Masterly Throughout Erik Chisholm's opera 'Simoon' - heard by GERALD FENECH '... Chisholm rises to the occasion with some spectacular music ...'

Born in Glasgow in 1904, Erik Chisholm remains one of Britain's most enigmatic and underperformed twentieth century composers. Yet in his time his name carried weight, mainly after he set up the Active Society for the Propagation of Contemporary Music, when he was able to bring to Glasgow such eminent composers as Bartók, Hindemith, Szymanowski, Casella, Bax, Walton, Medtner and Schmitt. He was a very fine pianist, and as a conductor he gave the British premieres of such great operas as Mozart's Idomeneo and Berlioz's Les Troyens, the latter complete with ballets and off-stage bands, a herculean feat for the early 20s and 30s when tastes were more conventional.

But despite these achievements he was never really accepted in his country of birth, and in 1946 he left for South Africa to try to kickstart his career afresh...

ERIK CHISHOLM

DELPHIAN RECORDS LTD

SCOTLAND