Rory Macdonald & RSNO - Thomas Wilson: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 - The Scotsman

Thomas Wilson, who died in 2001. was a defining figure among that mid-to-late 20th century generation of Scottish composers who broke the mould, lived and worked in Scotland, and laid the foundations on which the likes of James MacMillan could later flourish. As often happens with composers immediately after their deaths, Wilson's music has fallen out of circulation. Will it ever come back? Just listen to the two symphonies - Nos 3 & 4 - on this fiery new recording by the RSNO under Rory Macdonald, and there's every reason to believe it will. The Fourth, "Passeleth Tapestry," is masterfully scored, fuelled by blistering energy at one extreme, intense beauty at the other. The Third is elemental, from the opening to the magical restfulness of the final bars. In these, and in his 1990 work Carillon, Wilson's artistry comes dramatically to life in powerful, often highly sensitised RSNO performances.