Enchanted Forest

Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from the isle of Iona carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers.

The Symphony No. 10 has a heartfelt Hymnus framed by a stunningly violent first movement and an equally riled war dance of a third movement. In fact that third movement had me thinking of Grainger's revolutionary ballet The Warriors. The first movement Ein Sturm is not quite as onomatopoeic as the similar works by Nystroem and Sibelius - both inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Henze movement was not related to Shakespeare. All the music here is freely dissonant yet not fragmented. Henze holds true to the ‘long line’ in his thinking and expression.
The Montpellier orchestra know the music well for they give a virtuoso performance …….

Rob Barnett @ musicweb-international.com