Alwyn, Rubbra and Walton fans will want to hear this major, modern English symphony. Written at the end of World War II by Richard Arnell (1917-2009), it's dedicated to the courage of the British people during that ordeal.

There's a dramatic sweep to it that's almost cinematic, which figures when you consider that Arnell was one of Britain's finest film composers. It's in six movements with the worried first and fifth acting as introductions to their highly animated immediate successors. The third, an extended andante with a Roy Harris sweep, is the symphonic center of gravity. It's followed by a scherzo, which Shostakovich would have loved.

Arnell's overture, The New Age, ends this well played concert on a rousing, optimistic note.

The sound is good, but a bit dry. (P060623)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)

Here are two little known, but delightful quartets in the late romantic British tradition. Edgar Bainton (1880-1956) was a student of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and it shows in this beautifully written pastoral pastel. There's a wealth of cheerful melodic material and an ease of expression, which quite belie the fact that most of it was written in a German prison camp, where the composer was interned during World War I.

Structurally Hubert Clifford's (1904-1959) is more symphonic in concept with alternating adagio and allegro sections that are quite emotionally arresting. Here and there the composer's Irish ancestry seems to peek through in passages reminiscent of folk music from the Emerald Isle.

The performances are certainly committed and the string sound, silky smooth. (P060622)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)

This is the world premiere of a English composer Cyril Scott's (1879-1970) highly atmospheric and colorful fourth symphony. It will have great appeal for French impressionist fans, and totally belies the fact that the composer studied extensively in Germany.

His first piano concerto is thrilling and in the grand neoromantic tradition. Eastern and impressionistic elements vie with one another in a fascinating kaleidoscope of sound that prevails throughout the work. What's more, there are occasional folksy outbursts reminiscent of Percy Grainger.

Early One Morning is a beautifully orchestrated mood poem for piano and orchestra. Those liking Bax will love it.

Granted it's getting very difficult to find new and interesting works to record, but this disc certainly meets that challenge, and you'll find the performances and sound are superb. (P060621)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)

Taken from a 1971 quad recording, this is a hybrid, CD(2)/SACD(2/4.0), Mahler eighth for the ages! It sports a stellar cast of soloists, five choruses and for many of us the best Mahler orchestra in the world.

Conductor Haitink was in top form the day he conjured this one up, and so were the Philips recording engineers. They've captured every sonic nuance of this massive music making in the Concertgebouw's acoustically ideal hall.

If there was ever a work that cried out for a multichannel approach, this is it! Heard in that format you'll find it a religious experience. But even in stereo it's pretty spectacular, because the Polyhymnia people who remastered it are some of today's best audio postproduction folks. This is monumental Mahler that never fails to move! (Y060620)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)

This is the last release in Priory's survey of organ music by this French romantic composer, and in many ways you may find it the most interesting.

The concert begins with Gerard Brooks at the great organ for five absolutely fabulous, magisterial paraphrases of works by Leon Boellmann, Charles Balorre, Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saint-Saens.

He then moves to the choir organ for eleven delicate miniatures, which find Gigout at his most charming.

Returning to the great, our soloist gives us a very engaging fantasy on Canadian folk songs, a melancholy intermezzo and a tiny suite. The latter begins in rustic fashion and then ends with a lovely lied followed by a triumphal march that's a real hose remover.

Brooks plays up a storm and the sound is good, if a bit rotund. (P060619)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)

In addition to the more frequently performed Kullervo Overture, this release features four currently unavailable orchestral pieces by this great, late romantic Finnish composer.

These include a cycle of six moving autumnal songs for soprano based on poems by the composer's wife; a stirring Sibelian sounding ballad for tenor with a text from the Kalevala; and two suites.

One of the suites is drawn from his piano pieces and the other, from the ballet Okon Fuoko. The later is a new, very effective compression of the entire work by Armo Volmer, who's also the conductor here. It very effectively skims the cream from one of the composer's more problematic utterances. By the way, purists can find the complete ballet on Alba-184.

First-class performances and sound prevail. (P060618)

-- Bob McQuiston, Classical Lost and Found (CLOFO.com)