Orchestral works Vol 1 (Incls 'Symphony for Strings, Op. 3')

'Hickox and the BBC NOW likewise do full justice to the Concerto for String Orchestra that Leighton completed in September 1961… Music as absorbing, humane and emotionally charged as this deserves a regular place in the repertory, an observation which extends to the magnificent Organ Concerto that Leighton wrote in 1970, prior to his appointment as Reid Professor at Edinburgh University. The instrumentation mirrors that of Poulenc's 1938 Concerto and Leighton's resplendent score exhibits a similar cumulative impact and communicative élan. John Scott acquits himself with distinction and receives glowing support from Hickox and company. Chandos' gorgeously ripe sound and superbly judged balance add further lustre to what is a terrific disc. I can hardly wait for the second instalment.'
Gramophone

'All in all it is a revelatory and superbly played disc.'
The Telegraph

'The latter work [Organ Concerto], especially, is a powerful and passionate utterance that displays Leighton as one of the most substantial musical thinkers of his generation. John Scott is a first-rate soloist in this taxing work and Richard Hickox directs superbly paced and eloquent performances of this fine music.'
BBC Music Magazine (five stars)

Kenneth Leighton was one of the most distinguished post-war British composers and a frequent performer. His music maintains a compelling balance between early serial techniques and the lyricism of the romantic tradition. His colourfully orchestrated works suggest a lively if often dark imagination. This disc contains the Organ Concerto, with John Scott as soloist, the Concerto for String Orchestra and the early Symphony for Strings. Leighton grew up in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where he received his earliest musical inspiration as a chorister in the Cathedral and discovered the possibilities of the organ. Richard Hickox conducts the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the first of a series devoted to Leighton's music.