THEODORE HOLLAND (1878-1947): Suite in D, ARNOLD BAX (1883-1953): Legend, RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958): Romance, REBECCA CLARKE (1886-1979): Sonata, WILLIAM WALTON (1902-1983): Canzonetta and Scherzo (transcr. Matthew Jones), FRANK BRIDGE (1879-1941): Berceuse, Sérénade, Elégie, Cradle Song (transcr. Veronica Leigh Jacobs [b.late 1930s?]), ARTHUR BLISS (1891-1975): Intermezzo from Piano Quartet (transcr. Watson Forbes [1909-1997]).

Description: I know it seems like Naxos has been issuing CDs of English viola music hand-over-fist the last year or so (and this is the third with the Clarke sonata) but this one comes with a World Premiere Recording of Holland's suite from 1937. A teacher at the RAM, he was known in his time as a fine composer of light music but most of his serious music was neglected; a substantial 19-minute work in three movements, it makes use of the whole range of the viola (as many pieces did in this period of Lionel Tertis' avid promotion of the instrument) and has a passionately lyrical slow movement. Matthew Jones (viola), Michael Hampton (piano).