(Hallé)
Hallé/Elder
Watkins’s symphony, fanfare and concerto make for a spirited showcase of the orchestra’s clean harmonies
T
his recording is a celebration of what a fruitful relationship between a composer and an orchestra can be, as well as a souvenir of uneasy times. The Hallé co-commissioned Huw Watkins’ second symphony, having premiered his first; it was written amid Covid lockdowns and recorded for a filmed concert in spring 2021. Concurrently, Watkins wrote Fanfare for the Hallé, which in November 2020 was one of the first works played and recorded in the Bridgewater Hall after nine months of silence.
