Hickox gives a sensitive account of the DownlandSuite and extracts great expressive intensity from the glorious second movement 'Elegy'. The Concertinopastorale is another fine work, boasting a most eloquent opening 'Eclogue' and tenderly poignant 'Threnody', towards the end of which Ireland seems to allow himself a momentary recollection of the haunting opening phrase of his earlier orchestral prelude, The Forgotten Rite. In 1969 Ireland's pupil, Geoffrey Bush, arranged two sections of the score for the 1946 film TheOverlanders which were not incorporated into the 1971 concert suite compiled by Sir Charles Mackerras. The resulting, finely wrought TwoSymphonic Studies were recorded many years ago by Sir Adrian Boult for Lyrita and Hickox proves just as sympathetic an interpreter, whereas the Orchestral Poem in A minor is here receiving its recorded début. This is a youthful essay, completed in 1904, some three years after Ireland's studies with Stanford.
It's a worthy rather than especially inspiring effort, with hardly a glimpse of the mature manner to come, save for some particularly beautiful string writing.