Barbirolli Conducts Rubbra

Born in 1901, Edmund Rubbra was a contemporary and friend of such English composers as Gerald Finzi and William Alwyn. Like them, he wrote music that was conservative for its time.

His fifth symphony comes from 1947. This is its first recording, and the only recording of any of his symphonies for many years. (All 11 have now been recorded at least once.)

Barbirolli was a champion of this work, and the attractive record sleeve gives him the play over Rubbra - it's actually hard to read the title of the piece because the script font is reversed out of light blue.

It's an elegant package, and if the music inside is more earnest that elegant, it is well worth getting to know.