HARRY WALDO WARNER (1874-1945): Suite for Viola and String Orchestra in D Minor (orch. Tim Seddon [b.1964]) (World Premiere Recording), RICHARD WALTHEW (1872-1951): A Mosaic in Ten Pieces (with Dedication) for Viola and Orchestra, BENJAMIN DALE (1885-1943): Romance for Viola and Orchestra from Suite, Op. 2, REBECCA CLARKE (1886-1979): Viola Sonata (orch. Ruth Lomon [b.1930]).

Description: A feast for viola lovers is led off by Warner’s c. 1941 Suite, a three-movement, 24-minute concerto in all but name, whose manuscript, marked up for a version for strings, survived in the Lionel Tertis collection. Its modal, elegiac mood is redolent of Vaughan Williams’ early mature period. The Walthew is unusual in being basically a string of mostly quick tempo encore-style pieces finished off with a rather longer slow ending; dating from 1900, the composer orchestrated it for Tertis in 1943. Dale’s 12-minute Romance, orchestrated in 1910 from a piani-accompanied 1906 suite, is noble, lyrical and Romantic. Collectors who think Clarke’s viola sonata has been over-recorded should find themselves riveted by this fabulous orchestration from Canadian composer Lomon, done in 2007, which has a positively Baxian sweep and power. Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola), The Hallé; Stephen Bell.