A previous reviewer trashed this release because of the shortness of its program, and I won't deny that 39 minutes is really short for a compact disc. Beyond that, however, one can get all three works elsewhere as part of a larger program of Rubbra acquisition. If you buy all of Rubbra's symphonies in their non-boxed separate disc editions conducted by Richard Hickox, you can obtain the No. 10 and A Tribute. The Improvisations on Virginal Pieces by Giles Farnaby, meanwhile, is available on a Naxos disc that also contains the composer's very interesting Violin Concerto. That's the course I'd recommend. As for the performances on this disc, I think they are fine. I confess I'm not crazy about A Tribute, but the Symphony No. 10 is a thoughtful introspective journey of 17 minutes while the Farnaby Improvisations are a cultured romp. Again, they are nice recordings but if you just want to sample Rubbra, the Naxos disc mentioned is a nice place to start, while that and the Hickox cycle are a recommended larger strategy for the Rubbra fan.
