Bax: Tintagel; Delius: (The) Walk in the Paradise; Delius: (A) London Overture

Advantages: Quintessentially English
Disadvantages: I only listened to the compostions I am familiar with!

...Warlock Serenade for Strings Capriol Suite I like these, but they ar predominantly string pieces....boo! George Butterworth A Shropshire Lad- Rhapsody Two English Idylls The Banks of the Green Willow- a popular tune most music lovers should recognise. (These two composers are excellent but not my personal favourites) Frederick Delius The Walk to the Paradise Garden- from A Village Romeo and Juliet. An opera by Delius, not totally baed on Shakespeare. This piece is written with sultry harmonies that a Debussy lover may mistake as Claude's! The Paradise Garden is a delapidated pub, not a utopic garden. This you could argue is a metaphor within the opera. The music is beautiful yet mournful as the lover decide to leave their love affair, and reflects the turmoil they both face. A delicate melange of lush melodies with saturated harmonies... Read review

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Advantages: Sublime
Disadvantages: Ends too soon!

...This CD has pride of place in my collection. Why? Because it contains some of the best classical music ever composed and the playing of the English Sinfonia, conducted by Sir Charles Groves, is absolutely right. It begins with Masques et Bergamasques op. 122, by Faure, which is a charming and happy tune. I think it might have been used as the signature tune for a radio or television programme when I was a child, but I am not certain on this point. The Sinfonia play the Overture, Menuet, Gavotte and Pastorale from the Masques et Bergamasques, then effortlessly glides into Faure's Chanson de Nuit, an exceptionally charming piece which is an exemplary example of pastorale. Serene, noble and lush. Perfection! Next comes Chanson de Nuit, by Elgar. Dream-filled, thoughtful, evocative, questing, all reasons why the music of Elgar is still so... Read review

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Advantages: Gavin Lee
Disadvantages: Uninspired music and lyrics

...Pastiche, the imitation of a literary or musical style for (generally) comic purposes, can be a wonderful thing. The songs of Tom Lehrer and the musical The Boyfriend spring to mind as great examples. Unfortunately, not all pastiche is good pastiche, and 'A Saint She Ain't' certainly ain't good pastiche. Written in a style reminiscent of film musicals of the 1940s and accompanied by piano (possibly two pianos, judging from the sound of the overture), the show features thirteen different songs which echo the list songs, novelty numbers and lovestruck duets remembered fondly from so many Hollywood singalongs. But it's not much fun, when it comes down to it. Music is by Denis King, lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and the cast of eight features Barry Cryer and Gavin Lee (who went on to create the stage version of Bert in Mary Poppins... Read review

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