Geoffrey Gaskell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I would particularly recommend the new release of Kenneth Young's Symphony
>etc and the Continuum CD of the three Symphonies of Douglas Lilburn.

I do not know Young's symphony as yet, but Lilburn's symphonies are an
absolute must!  I believe that Gramophone recommended that record, but
Lilburn is still completely unknown here in France, for instance.  His 2nd
symphony is one of the most atmospheric ever written, with a unique sense
of light and clouds abruptly giving way to each other.  His 3rd, much more
abstract, taut and concise, has energy, conviction, a quality of thought,
construction and orchestral writing rarely equalled in post-war symphonic
writing.  It is simply one of the most convincing symphonies composed after
1945 -- *anywhere*.

Farquhar's 1st, coupled with the "historic" recording of the 3rd (Hopkins
conducting, but it was in 1968 IIRC), is very fine too, if slightly less
individual.

And there are at least 20 more symphonists from NZ to be discovered...
Not to mention other musical forms, which should not be overlooked, as
Eric Schissel rightly points out.

Best wishes,

Thanh-Tam Le
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