It is an amazing fact that a year after its first performance Anthony Payne's elaboration of Elgar's sketches for his Third Symphony have become part of the mainstream orchestral repertoire.
Payne, a musicologist and a composer, took on the monumental task of pieceing together the few sketches that Elgar left before his death and expanding them in a complete symphony. The results are incredible. Although Payne is cautious to guard against calling the symphony an original Elgar work (as so much was of Payne's invention)the piece has an unmistakable Elgar feeling.
Originally recorded by the partnership that gave the work's first performance (Andrew Davis and the BBC Symphony Orchestra) this new recording with the Bournemouth Symphony conducted by Paul Daniel (music director at English National Opera) is a much weightier and envigorating performance.
At £5 for each of the works in the Naxos catalogue it is easy to dismiss their recordings as 'budget quality' but nothing could be further from the truth. This disc exemplifies that quality of both sound and performance that typies the entire range.
This disc is a must for all those interested in classical music and at the price an absolute bargain!
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