I was very pleasantly surprised to find that Chandos' new recording of
"Cotswold Romance" is a suite drawn from the opera, "Hugh the Drover," of
which I have become familiar with on a Hyperion issue featuring Best at the
helm.

Another lister pointed out the superior quality of Hyperion's sound, and I
agree, except for their recording of Hugh, which is very claustrophobic and
harsh to my ears.  There were many climactic moments when I wished for just
a little bit more resonance in the bass and a softer edge to the voices.

Well, the Chandos/Hickox recording is as resonant and full-bodied as one
could want, and contains some of the best music in the opera, (adapted and
slightly altered by Maurice Jacobson.) Highlights include the love scene,
which moves from the most intimately lovely folksong, ("...in the night
time, I have heard you calling, calling..."), to a climax that would do
the Richard Strauss of "Four Last Songs" proud in its estatic harmonies.
In the finale, "Freedom at Last," VW hurls one exhilarating chord after
another in the duet, "Oh, the sky shall be our roof...."

What feel-good music.  (Rosa Mannion and Thomas Randle sing radiantly.)

If one is feeling a litte too dew-kissed and moist after such a springtime
affair, a silica gel package is included in the form of "Death of
Tintagiles." Touching music, but a drier VW, similar to "Riders to the
Sea."

Tower's having a Clearance Sale--what a deal: $1.00 off 1995 prices!
Other acquisitions include Hyp's Busoni Piano Concerto, (giving this a
try Deryk), Villa Lobos' "Choros 11" on Ondine, and Boulanger's choral
and orchestral music on Chandos.

John Smyth