tracks

Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TRV 176 (1896-96)
Sehr Breit - Immer Breiter -
'Von den Hinterweltlern'. Weniger breit - Mäßig langsam, mit Andacht - Sehr breit -
Von der großen Sehnsucht'. Bewegter - Früheres Zeitmaß (mäßig langsam) -
'Von den Freuden - und Leidenschaften'. Bewegt - Noch bewegter, sehr leidenschaftlich - Etwas breiter werden -
'Das Grablied'. Etwas ruhiger - Immer ruhiger -
'Von der Wissenschaft'. Sehr langsam - Schnell - Etwas labhafter - Sehr langsam - Etwas weniger langsam - Doppelt so schnell -
'Der Genesende'. Energisch - Allmählich etwas bewegter - Immer bewegter - Immer schneller -
'Das Tanzlied'. [ ] - Zart bewegt - Mit labhaftem Schwung - Leicht und elastisch - Sehr bewegt -
'Das Nachtwandlerlied'. [ ] - Langsam - Immer ruhiger - Immer langsamer - Noch langsamer
The Planets, Op. 32, H 125 (1914-17)
Mars, the Bringer of War. Allegro
Venus, the Bringer of Peace. Adagio - Andante - Animato - Meno mosso - Largo - Animato - Largo -
Mercury, the Winged Messenger. Vivace
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity. Allegro giocoso - Più mosso - Tempo I - Andante maestoso - Tempo I -
Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age. Adagio - Poco animato - Tempo I - Animato - [A tempo I] -
Uranus, the Magician. Allegro - Lento - Allegro - Largo
Nepture. the Mystic. Andante - Allegretto

notes

For its very first album on Chandos, the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain devotes its characteristic energy and musical mastery to an explosive programme that transcends daily life and earthly experience. It is helped by the enthusiastic, encouraging, and experienced baton of Edward Gardner as well as by the sumptuous yet detailed acoustic of Symphony Hall, Birmingham, all fully revealed in this surround-sound recording.

Their performance of Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra and Holst’s The Planets is already a point of reference in the UK after the immensely successful Prom concert that preceded the recording. The concert’s five-star review in The Daily Telegraph praised in particular the orchestra’s ‘great attack and complete absence of anything routine’, while The Guardian emphasised the great performance of the orchestra in this ‘graceful and evocative programme’, especially the ‘depth and richness of sound that belied their youth’.

This unique album is a first milestone in what promises to be a superb discography for the NYO.

Total Time: 79:53

Microphones:
Thuresson: CM 402 (main sound - are hand built by the designer, Jörgen Thuresson in Sweden)
Schoeps: MK22 / MK4 / MK6
DPA: 4006 & 4011
Neumann: U89

credits

A&R [A&R Administrator] – Sue Shortridge
Booklet Editor – Finn S. Gundersen
Conductor – Edward Gardner
Design, Typography [Typesetting] – Cap & Anchor Design
Engineer – Ralph Couzens, Ralph Couzens
Engineer [Assistant], Editor – Jonathan Cooper
Leader [National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain] – Millie Ashton
Orchestra – National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Photography By [Back Cover] – Benjamin Ealovega
Photography By [Front Cover] – Brian Christensen
Producer – Brian Pidgeon

companies

Recorded At – Symphony Hall, Birmingham

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