Walton: Variations on a Theme by Hindemith

“Naxos opts for the original version of the Sinfoniaconcertante rather than Walton's revision, with piano writing and orchestration slimmed down. Walton himself, before he died, suggested such a return. As soloist Peter Donohoe plays with power and flamboyance, brought home the more when the piano is very forwardly balanced, too much so for a work which doesn't aim to be a full concerto, leaving the orchestra a little pale behind. Even so, hopefully this account, broad in the first movement, flowing in the central Andante, will persuade others to take it up, young man's music built on striking, colourful ideas, used with crisp concision.
Paul Daniel is splendid at interpreting the jazzy syncopations with the right degree of freedom, and in the Spitfire Prelude and Fugue he adds to the impact by taking the big march tune faster than many, similarly demonstrating that The History ofthe English Speaking Peoples March, buried for rather too long, is a match for Walton's other ceremonial marches. Best of all is the performance of the Hindemith Variations, given here with winning panache. The strings of the English Northern Philharmonia may not be as weighty as in some rival versions, but the articulation is brilliant, and the complex textures are all the more transparent. The fire and energy of the performance has never been surpassed on disc.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Imai's approach is slightly cool and measured, lacking the last degree of rhythmic excitement. But the lyrical passages are lovely.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2008

“Decca's four-disc Walton Edition offers consistently fine versions of all the composer's most important orchestral works, some of them unsurpassed, in full, brilliant sound. Andrew Litton, the conductor of all but two minor items, is central to the success of the whole. Like his compatriot, André Previn, he's idiomatic, with a natural feeling for the jazzy syncopations at the heart of so much of Walton's music.
This issue brings together the three Litton discs previously issued, with important additions.
The third disc was issued separately, and contains outstanding versions, never previously released, of the Viola Concerto and HindemithVariations plus the two Façade Suites. Where most latterday interpreters of the Viola Concerto have taken a very expansive view of the lyrical first movement, Paul Neubauer comes nearer than anyone else to the original interpreters on disc, Frederick Riddle and William Primrose.
With Neubauer – his tone firm and precise, clean rather than fruity – the result is more persuasive than other modern versions, with no suspicion of expressive self-indulgence. The brisker passages are taken faster than is now usual; the impact is tauter and stronger without losing romantic warmth. He relaxes seductively for the hauntingly beautiful epilogue, using the widest dynamic range. Litton encourages wide contrasts in the orchestra, the big tuttis bringing an element of wildness in the brassy syncopations, the ensemble kept crisp and incisive. The Hindemith Variations also brings a taut and purposeful performance with contrasts in both dynamic and speed heightened to extremes.
Façade is predictably fun, though there's some danger of the warm acoustic softening some of the sharpness of these witty parodies.
Two of the other discs remain the same as with their original release, with Tasmin Little's heartfelt reading of the Violin Concerto coupled with Litton's outstanding account of the Second Symphony, the finest digital version yet, as well as Scapino, while Robert Cohen's thoughtful reading of the Cello Concerto is coupled with the richly recorded First Symphony.
Litton's powerful account of Belshazzar'sFeast with Bryn Terfel brings fresh, cleanly focused choral sound in an atmospheric acoustic that clearly lets you appreciate the terracing between the different groupings of voices. That aptly comes with the coronation music – and the Henry V Suite, with David Hill, chorus-master in Belshazzar, ably standing in for Litton in the Coronation Te Deum and Orband Sceptre.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010