Northern Sinfonia, Steuart Bedford - Britten: Simple Symphony, Temporal Variations, Suite sur des airs populaires anglais (2005)

With this re-release of Britten's orchestral music, another wonderful volume of the late and lamented Collins Classics Britten series is back in circulation. Led by Steuart Bedford, Collins' Britten series was a planned complete edition of the music of the great twentieth century English composer. Unfortunately, after superb releases of the song cycles, the folk-song settings, and a handful of other discs, the closing of Collins curtailed further issues. Naxos has begun reissuing the extant recordings and anyone who wants to hear Britten at his best could do no better than to hear them. This disc includes orchestral music, mostly string orchestra music, from across Britten's entire career from the carefree Simple Symphony of his early maturity through the austere Lachrymae of his last year. Oboist Nicholas Daniel is a sweet-toned soloist in the Temporal Variations. Mezzo soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers is a honey-toned soloist in A Charm of Lullabies. Violist Philip Dukes is a dark-toned soloist in the Lachrymae. Bedford is a dedicated and deeply musical conductor and his interpretations catch Britten's brilliance and his depths. The Northern Sinfonia is a capable chamber orchestra with a rough but winning technique and a strong but sensitive tone. Collins' sound was rich, warm, and full and Naxos' reissue is a transparent transfer.