Themes of Grainger features the conductor-less Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble and predates the "Grainger Edition" that English label Chandos began in 1996 that, so far, has reached Volume 19. Themes of Grainger actually isn't all-Grainger as the cover design might suggest; the longest piece featured on the disc is a multi-movement work by English composer Kenneth Leighton, Fantasy Octet on Themes of Grainger, Op. 87. This is the most impressively performed work on the disc, played with purpose and fire ...
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Themes of Grainger features the conductor-less Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble and predates the "Grainger Edition" that English label Chandos began in 1996 that, so far, has reached Volume 19. Themes of Grainger actually isn't all-Grainger as the cover design might suggest; the longest piece featured on the disc is a multi-movement work by English composer Kenneth Leighton, Fantasy Octet on Themes of Grainger, Op. 87. This is the most impressively performed work on the disc, played with purpose and fire, and one wonders if Grainger's music is meant to be included as filler for the Leighton work and not the other way around. The least enjoyable selection on Themes of Grainger is a shaky, seasick rendering by baritone Nicholas Sears of Grainger's maritime folk-song setting Shallow Brown. Sears' voice is so wayward that the Academy members probably wished they had a conductor present when this was waxed -- the performance is all over the map. While it is certainly admirable that the...
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Add this copy of Grainger/Leighton: Chamber Works to cart. $17.99, new condition, Sold by Mom's Resale rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from River Hills, WI, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Alliance.