The British Composers Thread

Roasted Swan · December 30, 2024, 10:43:29 PM

Quote from: Albion on December 30, 2024, 03:59:53 PMSeconded! I contributed the work-list to Wikipedia with the clarification as to the chaotic numbering of the symphonies and have repeatedly encouraged Howard Griffiths to turn his initial recording into a full cycle. I'm glad that now it is well underway and will include other works such as the Overture in E minor (1815/ 1848), the overture "Antony and Cleopatra" (1835) and probably the piano concerto in E flat (1833) which was not recorded by Hyperion...

Good to see you posting again Albion! Have you heard the new Ruth Gipps disc yet?

Albion · December 31, 2024, 12:54:52 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 30, 2024, 10:43:29 PMGood to see you posting again Albion! Have you heard the new Ruth Gipps disc yet?

Thanks, it's not been a great year so I've not been able to contribute until now! Yes, this new instalment is well up to the high level of the first two volumes both in terms of the high quality of the actual music and the excellence of the performances under Rumon Gamba. I'm sure that what will likely be the final volume will follow later in 2025 and should contain Symphony No.5, completing the cycle. But as for potential couplings? There is still plenty of great music which could be included.

I've also been mightily impressed by John Wilson's survey of Richard Rodney Bennett: Wilson has such standing now that it seems as though Chandos have given him a blank cheque to record just about anything that he wants to as they did with Richard Hickox - great!

Maestro267 · December 31, 2024, 01:13:29 AM

Considering Wilson is best known for doing showtunes at the Proms I'm really quite surprised he seems to be championing some interesting repertoire in the world of serious music.

Roasted Swan · December 31, 2024, 02:28:17 AM

Quote from: Albion on December 31, 2024, 12:54:52 AMThanks, it's not been a great year so I've not been able to contribute until now! Yes, this new instalment is well up to the high level of the first two volumes both in terms of the high quality of the actual music and the excellence of the performances under Rumon Gamba. I'm sure that what will likely be the final volume will follow later in 2025 and should contain Symphony No.5, completing the cycle. But as for potential couplings? There is still plenty of great music which could be included.

I've also been mightily impressed by John Wilson's survey of Richard Rodney Bennett: Wilson has such standing now that it seems as though Chandos have given him a blank cheque to record just about anything that he wants to as they did with Richard Hickox - great!

I'm not a great fan of John Wilson in general - his style of conducting I find unvaried and inflexible. But when the repertoire suits that style the results are very good because he has at his disposal excellent musicians and fine production and engineering. So I agree that the RRB discs work very well. I wonder if funding for this came from the RRB estate given Wilson's artistic and personal ties with the composer? So I guess Chandos were happy to be the facilitator of this series of discs without being the main source of funding....?

I enjoyed the Gipps disc too - my wider observation would be that her scores are most impressive from her earlier years. The Symphony 1 is a genuinely impressive "student" work (written when she was just 21) but the latest work - Ambaravalia (46 years later) seems just stubbornly conservative.

Albion · December 31, 2024, 05:56:37 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 31, 2024, 02:28:17 AMI'm not a great fan of John Wilson in general - his style of conducting I find unvaried and inflexible. But when the repertoire suits that style the results are very good because he has at his disposal excellent musicians and fine production and engineering. So I agree that the RRB discs work very well. I wonder if funding for this came from the RRB estate given Wilson's artistic and personal ties with the composer? So I guess Chandos were happy to be the facilitator of this series of discs without being the main source of funding....?

I enjoyed the Gipps disc too - my wider observation would be that her scores are most impressive from her earlier years. The Symphony 1 is a genuinely impressive "student" work (written when she was just 21) but the latest work - Ambaravalia (46 years later) seems just stubbornly conservative.

If it Is a fault, which I don't remotely believe it is, look at George Lloyd and Grace Williams. Both are composers who deserve IMHO the nomination as "great" (whatever that may be, all is obviously subjective). Here is a folder from my personal broadcast archive of non-commercially-available (as-yet ) works by "Our Gracie". The "Missa Cambrensis" will be issued on CD by Lyrita early next year...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/0u1x5jqy6obna/Grace+Williams+(1906-77)

Roasted Swan · December 31, 2024, 06:57:09 AM

Quote from: Albion on December 31, 2024, 05:56:37 AMIf it Is a fault, which I don't remotely believe it is, look at George Lloyd and Grace Williams. Both are composers who deserve IMHO the nomination as "great" (whatever that may be, all is obviously subjective). Here is a folder from my personal broadcast archive of non-commercially-available (as-yet ) works by "Our Gracie". The "Missa Cambrensis" will be issued on CD by Lyrita early next year...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/0u1x5jqy6obna/Grace+Williams+(1906-77)

Thankyou for sharing these - did she really write the Concert Overture aged 11 years??! (haven't listened to it yet....)

Albion · December 31, 2024, 07:22:31 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 31, 2024, 06:57:09 AMThankyou for sharing these - did she really write the Concert Overture aged 11 years??! (haven't listened to it yet....)

Grace Williams was born in 1906, therefore in c.1932 she was either aged 25 or 26.....

Roasted Swan · December 31, 2024, 11:02:48 AM

Quote from: Albion on December 31, 2024, 07:22:31 AMGrace Williams was born in 1906, therefore in c.1932 she was either aged 25 or 26.....

Duh!! I was still in Ruth Gipps mode!! (1921 - sorry)

Albion · December 31, 2024, 12:21:13 PM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 31, 2024, 11:02:48 AMDuh!! I was still in Ruth Gipps mode!! (1921 - sorry)

Lol, you're clearly as senile (in my case diagnosed officially) as me - welcome to my surreal world!

Christo · January 01, 2025, 02:46:00 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 30, 2024, 10:43:29 PMGood to see you posting again Albion! Have you heard the new Ruth Gipps disc yet?

On order, here. Just one part of her Symphony No. 1 can be found in Spotify; the rest will follow soon in CD incarnation.

foxandpeng · Reply #1570 - Re: The British Composers Thread

Quote from: Albion on December 31, 2024, 12:21:13 PMLol, you're clearly as senile (in my case diagnosed officially) as me - welcome to my surreal world!

Keep on, my friend!

Albion · Reply #1571 - Re: The British Composers Thread

Here is a recording of the world premiere of Ethel Smyth's earliest substantial choral work with orchestra "The Song of Love", Op.8 (1888) written soon after her return from Leipzig. It is immersed in Wagner and also pre-figures some of Mahler in places but throughout, as in all her music, her individuality shines through and there are some really beautiful moments. The performance was given on 21st July 2023 in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/kgenks5la26f44u/Smyth_-_The_Song_of_Love%252C_Op.8_%25281888%2529.wav/file