A superb collection of four complete Britten orchestral masterpieces in performances that have been lauded over and over again. The ‘Simple Symphony’ is engagingly done, the virtuosity in the ‘Frank Bridge Variations’, not to mention state-of-the-art sound engineering, has never been exceeded and the two Van Beinum recordings have a wonderful nobility to them.
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Simple Symphony for string orchestra, Op. 4
English Chamber Orchestra
Benjamin Britten
Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Neville Marriner
The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
(Variations and Fugue on a theme of Purcell)
Four Sea Interludes from ‘Peter Grimes’
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Eduard van Beinum
‘The bargain-price gems from Eloquence continue with this marvellous selection… first-rate performances and quality sound. Highly recommended’ The Age