivet: Alla Rustica (Divertissement); Vaughan Williams: Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus; Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115: Adagio; Chopin: Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28: The Raindrop Prelude; Tippett: Rown of the Year: Prelude: Autumn; Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles: Carol; Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a: The Storm; Barber: Adagio for Strings; Elgar: Sospiri, Op. 70; Finzi: Eclogue for Piano and Strings; Waldteufel: The Skaters' Waltz, Op. 183; Roses de Noel, Waltz, Op. 230; H. Blake: Walking in the air from The Snowman; Bridge: A Christmas Dance; Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV608; Rachmaninov: Prelude in G-sharp Minor, Op. 32, No. 12; Offenbach: Ballet Suite: Des Flocons de Neige.

Graham Ashton, Trumpet; John Anderson, Oboe; Judith Wright, Flute; Karl Leister, Colin Lawson, Clarinets; Vlado Perlemuter, Martin Jones, John Lill, Pianos; Adrian Partington, Kevin Bowyer, Organs; Robert Johnston, Elinor Bennett, Harps; Brandis Quartett; Medici String Quartet; The Hanover Band; Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Orquestra Nacional de Cambra d'Andorra; Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra; English Symphony Orchestra; English String Orchestra; Philharmonia Orchestra; Gulbenkian Orchestra; English Northern Philharmonic; Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford; Jaime Laredo, Adam Fischer, William Boughton, Monica Huggett, Roy Goodman, Gerard Claret, Simon Wright, Michel Swierczewski, Sir Michael Tippett, Conductors.

Tracklisting

Meditations for All Seasons
	1.	Symphony No. 4 in A major ("Italian"), Op. 90 by Mendelssohn, Felix [1] Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Jaime Laredo Length: 10:29
	2.	Symphony No. 6 in D major ("Le Matin"), H. 1/6 by Haydn, Franz Joseph Orchestra: Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra Conductor: Adam Fischer Length: 05:43
	3.	Appalachian Spring, concert suite for full orchestra by Copland, Aaron Orchestra: English Symphony Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 24:11
	4.	Symphony No. 6 in F major ("Pastoral"), Op. 68 by Beethoven, Ludwig van Band: Hanover Band Director: Roy Goodman Director: Monica Huggett Length: 10:49
	5.	Vistes al mar, for string quartet (or string orchestra) by Toldra, Eduardo Orchestra: Cambra d'Andorra National Orchestra Director: Gerard Claret Length: 04:45
	6.	Serenade for string orchestra, Op. 12 by Berkeley, Lennox Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 01:58
	7.	Oboe Concerto in C major/C minor by Cimarosa, Domenico Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra of London Oboe: John Anderson Conductor: Simon Wright Length: 02:32
	8.	Oboe Concerto, for oboe, strings & continuo in D major, RV 453 by Vivaldi, Antonio Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra of London Oboe: John Anderson Conductor: Simon Wright Length: 03:24
	9.	Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), overture to the opera by Smetana, Bedrich Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra of London Conductor: William Boughton Length: 06:58
Disc #2
	10.	Naiades, fantasy-sonata for flute & harp by Alwyn, William Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 12:57
	11.	Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113 by Debussy, Claude Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 02:23
	12.	Arabesques (2) for piano, L. 66 by Debussy, Claude Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 04:26
	13.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:22
	14.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:09
	15.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:18
	16.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:49
	17.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:05
	18.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:10
	19.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:38
	20.	Serenade No. 10 for flute & harp, Op. 79 by Persichetti, Vincent Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:45
	21.	Moderen, incidental music, FS 94 (Op. 41) by Nielsen, Carl Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 01:55
	22.	Syrinx, for solo flute, L. 129 by Debussy, Claude Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 02:38
	23.	A 1940's Childhood for flute & guitar by Payne, Anthony Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 04:00
	24.	A 1940's Childhood for flute & guitar by Payne, Anthony Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 04:22
	25.	A 1940's Childhood for flute & guitar by Payne, Anthony Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 05:33
	26.	Vers la source dans le bois, for harp by Tournier, Marcel Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 03:54
	27.	Alla rustica, divertissement for flute & harp by Jolivet, Andre Harp: Elinor Bennett Flute: Judith Hall Length: 06:20
Disc #3
	28.	Variants (5) of 'Dives and Lazarus' for string orchestra & harp (or harps) by Vaughan Williams, Ralph Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 10:54
	29.	Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 by Brahms, Johannes Ensemble: Brandis Quartet Clarinet: Karl Leister Length: 11:55
	30.	Prelude for piano No. 15 in D flat major, Op. 28/15, CT. 180 by Chopin, Frederic Piano: Vlado Perlemuter Length: 04:50
	31.	Rodeo, selections from the ballet (including "Four Dance Episodes") by Copland, Aaron Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 04:05
	32.	Crown of the Year, cantata for female chorus & instruments by Tippett, Michael Choir, Chorus: Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Oboe: John Anderson Trumpet: Graham Ashton Percussion: Jeremy Cornes Piano: Martin Jones Clarinet: Colin Lawson Percussion: Peter Hamburger Recorder: Maurice Hodges Recorder: Evelyn Nallen Percussion: Martin Westlake Length: 04:00
	33.	Sea Interludes (4) from Peter Grimes, for orchestra, Op. 33a by Britten, Benjamin Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 04:39
	34.	Adagio for strings (or string quartet; arr. from 2nd mvt. of String Quartet), Op. 11 by Barber, Samuel Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 07:05
	35.	Sospiri, adagio for strings, harp & organ, Op. 70 by Elgar, Edward Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Organ: Adrian Partington Harp: Robert Johnston Length: 05:08
	36.	Eclogue in F major for piano & string orchestra, Op. 10 by Finzi, Gerald Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 09:53
Disc #4
	37.	Les Patineurs Valse ("Skater's Waltz"), Op. 183 by Waldteufel, Emile Orchestra: Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra, Lisbon Conductor: Michel Swierczewski Length: 09:10
	38.	The Snowman, musical play, Op. 317 by Blake, Howard Organ: Kevin Bowyer Length: 03:43
	39.	The Snow is Dancing, for piano (Children's Corner No. 4), L. 113/4 by Debussy, Claude Piano: Martin Jones Length: 02:59
	40.	Sir Roger de Coverley, Christmas dance for string orchestra, H 155 by Bridge, Frank Orchestra: English String Orchestra Conductor: William Boughton Length: 04:53
	41.	In dulci jubilo (I), chorale prelude for organ (Orgel-Büchlein No. 10), BWV 608 (BC K37) by Bach, Johann Sebastian Organ: Kevin Bowyer Length: 02:41
	42.	Suite (for the Birthday of Prince Charles), for orchestra in D major by Tippett, Michael Orchestra: English Northern Philharmonia Conductor: Michael Tippett Length: 04:10
	43.	Prelude for piano No.23 in G sharp minor, Op. 32/12 by Rachmaninov, Sergey Piano: John Lill Length: 02:31
	44.	Le voyage dans la lune, fairy opera in 4 acts by Offenbach, Jacques Orchestra: Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra, Lisbon Conductor: Michel Swierczewski Length: 11:13
	45.	Des pas sur la neige, prelude for piano, L. 117/6 by Debussy, Claude Piano: Martin Jones Length: 04:18
	46.	Roses de Noël, waltz for orchestra, Op 230 by Waldteufel, Emile Orchestra: Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra, Lisbon Conductor: Michel Swierczewski Length: 09:06
	47.	The Hebrides, overture for orchestra in B minor ("Fingal's Cave"), Op. 26 by Mendelssohn, Felix [1] Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Jaime Laredo Length: 09:51