Fry: Santa Claus Symphony / Royal Scottish National Orchestra

William Henry Fry (1813-64) was a strikingly original figure; he was the first American-born composer to write for large orchestral forces (among a host of other things), and despite incorporating many elements of contemporary European music (Berlioz seems like the most obvious influence), his musical voice is thoroughly original. In the Santa Claus Symphony - a symphonic poem, really, where Santa Claus fortunately makes only a brief appearance - he incorporates several popular songs of the period, and the work is evocatively pictorial and interestingly scored (among other things with the use of a soprano saxophone, surely not a common instrumental touch in 1853). That said, the structure is very loose and the work is in the end hardly more than the sum of its often very interesting parts.The Niagara Symphony (another symphonic poem, and a short one at that) is another graphic, original and well scored work, but one which is rather short on actual content. The Macbeth overture from 1864 is more conventional but well constructed and including some exciting material, especially again in terms of some very original orchestral textures. The Breaking Heart is overall less worthwhile.Performances are uniformly excellent, and the players are clearly excited by this visceral if ultimately hollow music. Sound quality is fortunately superb as well. All in all, this is an intermittingly exciting and appealing issue - a must to those interesting in the development of symphonic music in the U.S., but definitely worthwhile to others as well; just don't expect any unqualified masterpieces.

Thank you

William Henry Fry’s dates are probably closest to that of Robert Schumann, composing firmly in the romantic era, but in America. It is this comparison that makes Fry’s music all the more remarkable, for he certainly has a singular compositional voice that, while based in the romantic European style, deserves a nod of recognition which this recording of four of his programmatic works provides. While The Breaking Heart and Niagara Symphony seem to be the lesser of the program featured here, Niagara in particular, looks ahead to what Richard Strauss will do with his  Alpine Symphony  and what Berlioz was innovating in  his orchestrations . Fry’s Christmas Symphony and Macbeth Overture are certainly more successful, with Macbeth dramatic and tuneful, and Santa Claus encapsulating the programmatic tone poems of  Liszt , Mendelssohn , and  Strauss , although Fry gives his own American bent. For these two works, this recording is worth its price in gold!Tony Rowe and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra play with spirit in these world premiere recordings, giving some rare American works a fair shake. While the brass was sounding a little rough and the strings a little less than full (Berlin Philharmonic they are not), the performance is still great and the occasion of performing these rare works seems to buoy the Scottish orchestra’s energy and Rowe’s direction is certainly fine. Recommended!

This was an exceptional listening experience. For pre Civil War music there is none of the datedness of Steven Foster, and by that I mean only that Foster has a certain sound that we readily associate with his times.The Santa Claus Symphony is pretty much a half hour tone poem depicting the Christmas season and it does so splendidly enough to perfectly capture the Holiday spirit of things, sleigh ride and all.Overture to MacBeth and The Breaking Heart sound more modern than they actually are, but for me the real thrill here was listening to what was probably the first capture in sound of what Niagara Falls was all about, the rush and cascading of water, the force of nature to be reckoned with, a picture perfect (musical) postcard before any such thing was available.A valuable addition to any classical music collection.

Wonderful and compelling music! I bought this CD for these holidays andhave to say that i'm happy to get it. Fry seems to me as a great orchestralpainter and creator of wonderful atmospheres in a pre-strauss way. He soundsas an avant-garde composer, considering that he was born in 1.813. His tonepoems has a bit of schumannesque style but all of them have their ownpersonality. This is an excellent recommendation for new music explorers.

William Henry Fry's "Santa Claus Symphony" is actually one movement made up of several mini-movements, or whatever. In the absence of a program, your ears will be confused by the start/stop nature of the "symphony." Luckily, the notes tell us most, or much, of the story that is illustrated by the music--a snowstorm, a party, Santa's arrival, etc. All the listener has to do is know where he or she is. I, myself, started reading the notes somewhat past the double bass solo, so I was as lost as the guy in the snowstorm.The "Niagara Symphony" needs no program--and what would that be, anyway? ("Water falls. Water continues to fall. Etc.") This music is static in form and therefore eminently easy to follow. It is also superbly majestic and evocative. Even without knowing the title in advance, the listener will guess he is hearing something epic being described. ("Water. I see water. Lots of it.") Orchestrationally, this piece is the 19th century's answer to Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite."But the killer track is the "Macbeth" overture, a superbly dramatic work almost in a league with Tchaikovsky. And "The Aching Heart" is a beautifully-written light piece not nearly as maudlin as its title. It is deceptively simple in the best Viennese tradition.Listeners as impressed as I am by this composer might want to check out the Fry piano work on "The Wind Demon and other 19th Century Piano Music" CD (on the New World label).

der Komponist war mir unbekannt. die Musik ist zu empfehlen.

I'm always on the look out for the more obscure or perhaps "forgotten" composers and this disc is a real treat.Fry is a composer I've not heard of before, but he could certainly write and keep up a sustained effort in melody. Quite brilliant, more please Naxos!!

I heard this Classic FM, having last heard it as a child when it was used for "The Box of Delights" and it was a real nostalgia trip.

Entirely satisfied

excellent service very nice music.