Merkanto's Second Symphony titled "War Symphony" is not quite what one might expect. A downer it is not with contrasting bombast and lush melodies in the outer movements and some really pretty writing in the inner movements. For those attracted to late romanticism this may well fit the bill. For those interested in terrifying percussion thwacks faithfully recorded, this will be for you. In stereo, there is an occasional tubbiness to the sound, but overall the sound is much improved from the Alba recording of the composer's First and Third
Symphonies recorded two years prior to this recording. The filler for soprano and orchestra will please those who gravitate towards dissonance.
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