This release is very good and but a small step below Lyrita’s best. Imogen Holst was a fine musician and good composer, and few were as authoritative as she in performing her father’s music, especially the little-known late pieces she considered his finest work. Although she was an accomplished conductor (particularly when working with amateur groups) she did not operate at the level of Adrian Boult, Raymond Leppard, Norman del Mar, Charles Groves, or many of the other conductors who led Lyrita to its legendary status. Compared to their high standard, there is just a little stiffness and slackness in her performances. On the plus side, though, much of this music is otherwise unavailable or, if so, not at this very decent level. The Fugal Concerto, Brook Green, and Double Concerto are well worth hearing. Golden Goose, a forgotten ballet, is well-crafted and charming but suffers from terminal perkiness. Listeners who expect Planets-like music should be told that this is mostly austere and emotionally reserved, somewhat neo-classical in tone. It’s certainly worth having, but I’d suggest investigating other Lyrita fare first.
