The really good news here is the CD début of Romeo and Juliet, one of only two ballet scores that Diaghilev commissioned from British composers for his Ballets Russes. It's a frothy romp firmly in the Stravinsky/Poulenc/ Milhaud mould – and a brilliantly confident achievement for a 20-year-old student – but, strange to relate, there's barely a glimpse of the sheer expressive scope of either Pomona or The Rio Grande (not to mention the remarkable Piano Concerto). We've long needed a worthy successor to Norman Del Mar's affectionate Lyrita version with the ECO; happily, Lanchbery and company have plugged the gap with notable success. Not only does the orchestral playing evince infectious zest and unswerving dedication to the cause, Lanchbery directs with palpable relish throughout.
He also gives us an enjoyably lithe account of Pomona and a sparkling curtain-raiser in the guise of The Bird Actors, a three-minute overture which originally began life as the finale of an even earlier ballet entitled Adam and Eve. The sound throughout is lively and full-bodied, without perhaps being in the very top flight.