GEORGE FREDERICK BRISTOW (1825-1898): Symphony No. 4 “Arcadian”, WILLIAM HENRY FRY (1813-1864): Niagara Symphony.

Description: The most welcome release of American Romantic orchestral music since, probably, Neeme Järvi recorded the Bristow second symphony for Chandos way back in 1993. Eight years later Fry’s Santa Claus Symphony was released in Naxos’ American Music series. Both composers were fierce supporters of American music although Bristow stuck to Germanic models. The Arcadian was inspired by the settlement of the American west and its four movements have descriptive titles: “Emigrants’Journey Across the Plains”, “Halt on the Prairie”, “Indian War Dance and Attack by Indians” and “Arrival at the New Home, Rustic Festivities and Dancing.” This will be the first time you’ll hear the complete symphony, its 42-minute length having been pruned of some ten minutes in Karl Kruger’s 1967 recording. Fry’s work attempts a representation of the roar of the Falls and uses tubas, ophicleides and bombardons along with eleven timpani. At 12:30 it is less than a third of the length of the Santa Claus Symphony. Orchestra NOW; Leon Botstein.