“Maw’s Sinfonia (1966) is a superb half-hour essay, scored for small orchestra but big in every other way. Its inspiration seems to be the gently rocking motif used by Britten to link movements in his vocal-orchestral Nocturne. Maw’s equivalent is a more complex source of unity in a discourse that is at once opulent and incisive. Of three enjoyable brass pieces, Stephen Dodgson’s Sonata for Brass Quintet (1963) stands out, a concise, compelling structure to which I find myself often returning. And how beautifully this celebrated ensemble played.”
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