Fiddler’s Spring is an absolutely delightful collection of chamber music, with a theme of music derived from folk melodies. All the works contained here are from the early to late 20th century, with a variety of composers such as Gustav Holst, Rautavaara, Larsson, Rangström, Norgen, Weiner and Tobias.
Of all the works performed, the most familiar is the Holst
St. Paul’s Suite. It is a rousing and precise performance, with the strings getting a boost from the excellent SACD 5.1 presentation. I’ve heard many recordings of this work, and my favorite had been the City of London Sinfonia performance on Chandos, but I think this new performance betters it in both the excellent performance and in terms of the sonics.
I also enjoyed
the Rautavaara work, The Fiddlers, Op. 1. The chamber players are energetic, and the playing has wonderful dynamics. Although less familiar to me, I enjoyed the lesser known compositions on the disc, and as a complete program the selected works make for a very nice musical experience.
Fiddler’s Spring is an excellent disc, with both familiar music and music you will likely have never heard before. I highly recommend a listen. © Audiophile Audition Read complete review
