David Harbin writes:

>#5 the best recorded of the three.  However, I feel something is wrong
>with the work itself.  Many of the ideas and rhythms sound routine.
>The 'optimistic' coda seems tacked on.  Is the composer's inspiration
>flagging??? Am I missing something?

I haven't heard the new Lloyd-Jones version yet, but ... yes and no.  The
5th certainly does divide opinion amongst Baxians.  The Thompson recording
on Chandos is about the best of his cycle, bringing out the fascinating
scoring; whilst Raymond Leppard's fine Lyrita recording (long awaiting a CD
reissue) makes out a more impassionated, impulsive case for this symphony.

My own feeling is that whilst the 5th doesn't quite scale the heights of
the two peaks of the cycle, the 3rd and 6th, in some ways it is the finest
of them all.  The musical material is much more tightly integrated than
usual, with almost everything stemming from the opening bars.  This means
that the 5th is even more elusive than the other symphonies, and takes a
good deal more getting to know.

Some people do feel, as Lewis Foreman does, that the triumph of the
epilogue is not earned.  I don't agree.  Once you grasp the nature of the
final chorale theme as the logical outcome of the whole symphony it makes
a lot more emotional sense.  > >Am looking forward to the Tintagel in this
cycle You may be waiting some time.  "Tintagel" is not recorded yet (nor
are the remaining three symphonies) and David Lloyd-Jones has reputedly
told Naxos that he wants to leave conducting it until last!

Christopher Webber,
Blackheath, London, UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm "ZARZUELA!"