Elizabeth Maconchy received her most significant musical training in Prague, and she cites Janácek and Bartók as her strongest influences. You can hear hints of both composers in her Symphony for Double String Orchestra (1953), particularly in the music’s tricky rhythms and spicy harmonies. However, as the piece progresses, and especially in the last movement, you can tell that Maconchy also studied her share of compatriot Benjamin Britten’s works.
The title Music for Strings (1983) would seem to indicate Bartók as a prime model, and indeed Maconchy so strongly emulates the Hungarian composer’s witty, acerbic style that the piece sounds more like an homage than an original composition. However this in no way diminishes our enjoyment of the music.
Not so enjoyable is Serenata concertante (1962), a gray, angular piece that sounds like Maconchy’s attempt to prove that she also can do “modernist”. Her technique is assured, and violinist Manoug Parikian offers impressive solo work, even if it’s in the service of rather inert inspiration.
Finally, the symphonic poem Proud Thames, the first work on the disc, also is the earliest (1952), even though it sounds to be of recent vintage. This is due to the quasi-minimalist repetition toward the end, while the darkly playful interplay of brass and strings evoking the rushing river recalls Libby Larsen’s Water Music Symphony. Proud Thames also is the freshest and most engaging piece on the program. The performances are all excellent, with Vernon Handley leading Proud Thames, the Symphony, and the Serenata with the London Philharmonic and London Symphony, while Barry Wordsworth conducts the London Philharmonic in Music for Strings. The recorded sound is up to Lyrita’s usual high standard.
