William BOYCE (1711-1779)
Eight Symphonies Op.2 (1760) [61:53]
English String Orchestra/William Boughton
rec. March-April 1992, Ballroom of Nimbus Foundation,
Wyastone Leys, Monmouth.
NIMBUS NI 5345 [61:53]
There have been a number of modern instrument performances of the Boyce symphonies
over the years. One thinks variously of Menuhin’s recording with his Festival
Orchestra, of Ronald Thomas’s with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta on CRD, and
of the ASMIF and Neville Marriner. But period bands have long been active
in this arena and two of the most lasting and established entrants are Pinnock
and Hogwood. More recently, in up to date sound and at a tempting price bracket,
comes Mallon.
Those with long memories will recall Jörg Faerber and the Württemberg Chamber
Orchestra.
This partial survey of the back story reveals that the symphonies – so tuneful,
so attractive, and so lingering in the imagination – have never lacked for
adherents and promoters. That said it’s the period bands that have begun to
crowd the market and supplant the chamber-sized modern instrument performances,
and you’ll have some trouble tracking down all of the last named recordings
today.
One which you will certainly be able to acquire is this traversal by the English
String Orchestra and William Boughton. These admirable exponents recorded
quite a sheaf of music together and always gave good value. Their Boyce is
no exception. Tempi are fluent and quite fleet, slower or pomposo movements
have a grand nobility to them, and characterisation is acutely monitored to
ensure that the individual temper of each movement never becomes generic or
underplayed. In many ways then these are articulate and worthwhile performances.
When one gets down to brass tacks however detail begins to militate against
them. When one gets down to brass tacks however detail begins to militate
against them. The most obvious demerit is the cavernous acoustic at the Ballroom
of Nimbus Foundation, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, which imparts a distant sound-stage
to the proceedings. Attack and articulation and detailing do suffer. Things
lack crispness. The bass line sounds rather heavy and dragging. In the First
Symphony for example, despite the good tempo and dynamics, things are a bit
stolid. Phrase endings tend to taper in the central movement. In the Symphony
in C [No.3] the tonal weight doesn’t allow a real interplay between strings
and wind, and the lower string weight tends to create an impression of holding
back. Sensitively shaped though the opening of the D minor [No.8] Symphony
is, a more sparing sound is strongly preferable, a feeling reinforced by the
string based sonority, not least in No.4 in F, where others have brought out
the delightful wind writing more playfully.
In short then I would refer you first, amongst modern instruments, to Thomas
– if you can find it – and for period performances to Hogwood, and then Pinnock,
in that order. If you can find the wonderful Faerber, whose praises I never
fail to sing, then don’t hesitate.
Jonathan Woolf
Attack, articulation and detailing do suffer. Things lack crispness. ... see
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