Listeners who love British composers whose surname starts with the letter "B" may already know the symphonies of Bax, Bantock, Boughton, Brian, and possibly even those of Bainton. But the symphonies of Stanley Bate? Not bloody likely, as the Brits would say. This disc by Martin Yates and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra presents the world-premiere recording of Bate's Third Symphony, and the first recording any of his four symphonies. Written in 1940, Bate's Third is very much a product of its time, and very, very much ...
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Listeners who love British composers whose surname starts with the letter "B" may already know the symphonies of Bax, Bantock, Boughton, Brian, and possibly even those of Bainton. But the symphonies of Stanley Bate? Not bloody likely, as the Brits would say. This disc by Martin Yates and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra presents the world-premiere recording of Bate's Third Symphony, and the first recording any of his four symphonies. Written in 1940, Bate's Third is very much a product of its time, and very, very much indebted to William Walton's First Symphony of 1935. One hears the angst, fury, and pity of the early war years in this three-movement work, but more, one hears echoes of Walton. The throbbing string ostinatos and driving percussion crescendos of Bate's opening movement, his central movement's brooding wind chords and sweeping string writing, and his closing movement's monumental scoring and massive climaxes all recall similar aspects of Walton's First. Some listeners may hear this...
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