Gregson: Dream Song, Aztec Dances, Horn Concerto & Concerto for Orchestra Bramwell Tovey, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Watkins, Wissam Boustany

• 1 Gregson: Dream Song: I. Quite slow and dramatically 05:33
• 2 Gregson: Dream Song: II. Scherzo. Not too fast, menacingly 03:34
• 3 Gregson: Dream Song: III. Trio. Like a pastorale 03:39
• 4 Gregson: Dream Song: IV. Scherzo. Faster, but still menacing 01:51
• 5 Gregson: Dream Song: V. Tempo I, reflective, dream-like 06:16
• 6 Gregson: Horn Concerto: I. Allegro non troppo (Version for Solo Horn and Orchestra) 05:09
• 7 Gregson: Horn Concerto: II. Andante cantabile (Version for Solo Horn and Orchestra) 07:26
• 8 Gregson: Horn Concerto: III. Allegro brioso (Version for Solo Horn and Orchestra) 04:51
• 9 Gregson: Flute Concerto, "Aztec Dances": I. Ritual/Pastorale 03:17
• 10 Gregson: Flute Concerto, "Aztec Dances": II. Fertility Dance 03:32
• 11 Gregson: Flute Concerto, "Aztec Dances": III. Ghost Song 07:45
• 12 Gregson: Flute Concerto, "Aztec Dances": IV. Sacrifical Dance 03:05
• 13 Gregson: Concerto for Orchestra: I. Intrada. Majestically (Revised 2001) 07:00
• 14 Gregson: Concerto for Orchestra: II. Elegy. Slow and thoughtful (Revised 2001) 07:13
• 15 Gregson: Concerto for Orchestra: III. Toccata. Fast and rhythmic (Revised 2001) 04:32
• Total Runtime 01:14:43

Info for Gregson: Dream Song, Aztec Dances, Horn Concerto & Concerto for Orchestra

Edward Gregson is one of Britain’s most versatile and prolific composers, his approachable and engaging music having gained recognition worldwide. With the BBC Philharmonic, Bramwell Tovey conducts works that take inspiration from an array of musical and extra-musical sources, revealing the breadth of Gregson’s musical imagination.

The Horn Concerto, originally written in 1971 for soloist with brass band, is here heard in a recent orchestral arrangement, played by Richard Watkins, a leading horn player of his generation. Each of the Concerto’s three movements displays a different facet of the French horn’s character: serious, lyrical, and playful. Aztec Dances began as a substantial piece for recorder and piano; it was reworked for flute and piano at the request of Wissam Boustany, who here performs the final version, for flute and ensemble. Its vivid colours and ritualistic character were inspired by a British Museum exhibition exploring Aztec culture. Like Aztec Dances, the Concerto for Orchestra was revised twice. Its interim title, ‘Contrasts’, conveys the essence of the work, varieties of character and orchestral colour being key to it. Dream Song was commissioned to share a concert programme with Mahler’s Symphony No. 6. The essence of Mahler pervades the whole of this work which aims to create a parallel musical world to that of the Symphony.

"This latest volume in the ongoing series of Edward Gregson’s music is, like its predecessors, distinguished by outstanding orchestral playing and recording quality which is, quite literally, state-of-the-art…..I hope this exceptionally fine and totally committed performance [of Dream Song] will spur further performances of music which certainly deserves wide dissemination." (Robert Matthew Walker, International Record Review)

"There really is something for everyone in this disc – glorious Arnoldesque tunes, stimulatingly serious expression, brilliant orchestration: a very Gregsonian cocktail. Enjoy!" (Guy Rickards, Gramophone)

Wissam Boustany, flute
Richard Watkins, horn
BBC Philharmonic
Bramwell Tovey, conductor

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Booklet for Gregson: Dream Song, Aztec Dances, Horn Concerto & Concerto for Orchestra