BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Steven Lloyd-Gonzalez
Release Date: 15 July 2022
Label: First Hand Records
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5060216346120
Genres: Classical Twentieth Century
Description
"British Conductor Steven Lloyd-Gonzalez makes his debut recording for First Hand Records with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the 6th and 9th Symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich; two of the composer's more enigmatic and intimate works.
The scale and breadth of the 6th Symphony's opening nocturnal Largo contrasted with the livelier and shorter 2nd and 3rd movements emphasises the work's unique form and place in the 20th century symphonic oeuvre.
The 9th Symphony's Haydnesque first movement with its notorious gate-crashing trombone is followed by one of Shostakovich's most searching and atmospheric of movements. The Presto, by contrast, is a whirlwind of virtuosity before unexpectedly running out of steam and leading 'attaca' to the brutalist lower brass fanfare opening of the 4th movement, which in turn lays bare the ground for a desolate bassoon cadenza, here featuring Joshua Wilson as soloist. The Allegretto — Allegro finale once again evokes the classical sound world of the 1st movement, but now with a sense of nonchalance and aplomb."
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"[Lloyd-Gonzales] has a real gift for Shostakovich and, if this is his debut recording, I have no doubt we will be hearing a lot more from him." – MusicWeb International
"the sonorous directness of the Sixth is up there with the best…and Lloyd-Gonzalex doesn't miss a trick or dynamic in Shostakovich's encyclopaedia of moods and contrasts."
"The BBC National Orchestra of Wales has never been on finer form." – BBC Music Magazine, Performance 5 STARS, Recording 5 STARS
"Steven Lloyd-Gonzales and the formation of Wales offer us an inspired and racy reading." – ResMusica Orchestral Recording of the Month, 5 Star 'Le Clef'
Tracklisting
Noxwode, Conor Gricmanis
Tessa Lark, Jon Batiste, Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Edgar Meyer
David de Winter and The Brook Street Band
Alexander Baillie & Nigel Yandell
Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa; Alvaro Cassuto
The Flautadors Recorder Quartet
The Telling
Sarah Cahill
