It must have been nearly fifty years ago that I bought the City of Hull´Youth Orchestra´s LP of German´s Second, and I have always been rather underwhelmed by it. Having acquired last week the Dutton Epoch recording of his First (CDLX 7156) from a third party seller on Amazon, I begin to suspect a frontline orchestra would have made me sit up more in the "Norwich". Because his First is really rather fine, bringing to mind more the pastures and hills of nineteenth-century Bohemia than,say, of Shropshire. It has, for some reason,made me think it Volkmannesque, although I´m not at all sure that German ever heard that composer´s very underrated Second Symphony. Derivative, it may be thought, but German´s First has surprised me with its wealth of melody and gentle spirit.
I remember liking the work very much. Must dig my copy out.
The Dutton version of the "Norwich" is far better played and conducted than the Marco Polo version, imo.
Yes, I haven't listened to my Dutton CD of the 1st for a long time either. It's a fine work so, as you say Alan, time to give it another spin!