Dyson: Symphony in G

On this CD:

1. Symphony in G
Composed by George Dyson
Performed by London Sinfonia
Conducted by Richard Hickox

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Dyson (1883-1964) lived a long life but was not a particularly prolific composer. Instead, his music tends to be patiently crafted, with attention paid to the details. The Symphony in G is his only symphony, written in 1937. It has some of the same features of theme, variation, and coloring found in the tone poems of Arnold Bax, but you won't find any of Bax's melancholy or brooding darkness here--it wasn't in Dyson's personality. Audiences tend to be ambivalent (at best) toward Dyson's music, but this is one of several discs from the Chandos label that demonstrate the uniqueness of his voice. --Paul Cook

Dyson: Symphony in G, Music, George Dyson, Richard Hickox, London Sinfonia, The City of London Sinfonia, Classical, Symphonic, Symphony

Dyson: Symphony in G major; Concerto da Chiesa
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A Delightful Discovery Warranting a Strong Recommendation

Dyson: Symphony in G major; Concerto da Chiesa

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0008JEKEU
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Tracks:

At The Tabard Inn/Overture
Veni, Emmanuel
Corde Natus
Laetatus Sum
Energico
Andante
Allegro Risoluto/L'istesso Tempo/Molto Moderato/Vivace/Molto Sostenuto/Poco Andante/Poco Allegretto/Presto/Grazioso
Poco Adagio/Andante/Allegro Assai/Andante Molto Moderato

Customer Reviews:

A Delightful Discovery Warranting a Strong Recommendation.......2005-10-31

George Dyson (1883-1964), a composer whom I had strangely enough previously known only as the father of the great theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson, was a Yorkshireman who early evinced intense musical talent and who arrived at the Royal College of Music at age 17 and went on to become its Director in 1937. Until this CD I had never heard a note of his music, although I had known of his most-played work the choral 'The Canterbury Pilgrims' from 1930. His son Freeman writes in his autobiography 'Disturbing the Universe' with great love and respect for his father and mentions the acclaim he received for this work. In 1943, during the darkest days of World War II, the now-Sir George Dyson wrote a concert overture, 'At the Tabard Inn,' based on elements of 'Pilgrims.' It is the first band on this CD and is an altogether light-hearted, charming, tuneful and masterful overture in the same vein as Wagner's 'Meistersinger' prelude, albeit unmistakably English in its materials. I cannot imagine why in a lifetime of concert-going I've never encountered this delightful work. It definitely deserves an occasional airing.

Next comes the 'Concerto da Chiesa,' a three-movement work from 1949 based on the concerto da chiesa of baroque times. Hymn tunes, some familiar ('O come, o come, Emmanuel') and some not, are woven throughout the piece. Dyson wrote about it self-effacingly at the time he was working on it, calling the piece 'a churchy one.' It features a solo string quartet and a ripieno orchestral group rather like that of Vaughan Williams's 'Tallis Fantasia' and using some of the same structural gestures. The first movement is intense and almost tortured, and the solo quartet's interjections are pleading in their urgency. The second movement, a set of variations based on 'Corde natus,' is all grace and light. The third movement is lively initially and features some extrovert contributions by the soloists, but it eventuates in an anguished return to the 'Veni Emmanuel' theme of the first movement which ultimately becomes serene, even transfigured. One imagines the Concerto to be in some way a response to the aftermath of the War. A lovely, lovely work.

Finally there is Dyson's 'Symphony in G Major' from 1937. In four movements, it begins with some clear influences from Sibelius -- a current then rampant in English orchestral music (and we're all the better for that) -- but in a clearly English voice, with modal writing and frequent use of sextuple rhythms. The first movement, a sonata-allegro marked Energico, begins with a heiratic, vaulting theme that sets the tone for the movement. It is followed by a somber, lyrical but sometimes ghostly Andante that makes use of a slowly treading gait reminiscent, in a way, of Elgar. The Scherzo reminds one of the world of the 'Tabard Inn' (anticipating that work by six years) and has a courtly Renaissance feel in its use of modal themes and dance rhythms in 6/8 time. It is in several sections alternating fast and slow tempi, and one of the slow sections is a beautiful pensive passage with a memorable theme derived from the symphony's opening moments. The Finale opens with somber brass chords and a string chorale and goes on to recapitulate much of the earlier music in the piece. Like the scherzo, it alternates fast and slow passages and culminates in a stately, ceremonial peroration that brings the 42-minute symphony to a satisfying completion. This work is surely the equal of Moeran's G Minor Symphony, written at the same time, and although it lacks the modernity of the malice of Walton's nearly contemporaneous First Symphony, that was never its intent. A fine beautifully crafted work here played with palpable advocacy by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under David Lloyd-Jones. What we don't owe the Bournemouth for its many fine recordings of British music over the years!

I am happy to give this strong entry an unqualified recommendation.

Scott Morrison

Dyson: Symphony in G; At the Tabard Inn; In Honour of the City

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Dyson: Symphony in G; At the Tabard Inn; In Honour of the City

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007ZEBYE
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

Overture - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Energico
II. Andante
III. Allegro Risoluto/Molto Moderato/L'Istesso Tempo/Allegro Risoluto/Molto Moderato/Vivace/Molto Sostenuto/Poco Andante/Poco Allegretto/Presto/Grazioso
IV. Poco Adagio/Andante/Allegro Assai/Andante Molto Moderato
In Honour Of The City - London Symphony Chorus

Average customer rating:

Buy Dyson's Symphony!

Dyson: Symphony in G

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000ASP
Release Date: 1994-03-22

Tracks:

I. Energico
II. Andante
III. Allegro risoluto - Molto moderato - L'istesso tempo - Allegro risoluto - Molto moderato - Vivace - Molto sostenuto - Poco andante - Poco allegretto - Presto - Grazioso
IV. Poco adagio - Andante - Allegro assai - Andante molto moderato

Amazon.com

Dyson (1883-1964) lived a long life but was not a particularly prolific composer. Instead, his music tends to be patiently crafted, with attention paid to the details. The Symphony in G is his only symphony, written in 1937. It has some of the same features of theme, variation, and coloring found in the tone poems of Arnold Bax, but you won't find any of Bax's melancholy or brooding darkness here--it wasn't in Dyson's personality. Audiences tend to be ambivalent (at best) toward Dyson's music, but this is one of several discs from the Chandos label that demonstrate the uniqueness of his voice. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Buy Dyson's Symphony!.......2000-02-28

I would advise anyone to buy this CD despite it containing less than 45 minutes of music. It has such a dry title, 'Symphony in G', but that is the only thing about it that is. This work was written in 1937, about the time Bax was working on his 7th Symphony and Vaughan Williams was between his 4th and 5th. George Dyson provides his listeners with a rich melodic work, full of interesting features and a sure mastery of tone colour and orchestration. The mood swings are quite marked, for Dyson was an unashamed romantic, hence his neglect since the end of WWII. The opening movement begins with a Straussian 'Schwung' which leads us into an energetic and vibrant movement, replete with balletic twists and rhythm, for Ernest Ansermet commented at the first performance 'Mais, c'est une ballet!'. The second movement is darker hued which is redolent of those Bax Andante when we feel a storm building up as the skies go to dusk. The third movement is lighter with a theme and variations making massive demands on the individual players of the orchestra. Maybe this movement has caused the lack of support for this work as Dyson has made no concessions to less than top notch performers, despite the number of players needed being no larger than Brahms in his 4th Symphony. The final movement rounds things off with a brass fanfare and a majestic dignified coda. Certainly the mood/s of the work and the general feeling throughout seem at odds with the Zeitgeist of 1937. This is a technically sure, romantic composer enjoying himself with the orchestra and not bringing any extra-musical documentary ideas like Vaughan Williams in his 4th and 6th symphonies (despite his denial!). The publishers, Novello, believed in the work, publishing a de luxe version on top quality paper, cloth boards, hand finished and you can hear why. This work stands comparison with more played contemporaneous works like Walton's First Symphony or Vaughan Williams Fifth and I believe that this Hickox recording will win this work many new friends. The total time of the CD is only 44:21 which to my mind is a bit niggardly of Chandos to release at full price. However, I am so delighted with the Symphony this is not enough to mark it down from a full marks category but I feel it is still worth a mention so that the manufacturers do know it has been noticed!

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