Here's the work that started it all. Back in 1977 Albany Symphony president Peter Kermani heard a BBC broadcast of Lloyd's Symphony No.8 which absolutely enthralled him. When an opportunity struck in 1984, he dispatched Albany Symphony manager Susan Bush to London to commission a new symphony, which resulted in the wonderful Symphony No.11 from George Lloyd. This present writer was at the premiere on 31 October 1986 and, like the rest of the audience, was absolutely captivated by the work; a piece that blended both thrills and repose, and pageantry and sentimentality-plus many memorable tunes (imagine, in this day and age, a third movement which was an elaborate and kaleidoscopic waltz!). We all believed that George Lloyd was England's greatest musical secret revealed. This work, along with several of his other symphonies, was initially released on Conifer, but Kermani and Bush were eager to make Lloyd the cornerstone of a new recording venture called Albany Records. Lloyd's association with the Albany Symphony, for whom he also wrote his Symphony No.12 (TROY032, with Symphony No.1), resulted in guest-conducing engagements performing more of his music (the war-time Symphony No.4, now on TROYSACD498, was one of Albany's first CDs). We also heard memorable interpretations of Creston's Symphony No.3, the Randall Thompson Symphony No.2 and a delightful series of selections from La Boutique Fantasque. By the time of his death in 1998, his output was relatively small, but the twelve symphonies have proven to be immensely popular. We at Albany are proud to have been his friend and advocate these past twenty years, and pleased to re-release this magnificent recording in state-of-the-art multi-channel sound.

"...We come now to what is perhaps the most impressive symphony of all, the Eleventh, commissioned and superbly played by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, again under the composer. It is in five movements, the first on the largest scale, but it is the Lento which shows Lloyd at the height of his lyrical powers and in its passionate, expansive romanticism it reminds me of Hanson's Romantic Symphony...The scherzo is exuberantly graceful, then there is dark funeral music before the exultant, optimistic finale. The performance has all the power and freshness of discovery of a masterwork and the recording is splendidly worthy of the music...." – Gramophone

"All of Lloyd's recorded output is worth having, and 11 is as good a place to start as any, especially in so fine a performance and recording." – American Record Guide