ARTHUR BUTTERWORTH (b.1923): Symphony No. 5, Op. 115, 3 Nocturnes: Northern Summer Nights, Op. 18, The Quiet Tarn, Op. 21, The Green Wind, Op. 22, Coruscations, Op. 127, Gigues, Op. 42.

Description: Somewhat shorter (29 min.) and using a somewhat smaller orchestra than his previous symphonies, the Fifth of 2001-02 lacks nothing in power of utterance, its grand sweep at times reminiscent of Robert Simpson but still sounding "northern" - something Sibelius might have written had he lived to be 135. Even better are the shorter pieces which make up the rest of the disc: three come from 1958 and 1960 and are concise tone-poems dripping with Baxian/Sibelian atmosphere while Gigues (1969) and Coruscations (2007) are bright, brash spectactulars not unlike Bax in celebratory mode. Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Arthur Butterworth.