Originally released on Marco Polo, these fine performances make a welcome return on Naxos. In Memoriam and Festal Dance are early Brian: tuneful, somewhat heavily scored, and in the latter (which is based on the tune “Three Blind Mice”, or possibly “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”), quirkily humorous. The two symphonies are quite different–with their abrupt contrasts, flashes of lyricism, heavy-footed marches, and evocative bursts of color in strange places, they certainly won’t be to all tastes, but they have great character and a distinctive voice (in a good way). The performances are very good given the unfamiliarity of the music. The brass have some moments of strain in the 17th Symphony, and the sonics aren’t quite as good as more recent releases from this source (this was made in 1992)–but these are small blemishes. A valuable release.
