What’s not to like? Eric Coates was a consummate professional, a fabulous tunesmith, and an excellent orchestrator. His command of form in the three Phantasies included here, particularly Cinderella, also demonstrates that he was comfortable working on a large scale when he felt so inclined. But then, all of this music, long and short, is delightful, and the most popular items (The Dam Busters march and Knightsbridge from the London Suite) well deserve the acclaim and affection that they have received to date.
As we might expect, Rumon Gamba leads thoroughly professional and alert performances. At times, I think a little more rhythmic snap in the march numbers might have been appropriate, but the ample acoustic certainly contributes to the soft-edged impression. This isn’t a major concern, though. Chandos offers sonics that have plenty of clarity and impact, and it’s good to see this composer given serious attention. He may not have been the most important British composer of the 20th century, but he certainly was the most captivating. [8/22/2002]
