This is the second Sinfonia of London album dedicated to William Walton and a perfect example of how conductor John Wilson’s vital, yet penetrating, approach combines with the orchestra’s trademark lustre to fit this composer’s music like a glove. It’s evident from the outset in a rumbustious reading of the Scapino overture that positively snaps, crackles and pops.
Principal cellist Jonathan Aasgaard is the soloist in Walton’s final concerto where the music’s angst-ridden romantic sweep is tinged with introspective melancholy. Translucent orchestral textures allow his generous tone to shine, while a prodigious technique is showcased in an immaculately articulated account of the central Allegro appassionato.
