Adrian Boult’s almost exclusive dedication to the music of his native England, in which he demonstrated a very real and unique authority, robbed music lovers of the chance to hear him in more international repertoire. This is a pity because–while perhaps not a major loss to Western culture–there’s evidence that Boult had a lot to say in plenty of other music. There’s his excellent EMI Brahms cycle, for example, and a stunningly intense Shostakovich Sixth on Everest. By the same token, his Mahler First sounds like he phoned in his interpretation between tea breaks, and he did a Hindemith Symphony in E-flat in which the “flat” must be short for “flatulence”.
Happily, this disc of live recordings shows Boult at his best. The Schubert offers the same kind of effortless, warm-hearted lyricism that Bruno Walter brought to his readings of this music, and there’s no stinting on emotional angst in the first movement. Bizet’s delightful little work displays all of its naïve charm, and the Daphnis suite, while typically British in approach (i.e. totally sexless) reveals plenty of ear-catching detail and ends with an impressively explosive Bacchanal. Finally, Boult’s organically shaped and effortlessly projected Sibelius Seventh reminds us that this was one area of the repertoire where a complete symphony cycle might have offered serious competition to the great sets of the 1960s and ’70s (Bernstein, Maazel, and Davis). All four works have been captured in good, live stereo, are very well performed by the two orchestras involved, and make an appealing, self-contained recital when played straight through. This disc is an impressive tribute to a fine musician that really does enhance our appreciation and understanding of his art.
