RAWSTHORNE: Concerto for String Orchestra / Divertimento / E

Alan Rawsthorne is the rare mid-century English composer who essentially avoided the traditional pastoral style in favor of a highly abstract style in a manner reminiscent of Paul Hindemith. 'The Elegiac Rhapsody' is a dramatic companion piece to the work that opens the CD. Where the Rhapsody tends to be dramatic in a fashion that recalls the composer's many film scores, the Concerto has a turbulent restlessness, and a spiky, nervous energy. The 'Concertante pastorale' is a subdued work that comes closest to evoking the composer's native traditions. This comes as no surprise, as the composer considers it a light and lyrical work for a summer evening. The extremely brief 'Light Music for Strings' suggests a youthful Britten, while the six-minute Suite for Recorder and String Orchestra has a jaunty nature that points to Rawsthorne's more playful and less austere side. The Northern Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of David Lloyd-Jones, puts in a solid performance in a recording that is essential for anyone interested in attending to the works of a somewhat neglected English composer who deserves a wider audience.