By NH100270
24-Sep-2012

Wood symphony  

Hugh Wood's Symphony is a lush, vibrant and dynamic work. The 1st movement feels like an intense pursuit through (I imagine) woodland. It is vigorously relentless - with stumbles, changes of direction, looking, searching, running out of breath, rest, go on again! - until an exhausted conclusion is reached.

The 2nd movement evokes solitude - melancholic and remorseful isolation splashed with mischievous insight. The 3rd movement giddies on with a fresh purpose - a determined yet skittish probing. The 4th and final movement strays into forgotten terrain where the afore struggles are clarified. All four movements are played continuously as one epic movement. (This has been a figurative review of the symphony!)

Scenes from Comus is a thingamajig for tenor, soprano and orchestra. Vivid and lyrical, again rooted in the eternally enchanted forest.
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