PENGUIN GUIDE TO COMPACT DISCS (YEARBOOK 2006/7):
Born in London, Marshall-Hall studied under Parry and Stanford and his first song-cycle received an enthusiastic review from George Bernard Shaw, In 1892 he settled in Australia, where he became the first Professor of Music at Melbourne University. His E flat Symphony was premiered by Sir Henry Wood in London and by Nikisch in Berlin, before lapsing into obscurity. While highly eclectic and often Brahmsian, it still remains very much his own, and has plenty of attractively flowing ideas. The first movement surges along, the central Largamente is appealingly lyrical and expertly scored, and the rondo finale ends confidently. The Adagio sostenuto from the earlier C minor Symphony is gently elegiac, again attractively orchestrated. Both works are well played and quite persuasively directed by Warren Bebbington, although one feels at times that they need a stronger forward pulse. But this well-recorded CD is still enjoyable and appears on a bargain label in Australia [and of course from Divine Art]
Ivan March