Here’s a lovely disc for a rainy day. The Irish Rhapsody is a charmer, a delightful collection of good tunes very much in the tradition of late 19th-century Romantic nationalism (Dvorák’s Slavonic Rhapsodies, Alfven’s Swedish Rhapsodies, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, and Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsodies are all cut from similar cloth). Selections from Natoma is the rather curious name that Herbert gave to the potpourri concert work derived from his eponymous opera, while the Auditorium Festival March lives up to the promise of its title: a rousing occasional piece that would grace any popular ceremony or holiday celebration. The most ambitious work here is the four-movement Columbus Suite, a musical depiction of the discovery of the New World. The quiet moments work best: the opening sunrise with its shimmering, harp-flecked strings, and the third movement “Murmurs of the Sea”, poetically rocked by a gentle clarinet solo. Elsewhere, the scoring (which includes organ) approaches the uncomfortably grandiose, though the closing pages have impact and don’t outstay their welcome. Clearly there’s more to Herbert than Babes in Toyland, and while I can imagine a more solidly focused performance from the orchestral brass than that on offer here–and more expansive sonics, Brion’s conducting presents all of this music in a very positive light. Its solid craftsmanship and tuneful heartiness should make it many friends.
