Arne: Eight Overtures - The Academy of Ancient Music, Hogwood

Thomas Augustine Arne
Eight Overtures
The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
L'Oiseau-Lyre 475 9117

The Eight Overtures of Thomas Arne do not quite possess the energy, the freshness or the technical solidity of the better-known Eight Symphonys of his rival, William Boyce, but they do have much charm of their own. The first movements are mostly in some degree French-overturish, but with a very English relaxing of the Gallic formality; but Arne writes too some very dutiful fugues (a remarkably genial one in No. 1, one on an abnormally lengthy subject in No. 2, a double one in No. 6), and there are some appealing slow movements and attractive dances. It is the slow movements above all, I think, that bear the strongest witness to Arne's unique gifts. His music is uneven, but any dullish or routine movement is apt to be followed by one that takes your breath away with its charm or originality—try for example the graceful Andante e piano of No. 1, wistful, graceful, quirkily English in the shape of its lines, or the plaintive little D minor Andante e piano of No. 5. Some of the overtures, originally written for theatre or semitheatrical works, have a more grandiose manner: the last, from The Judgment of Paris, in particular, but also the cne from Comus, No. 7, with its ringing trumpets. Another, No. 4, has concertante parts for two horns.

All this music is played in a very spirited fashion by the Academy, under Christopher Hogwood whose understanding of, and sympathy for, the music are unrivalled (this was, I believe, their first recording). Standards of precision in the playing of period instruments have of course risen in the 20 years since this recording was made (the sound of the oboes is the sharpest reminder of that), but the particular spirit of these pieces is most happily caught and there is much that is very delightful and unmistakably the music of an eccentric Englishman.

SS, Gramophone Magazine

Arne: Four Symphonies - Cantilena, Adrian Shepherd

Thomas Augustine Arne
Four Symphonies
Cantilena, Adrian Shepherd
Chandos CHAN 8403

Thomas Arne (1710-1778), an English contemporary of Handel,is not a well-remembered composer. A number of years younger than Handel, he lived in London at the same time, and thereffore lived to a certain extent in the shadow of the older master. Today Arne is remembered, if at all, as the composer of Rule Brittania (which came from his masque Alfred) and for a popular arrangement of God Save the King. If one considered only these two compositions, one might suspect that Arne composed only jingoistic, popular works. Nothing could be further from the truth as Arne composed a number of oratorios and masques as well as numerous popular songs. In his quest to be regarded as a serious composer, he composed a number of symphonies of which the four on this recording have been preserved, having been originally published in 1767.

These are short, 3 movement symphonies written in an older, pre-Haydn style. The movements of No. 1 in C major are allegro-andante-allegro. No. 2 in F major has as its movements presto-andantina-moderato allegro. No. 3 in E flat major is written as andante e piu-larghetto-tempo di minuetto. No. 4 is moderato-larghetto-vivace. The symphonies are short ranging in length from 8:31 for No. 1 to 14:11 for No. 4. The fast movements of all symphonies have driving melodies - most have complex orchestration variously involving strings, woodwinds, horns, and/or flutes. The slow movements are emotional and gentle. The style of music varies from baroque to early classical. The symphonies show development from simpler affairs (1 and 2) to more developed and complex works (3 and 4). Symphony No. 3 reminds me melodically of Handel in several places. The other 3 symphonies are more original, especially No. 4 where the use of horns playing melodies intertwined with those of the woodwinds and strings is captivating.

The symphonies on this CD had been forgotten for about 200 years until re-published/discovered in 1973. We are fortunate that Chandos has seen to record these small masterpieces. The Cantilena, a small Scottish orchestra under the direction of Adrian Shepard, provides an excellent performance. This recording dating from 1985, is digital with full bright and clear sound.

The symphonies on this recording provide us with music of London of the mid-1700's by a composer other than Handel. They are examples of lovely early symphonies. In his day, Arne was very popular and this CD shows us why.

R. Broardhead - Amazon Customer Review

Arne: Overtures - Collegium Musicum 90, Simon Standage

Thomas Augustine Arne
Overtures
Collegium Musicum 90, Simon Standage
Chandos CHAN 0722

Collegium Musicum 90 rarely get the adulation they deserve. This anthology of overtures by Arne, featuring a who's who of the English period-instrument scene, is a charming disc of beautifully played and brightly executed performances.

Simon Standage nurtures affectionate interpretations and his violin-playing still perpetuates the impeccable stylishness and musical taste that made his pioneering recordings with Pinnock and Hogwood so enduring.

The Overture to the English comic opera Thomas and Sally (1760) gets things off to a splendid start; its Scotch gavotte features masterful, witty playing from bassoonist Sally Jackson.

The bulk of the disc is devoted to 'Eight Overtures in 8 Parts' that Arne published in 1751. Peter Holman's informative bookletnotes say these overtures were probably extracted from introductions to vocal works, many of which are now lost. Among the finest moments are the vivacious opening Presto of Overture No 3 and the invigorated horn blasts and chuckling oboes in the middle movement of No 4. Trumpeters Crispian Steele-Perkins and David Blackadder provide grandeur in the bright Overture to Arne's setting of Milton's Comus (No 7).

Although those devoted to pleading Arne's cause would love to hear a recording of such fine quality of Comus, or the oratorio Judith, this collection is comfortably among the strongest advocacies of Arne's merits on CD.

Gramophone Magazine