Our Summer BAL 81: Tippett Concerto for double string orchestra and Corelli Fantasia

[Pulcinella]

Surprisingly few recordings of these works, which probably most of us got to know from the 1970 Argo ASMF/Marriner release with its association with Akenfield.
Still unrivalled or overtaken by more recent recordings?

Note: Not all recordings listed appear to be currently available as CDs or downloads (but those that aren't might be available to stream); year is either recording or release, as it's sometimes hard to tell!

Tippett: Concerto for double string orchestra

Moscow CO and Bath Festival O/Barshai (1962)
English Sinfonia/Farrer (2006)
English String O/Boughton (1987)
BBCSO/A Davis (1993)
Unnamed orchestra/Goehr (1943)
LPO/Handley (1974)
City of London Sinfonia/Hickox (1995)
ASMF/Marriner (1970: Decca)
ASMF/Marriner (1995: EMI)
LSO/Stokowski (1961, live at Edinburgh Festival)
Scottish CO/Tippett (1987)

Tippett: Fantasia concertante on a theme of Corelli

COE/Boyd (2204)
English String O/Boughton (1991)
Norwegian CO/Brown (live at Salisbury)
BBCSO/A Davis (1993)
RPO/Groves (1989)
Bournemouth SO/Hickox (1993)
St Paul CO/Hogwood (1992)
ASMF/Marriner (1970: Decca)
ASMF/Marriner (1982: ASV)
Bath Festival O/Tippett (1964)
Scottish CO/Tippett (1987)

[BBMmk2]

Surprisingly few recordings of these works, which probably most of us got to know from the 1970 Argo ASMF/Marriner release with its association with Akenfield.
Still unrivalled or overtaken by more recent recordings?

Tippett: Concerto for double string orchestra

Moscow CO and Bath Festival O/Barshai
English String O/Boughton
BBCSO/A Davis
Unnamed orchestra/Goehr (1943 recording)
ASMF/Marriner (Decca: 1970)
ASMF/Marriner (EMI: 1995)
LSO/Stokowski (1961, live at Edinburgh Festival)
Scottish CO/Tippett

[The City of London Sinfonia/Hickox recording https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tippett-Ass...ar%2C77&sr=1-7 seems to be nla as a CD.]

Tippett: Fantasia concertante on a theme of Corelli

COE/Boyd
English String O/Boughton
Norwegian CO/Brown (live at Salisbury)
BBCSO/A Davis
RPO/Groves
Bournemouth SO/Hickox
St Paul CO/Hogwood
ASMF/Marriner (Decca: 1970)
ASMF/Marriner (ASV: 1982)
Bath Festival O/Tippett
Scottish CO/Tippett

What lovely work these works are. I have the BBC SO, Sir Andrew Davis recording.

[rauschwerk]

I'm amazed that there are so few recordings of either piece. There is a tune to die for in the finale of the Concerto, and one would think that that in itself would guarantee the work's popularity. I bought the Argo Marriner many years ago, then the Davis CD of both these pieces, then the Marriner on CD when it was a BaL recommendation. I'd certainly be interested to hear the Stokowski, even if it's in mono.

[gurnemanz]

Barshai with his Bath/Moscow double act is a fine recording and the only one I have - only recently acquired via the excellent Barshai Tribute collection from ICA. Refreshing both in sound and spirit of cooperation at the height of the Cold War. The stereo image has the Soviet orchestra on the left and the British on the right - appropriately perhaps.

[Pulcinella]

Barshai with his Bath/Moscow double act is a fine recording and the only one I have - only recently acquired via the excellent Barshai Tribute collection from ICA. Refreshing both in sound and spirit of cooperation at the height of the Cold War. The stereo image has the Soviet orchestra on the left and the British on the right - appropriately perhaps.

Maybe I should have prefaced the lists with 'Did the ASMF/Marriner.....even surpass the earlier Bath/Moscow recordings?' rather than taking the ASMF/Marriner as the benchmark.

[silvestrione]

Barshai with his Bath/Moscow double act is a fine recording and the only one I have - only recently acquired via the excellent Barshai Tribute collection from ICA. Refreshing both in sound and spirit of cooperation at the height of the Cold War. The stereo image has the Soviet orchestra on the left and the British on the right - appropriately perhaps.

Gosh, you can tell that? Excuse my innocence, but how?

[Master Jacques]

I can think of at least a couple more recordings of the Double Concerto to add to the list. Both are in my collection, and both get played, as alternatives to the Barshai and Marriner classics.

* John Farrer's immaculate reading with the English Sinfonia has appeared with various couplings (with Vaughan Williams string works on Resonance CD, with Britten string works on Carlton Classics CD, etc.) It was produced by John Boyden (in the 1990s?) and the sound is very satisfying.

* Vernon Handley made a very classy recording of the work with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Classics for Pleasure (LP, and perhaps CD?), which is only hampered by a comparatively flat soundscape.

Edit: I find that the Handley was only issued on 1973 LP, to my surprise. My copy is now rather worn! The producer, strangely enough, was also John Boyden.

[Pulcinella]

I can think of at least a couple more recordings of the Double Concerto to add to the list. Both are in my collection, and both get played, as alternatives to the Barshai and Marriner classics.

* John Farrer's immaculate reading with the English Sinfonia has appeared with various couplings (with Vaughan Williams string works on Resonance CD, with Britten string works on Carlton Classics CD, etc.) It was produced by John Boyden (in the 1990s?) and the sound is very satisfying.

* Vernon Handley made a very classy recording of the work with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Classics for Pleasure (LP, and perhaps CD?), which is only hampered by a comparatively flat soundscape.

Edit: I find that the Handley was only issued on 1973 LP, to my surprise. My copy is now rather worn! The producer, strangely enough, was also John Boyden.

Thanks!
I'd completely forgotten about the LPO/Handley version, originally on this LP:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1002504-Vaughan-Williams-Tippett-London-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Conducted-By-Vernon-Handley-Tallis-Fantasia-F

which appeared on CD in a CFP Silver Doubles 2CD set called The Best of England, which I have.
A veritable snip at £1.79, especially as it contains a fine version of the Britten Violin concerto (Rodney Friend/LPO/John Pritchard)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-England-Ralph-Vaughan-Williams/dp/B000025VIM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2F092ZONIIEP2&keywords=The+best+of+england&qid=1660051677&s=music&sprefix=the+best+of+england%2Cpopular%2C62&sr=1-3

Didn't know about the Farrer though.
I'll add both, but label as CD nla (unless told otherwise)

PS: List rejigged, with caveat about current availability.

[Bryn]

Thanks!
I'd completely forgotten about the LPO/Handley version, originally on this LP:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1002504-Vaughan-Williams-Tippett-London-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Conducted-By-Vernon-Handley-Tallis-Fantasia-F

which appeared on CD in a CFP Silver Doubles 2CD set called The Best of England, which I have.
A veritable snip at £1.79, especially as it contains a fine version of the Britten Violin concerto (Rodney Friend/LPO/John Pritchard)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-England-Ralph-Vaughan-Williams/dp/B000025VIM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2F092ZONIIEP2&keywords=The+best+of+england&qid=1660051677&s=music&sprefix=the+best+of+england%2Cpopular%2C62&sr=1-3

Didn't know about the Farrer though.
I'll add both, but label as CD nla (unless told otherwise)

The Handley is in the Handley Icon box:

[gurnemanz]

Gosh, you can tell that? Excuse my innocence, but how?

Not down to my listening acumen but I definitely read it somewhere.

[HighlandDougie]

Bryn's post reminded me that I have the Handley Icon box but, alas, the Tippett has not been well served by the digital remastering. It may be the fault of the original recording but it now sounds very clear but rather anaemic. A piece of music which has reduced me to tears in the past - the third movement -aah! - but not in this rendition.

[Pulcinella]

Bryn's post reminded me that I have the Handley Icon box but, alas, the Tippett has not been well served by the digital remastering. It may be the fault of the original recording but it now sounds very clear but rather anaemic. A piece of music which has reduced me to tears in the past - the third movement -aah! - but not in this rendition.

The CFP version mentioned in #8 says digital remastering P1995; I wonder if this is what was used in the Icon box.
Must give it a spin.

[HighlandDougie]

The CFP version mentioned in #8 says digital remastering P1995; I wonder if this is what was used in the Icon box.

Yes - it appears so. 1974/1995 in terms of copyright. It will be interesting to know how you find it. I may have a copy of the LP somewhere as I just don't feel that its CD incarnation does the performance justice.

[RichardB]

I'm a great admirer of Tippett but I've never really found an appreciation of his earlier work. I think the only recording I've heard is the Marriner and I don't remember much about it. Time for some homework.

[ardcarp]

"If Michael writes rubbish, Schotts can Tippett". Was that a Hoffnung jest?