CD REVIEW -
MACDOWELL
Orchestral Works Vol.2
Wang/Dixon/BBC PO/Wilson
CHANDOS CHSA 20332
[61:08]
In this expected
follow-up to Vol.1, the Piano
Concerto No2 is the second of two
the American composer wrote, a
significant work in that
country's musical history, and
remains the only large-scale work
by Edward MacDowell still
relatively consistently
performed. It was completed in
late 1885 while he was living in
Germany, and is considered to be
a masterpiece of its kind.
It is nicely
played here by Xiayin Wang, a
highly regarded Chinese-American
known for her virtuosic
performances. She is accompanied
by the BBC's fine Salford based
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted
by John Wilson, whose name will
undoubtably continue to feature
quite frequently in reviews this
year. A Puccini album with the
Sinfonia of London is already
awaiting future release.
As the concerto is
only a tad under 25 minutes there
are three other orchestral works
– Hamlet/Ophelia,
Two Poems for Large Orchestra; a
lovely miniature, Romanze
for Cello with Orchestral
Accompaniment, featuring BBC PO
principal cellist, Peter Dixon;
and Suite (No.1) for
Large Orchestra, inspired by
MacDowell's love of nature.
Wilson obviously
has an affinity with this
composer's music and the
orchestra responds very well to
his baton wielding. Along with
the customary superior Chandos
sound this is another disc
recommended for those adventurous
in their musical choices.
©
Peter Burt, January 2026
(Edward
MacDowell (1860-1908) was dubbed
'The American Grieg'. His most
well-known and enduring
composition is a short movement
from his 'Woodland Sketches'
suite, originally for solo piano,
entitled 'To A Wild Rose'. Ed).
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