Oscar Wilde Archive

HENRY KIMBALL HADLEY: 6 Works – BBC Concert Orch./ Rebecca Miller – Dutton Epoch

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 20, 2016 | Classical CD Reviews

HENRY KIMBALL HADLEY: Scherzo Diabolique; Salome; Cleopatra’s Night; Othello Overture; San Francisco; The Enchanted Castle – BBC Concert Orch./Rebecca Miller – Dutton Epoch CDLX 7319 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi], 78:16, (9/11/15) ***: Pleasant enough and somewhat obscure but just not that interesting. Henry Kimball Hadley was an early twentieth century American composer from Boston who studied under George Whitefield Chadwick and who became fairly popular and respected in his time. Hadley and others in this time and place were writing music that sought, mainly, to be at least the equal of anything that Europe was producing at the time; such as the works of Elgar, Dukas, Finzi, et al. However – albeit a sign of the times – therein lies the problem when trying to assimilate these works into a collective listening experience. Each of these works makes for pleasant listening; at best charming and at least, nothing too ‘strange’ or tough on the ears. However, there are heavy strains of other composers such as Elgar, Dukas and the “Boston Six” and even early Richard Strauss that echo throughout but minus anything truly captivating or original to garner our lasting attention. We have themes or concepts on the timeless subjects […]