What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[edashtav]

As I got both yours correct, may I set one?

I noticed Roy Plomley being discussed on another thread, what is the connection between him and a Suffolk composer? No, not DiD, that's too easy.....an additional clue, Sir Velo may be on the recieving end.

I am finding this to be quite a challenge. .There are too few suffolk composers though our own very knowledgeable Suffolk coastal is one. He may well cycle but I doubt if he's closely connected with RP.
imogen Holst lived in Snape, composed, cycled, appeared on DiD but the last may be her disqualification. Robin Holloway went to the same school as RP but chose to live in Cambridge. James Brown started in Suffolk but moved up north. Ollie Knussen spent time in Snape and died there but no known connexion with RP, and I think Ollie might have needed a trike.

So Roger as I prepare to watch the local Election results, the score remains, 30- love to you.

Still thinking , in.Bucks, the home of composer Paul Drayton,

Ed

[smittims]

Many thanks , Roger, for your interesting information about the cover picture of LXT 5432. It's a curious photo for more than one reason: it looks to be a monochrome photo 'colourised ' , and even 'doctored' , in that the orchestra looks as if they have been cut out and pasted into a background. Impresssive all the same.

And now I read Peter Gammond's sleeve-note on the back (more an essay on Vienna , and delightfully readable) I find the recording was indeed made in the Sofiensaal, as a smaller illustration confirms. Further, in Music on Record Peter Gammond describes the disc as 'most recommendable', remembering, perhaps, that he had been asked to write the sleeve-note!

[Pulcinella]

As I got both yours correct, may I set one?

I noticed Roy Plomley being discussed on another thread, what is the connection between him and a Suffolk composer? No, not DiD, that's too easy.....an additional clue, Sir Velo may be on the recieving end.

I think you'll be happy when our annual Associations quiz comes round: you'll fit right in!

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/platform-3/platform-3-aa/1292780-alphabet-associations-iii

[Roger Webb]

Many thanks , Roger, for your interesting information about the cover picture of LXT 5432. It's a curious photo for more than one reason: it looks to be a monochrome photo 'colourised ' , and even 'doctored' , in that the orchestra looks as if they have been cut out and pasted into a background. Impresssive all the same.

And now I read Peter Gammond's sleeve-note on the back (more an essay on Vienna , and delightfully readable) I find the recording was indeed made in the Sofiensaal, as a smaller illustration confirms. Further, in Music on Record Peter Gammond describes the disc as 'most recommendable', remembering, perhaps, that he had been asked to write the sleeve-note!

Yes that block colour printing, although giving it a retro feel does suggest that they used a 'stock' monochrome shot of the hall and did a bit of painting by numbers!

Having stated that the photo was not the Sofiensaal, I'm now not so sure! Firstly, it's not the Hofburg (that has pillars standing proud of the loggias). Point is the Sofiensaal doesn't look like that now - I've a picture I took from the balcony I mentioned. But John Culshaw states that the cover photo for 'one' of Boskovsky's Viennese albums was taken in the Sofiensaal, but he doesn't say which....Boskovsky recorded many!

Anyway, I'll do a bit more research - including having another look at 'The Golden Ring' and see what the Sofiensaal looked like in the 1960s - it's possible the fire and subsequent restoration robbed the room of the fancy plasterwork, and of course take away the velvet curtains and the plantage and red carpet and it begins to look very different!

It's a very good recording - of course by this time the Decca team had the measure of the acoustics - the Rheingold had been made a couple of years earlier, and many others recordings.

BTW Culshaw says that the orch turned up for the photo shoot in, or with, their dress suits, but there was a delay as they hadn't thought to bring their instruments as they were playing at the Opera straight after!

[Petrushka]

Yes that block colour printing, although giving it a retro feel does suggest that they used a 'stock' monochrome shot of the hall and did a bit of painting by numbers!

Having stated that the photo was not the Sofiensaal, I'm now not so sure! Firstly, it's not the Hofburg (that has pillars standing proud of the loggias). Point is the Sofiensaal doesn't look like that now - I've a picture I took from the balcony I mentioned. But John Culshaw states that the cover photo for 'one' of Boskovsky's Viennese albums was taken in the Sofiensaal, but he doesn't say which....Boskovsky recorded many!

Anyway, I'll do a bit more research - including having another look at 'The Golden Ring' and see what the Sofiensaal looked like in the 1960s - it's possible the fire and subsequent restoration robbed the room of the fancy plasterwork, and of course take away the velvet curtains and the plantage and red carpet and it begins to look very different!

It's a very good recording - of course by this time the Decca team had the measure of the acoustics - the Rheingold had been made a couple of years earlier, and many others recordings.

BTW Culshaw says that the orch turned up for the photo shoot in, or with, their dress suits, but there was a delay as they hadn't thought to bring their instruments as they were playing at the Opera straight after!

There is a second picture, very similar to the LP cover and obviously part of the same photo shoot, on page 74 of the booklet to the Boskovsky Complete Decca box I referred to earlier. In this picture, there is a superimposed banner on the balcony behind and above the orchestra reading 'Sofiensale' (can't work out how to do accents on the phone). To be honest, it looks a much more pleasing photo than the one chosen for the LP cover but either way there is no doubt in my mind that it is the Sofiensaal.

I went there in 1981, before the fire, but obviously never went inside, merely standing in the road to take a picture.

May I just make a correction in that the Boskovsky recording was made in December 1957 while Das Rheingold was made in September 1958.

As a further aside, all of the Boskovsky Strauss CDs in the complete box come with original jackets and that is the only one that isn't either an illustration or a photo taken from a New Year's Concert in the Musikverien, apart from SXL6040 which could be a staged ballroom scene in the Sofiensaal.

[Roger Webb]

There is a second picture, very similar to the LP cover and obviously part of the same photo shoot, on page 74 of the booklet to the Boskovsky Complete Decca box I referred to earlier. In this picture, there is a superimposed banner on the balcony behind and above the orchestra reading 'Sofiensale' (can't work out how to do accents on the phone). To be honest, it looks a much more pleasing photo than the one chosen for the LP cover but either way there is no doubt in my mind that it is the Sofiensaal.

I went there in 1981, before the fire, but obviously never went inside, merely standing in the road to take a picture.

May I just make a correction in that the Boskovsky recording was made in December 1957 while Das Rheingold was made in September 1958.

As a further aside, all of the Boskovsky Strauss CDs in the complete box come with original jackets and that is the only one that isn't either an illustration or a photo taken from a New Year's Concert in the Musikverien, apart from SXL6040 which could be a staged ballroom scene in the Sofiensaal.

Yes thanks, on reflection it must be the main hall of the Sofiensäle - I just had a look at my photo and I can see where the orchestra was placed, although the decoration of the hall looks different - probably due to the restoration, also when I went there it was completely empty, making it look very 'bare'. I've found the reference to the photo shoot, it's in Culshaw's Putting the Record Straight (page 173) - I must read it again sometimes....I might, then, get my recording dates correct!

[Roger Webb]

I am finding this to be quite a challenge. .There are too few suffolk composers though our own very knowledgeable Suffolk coastal is one

:

Another clue then!

There are two more 'Suffolk' composers you've not mentioned, but not in either Snape or Aldeburgh.....in fact they both lived in the same house!

[Sir Velo]

Another clue then!

There are two more 'Suffolk' composers you've not mentioned, but not in either Snape or Aldeburgh.....in fact they both lived in the same house!

I'll hazard a guess that the connection is that Roy Plomley acted in the 1948 film, "To the Public Danger" for which the incidental music was composed by Doreen Carwithen (aka Mary Alwyn), wife of the composer, William.

Not sure what the connection with my alias is, other than the possibility that they used to enjoy taking bicycle rides in the country, visiting churches and ruins!

[Roger Webb]

I'll hazard a guess that the connection is that Roy Plomley acted in the 1948 film, "To the Public Danger" for which the incidental music was composed by Doreen Carwithen (aka Mary Alwyn), wife of the composer, William.

Not sure what the connection with my alias is, other than the possibility that they used to enjoy taking bicycle rides in the country, visiting churches and ruins!

Excellent! Yes Roy Plomley played a drunk in the film which was about the perils of drunk driving - he thought the car had knocked down and killed a cyclist.

[smittims]

I'm delighted to see that one LP sleeve (which cost me £1 !) has given rise to such an interesting discussion. many thanks to you both.

One pleasure of this particular disc is that it features lesser-known, but equally pleasing, Strauss items.

Speaking of cover pictures, my next listening was the 1952 Ansermet Pelleas et Melisande , in its Ace of Diamonds 'Grand Opera Series' reissue. The cover is a psychedelic-flower-power impression of the heroine (or is she an anti-heroine?) produced by the 'Decca Publicity Art Department'. Sadly the name of the artist is omitted, maybe house policy.

[Roger Webb]

I'm delighted to see that one LP sleeve (which cost me £1 !) has given rise to such an interesting discussion. many thanks to you both.

One pleasure of this particular disc is that it features lesser-known, but equally pleasing, Strauss items.

Speaking of cover pictures, my next listening was the 1952 Ansermet Pelleas et Melisande , in its Ace of Diamonds 'Grand Opera Series' reissue. The cover is a psychedelic-flower-power impression of the heroine (or is she an anti-heroine?) produced by the 'Decca Publicity Art Department'. Sadly the name of the artist is omitted, maybe house policy.

Yes, it's been enjoyable....and educational!

On the subject of unsuitable/bizarre sleeve designs for classical releases, some of my favourites are Lyritas. Most were designed by Keith Hensby and they took a bit of getting used to, for example the Bax series of symphonies; same abstract pattern but different colours for each one - the Syms 1 and 2 were originally sponsored by Ken Russell for a film project and if I remember correctly Ken asked for the sleeves to depict soldiers in gas masks and a galloping horse. In the end he lost interest - the Bax film he did make much later (featuring himself as an ageing Sir Arnold) is not regarded as his finest hour!

Scratching my head for the most unnecessary sleeve design, the prize must go to two fried eggs and a rasher of bacon arranged to depict a smiley face.....title? The Best of Brahms!!!

[Pulcinella]

Yes, it's been enjoyable....and educational!

On the subject of unsuitable/bizarre sleeve designs for classical releases, some of my favourites are Lyritas. Most were designed by Keith Hensby and they took a bit of getting used to, for example the Bax series of symphonies; same abstract pattern but different colours for each one - the Syms 1 and 2 were originally sponsored by Ken Russell for a film project and if I remember correctly Ken asked for the sleeves to depict soldiers in gas masks and a galloping horse. In the end he lost interest - the Bax film he did make much later (featuring himself as an ageing Sir Arnold) is not regarded as his finest hour!

Scratching my head for the most unnecessary sleeve design, the prize must go to two fried eggs and a rasher of bacon arranged to depict a smiley face.....title? The Best of Brahms!!!

There's a thread on some bizarre offerings somewhere.
I'll try to find it but those who contributed might remember more about its title and find it more easily.

Here it is, I think (though I'm sure that there have been other more general comments about different record labels and there cover artwork styles):

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/classical-forum/record-review/7680-odd-cd-cover

Here's the one about 'quality' artwork on covers:

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/classical-forum/record-review/22311-album-artwork/page3

[Roger Webb]

There's a thread on some bizarre offerings somewhere.
I'll try to find it but those who contributed might remember more about its title and find it more easily.

Here's the one about 'quality' artwork on covers:

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/cl...-artwork/page3

Thanks for the link.....here's a favourite I have but my copy's on World Records not Everest.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155030970217

[vinteuil]

.
... there was a thtead on'bizarre' covers -

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/platform-3/platform-3-aa/5642-bizarre-album-covers?6315-Album-Covers-Confusing-Ugly-Dull-or-even-all-three=&highlight=covers

[Pulcinella]

.
... there was a thtead on'bizarre' covers -

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/pl...ghlight=covers

That's the one!