Conducted by Britain's modernist composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the orchestra conjures up a thrilling seascape in his 1984 symphony - probably based on the Orkney Islands, north of Scotland, where he lives and writes most of his music.
This re-release of a 1994 Collins Classics recording is well worthwhile, as the music is so intense and uncompromising in portraying the violence of waves and a cliff-face full of nesting birds, teamed with ideas of symmetry and proportion based on principles of Renaissance architecture. Cross Lane Fair (1994) is a lighter, nine-part work inspired by memories of a fairground visited in the composer's childhood, effectively making use of Northumbrian pipes and bodhran (an Irish drum) and chamber orchestra.
Highlights: Challenging, evocative symphony; plus carnival fun.
This "popular" classical release has Korngold's magnificent Violin Concerto as its centrepiece, beautifully played for the purists, but blending in well with the scheme to present violin music immortalised on the Hollywood big screen. To attract youth we also get lush, romantic sounds of the Scottish violinist (soloist recently in the 2012 BBC Last Night of the Proms) in the themes from Schindler's List (John Williams), Ladies in Lavender (Hess), The Gadfly (Shostakovich's Romance) and Shutter Island (Mahler's Piano Quartet in A minor). Korngold provides two other theme tunes and so does Shostakovich.
Gardel composed the theme from Scent of a Woman with accordion added to the backing.
All best taken in small doses though unless you love Benedetti's ultra-sweet tones.
Highlight: Korngold's Concerto shines out.
