Search - Irving Fine, Erich Leinsdorf, The Boston Symphony Orchestra :: Symphony 1962/Serious Song

A Rare and Wonderful Composer

T. Beers | Arlington, Virginia United States | 02/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Irving Fine died far too young in 1962, just as he was on the brink of realizing the full promise of his wonderful talent. A student of Walter Piston at Harvard in the '40s, Fine was influenced early on by Stravinsky (who wasn't?). The irresistably jaunty "Toccata Concertant" is unthinkable without reference to the cool/hot and spiky neoclassical works Stravinsky wrote in the '40s (think "Symphony in Three Movements"). But Fine has his own take on Stravinsky's international style, a take that is recognizably American in its sheer vigor and optimistic sound. "Serious Song" for strings, on the other hand, is an absolutely gorgeous tonal adagio that sings and soars and tears your heart out. Both of these wonderful works are played to the hilt by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Fine's hometown band, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf. (They were recorded by RCA in 1966-67 in truly superb stereo sound; the masters were subsequently licensed to Desto records and now to Phoenix.) Like the original RCA Lp, this Phoenix CD couples the "Toccata" and "Serious Song" with a live performance of Fine's only symphony, recorded under the composer's direction at Tanglewood only weeks before his death. Unlike the other two pieces, "Symphony 1962" is a serial composition and one of the best imaginable arguments for serialism's capacity to sustain an emotionally satisfying style. It's truly unfortunate that Fine didn't have more time to walk down the path he opened up with this magnificent composition. But here it is for us to enjoy and I can't imagine a better way to get acquainted with Fine's astonishingly attractive music. Note: the live recording of "Symphony 1962" is real stereo albeit not as satisfying as the studio recordings of its two companions. Still, it's totally enjoyable and, in fact, a priceless memento. (And totally superior to its only rival, a digitally-recorded performance by the Moscow Radio Orchestra on Delos that may or may not still be in print.) Even if - especially if - you've never heard of Irving Fine, I urge you to buy this disc. You're in for a real treat!"