A perceptive response to Matthew Taylor’s two most recent symphonies and his stunning Romanza for String from Paul Conway in the latest edition of Musical Opinion.
Five Stars
“Written in memory of John McCabe, another fine symphonist, Taylor’s Fourth Symphony erupts like an unstoppable (or, indeed, inextinguishable) force of nature…The scoring is imaginative, with evocative use of woodwind, harp and percussion, yet none of the instrumentation is allowed to detract from the musical argument, which is unfailingly rewarding.”
“Premiered in 20219 [as part of the ESO’s 21st C. Symphony Project], Taylor’s Fifth Symphony is a powerful utterance… an imposing, personal and deeply felt work that offers a substantial counterweight to commentators who write off the symphony as an irrelevant form. Matthew Taylor’s control of pace and grasp of structure is especially striking throughout and helps to create a sense of inevitability that is the hallmark of a score of real substance.”
“Kenneth woods is an inspiring guide to these three works. in the Fourth Symphony and the Romanza, the playing from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales is spontaneous and polished, while the English Symphony Orchestra’s committed advocacy brings both purpose and poetry to the Fifth Symphony. Recording and documentation are exemplary. This is an outstanding release.”
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