Wow! Instant classic.
First of all, I have to confess that this review is only about the "Aslauga" overture, which is the first piece of volume 3 of the orchestral works of Henry Cotter Nixon, done by Paul Mann and the Kodaly Philharmonic Orchestra from Debrecen (Hungary) and the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra (Latvia), produced by the recording company Toccata Classics. I write reviews very rarely, but having just listened to "Aslauga" for the first time, I just cannot help writing down my impressions.
The piece is an absolute knock-out!
It begins with a very beautiful slow introduction featuring a gorgeous gently swaying tune. The introduction is followed by a fiery, goose bumpy, powerful allegro in sonata form with a funny and original second theme. The ending is also powerful and very spirited. The piece as a whole is in the style of mid to late 19th century mid-European music. It is neither very deep nor shallow, but just "damn good music". It takes you on a ride, slow and gently and inviting at the beginning, then mighty and powerful, washing away (at least for a while) all sorrows and negative emotions that may darken one's day :-)
The recorded sound is exactly as I like it: Direct and close, with clear and rumbling earthy double basses and timpani. The orchestral playing is vigorous and committed, and leaves nothing to be desired (at least for me). The conducting brings out the beauty and power of the piece, the chosen tempi feel just right.
The liner notes for volume 1 (which can be downloaded elsewhere) tell the story of how Nixon's music was freed from decades of oblivion, when in 1991 his grandson Anthony Nixon approached David J. Brown, then secretary of the Havergal Brian society, with the score of a symphonic poem composed by his grandfather. Brown caught fire and started what finally resulted in the recording of all of Nixon's orchestral works.
We have to be really thankful to Anthony Nixon, David J. Brown, Paul Mann, the fabulous Kodaly Philharmonic Orchestra and Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, and Toccata Classics for taking the risk and making such discoveries available to us.
I really want this piece (and other, like the symphonies of Louise Farrenc, and so much more!) regularly played in the concert halls all over the world!!
