Symphonies 4 & 5 / Elegy in Memory of Serge

Hanson's symphonic cycle reached a
profound spiritual crux at the time of
the Fourth Symphony, which was
written, in effect, as a Requiem for his
father. It journeys from turbulence to
the simplicity of resolution, in a way
both characteristic and also deeply
moving. The Fifth Symphony also
evokes religious imagery in a tautly
structured, richly atmospheric
canvas. The Lutheran element
surfaces too in Dies Natalis, whilst
Hanson's admiration for Serge
Koussevitzky is marked by the Elegy
he wrote for the conductor. 'Schwarz's
commitment to the music is evident in
every bar: you really can take the
quality, not least of his marvellous
orchestra, for granted.' (Gramophone
on the original Delos release)