Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA67444

Miniature Concerto in G, Op 35

composer
1933; can be played by string quartet under the title Miniature String Quartet in G

Guildhall Strings, Robert Salter (conductor)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
Recording details: May 2003
Big School, Christ's Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: July 2004
Total duration: 9 minutes 6 seconds
 

Reviews

‘This is music for an English summer evening, with a glass of wine to hand—rewarding in its unpretentious, melodious, nicely crafted way; especially when played with sympathy and elegance by Robert Salter and the excellent Guildhall Strings and so naturally balanced and recorded by Andrew Keener. Don't miss it’ (Gramophone)

‘The performances by Guildhall Strings are energetic and precise. Though a relatively small ensemble of 11 strings, they possess a Protean ability to convey a much plusher sound as required … dare we hope this CD will mark the beginning of a break for Milford? He's long overdue one’ (Fanfare, USA)
Milford wrote this as a ‘Miniature String Quartet in G’ in 1933, with the optional title of ‘Concerto’ when played by a string orchestra. The Adagio was published in an organ arrangement in 1935 and the full score in 1938. In the first movement Milford sustains a constant bouncing 6/8 against which he projects two engaging outdoor tunes. Towards the end, in a sudden interlude, six romantic Adagio bars present us a sudden lyrical outburst before being snatched away, rather as if the whole movement had taken us on some country railway of the 1930s, and a brief vision – perhaps an orchard in bloom – had been glimpsed and immediately lost as the train rounded a curve. That slow section prepares us for the slow movement which is very much in the style of the slower movements of Warlock’s suite Capriol – then still new – and consists of a twelve-bar theme followed by three short variants on it, with the recapitulation of the opening statement to end. The jaunty insouciant finale is pure Milford, consisting entirely of two tunes that are constantly elaborated over the jaunty walking accompaniment, and then sung in counterpoint with a delicious quietly exhilarating effect. But also typical Milford, no sooner have we experienced it than it is snatched away and the work is over.

from notes by Lewis Foreman © 2004

Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...