What British, commonwealth, or similar 'neglected' composer are you listening to?

[Beef Oven]

Grace Williams - Symphony #2. Lyrita

Played the whole CD earlier, Fairest Of The Stars is wonderful!

"[The Second Symphony is] an absorbing work whose mix of styles and models serves as a reminder that pluralism in music is not just a phenomenon of the years since 1980. The symphony begins by evoking Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams but, by the finale, it is late-romanticism recalling both Wagner and Mahler that provides the source for William’s most powerful utterances. The orchestral compositions reveal a distinctive personality, but Williams is still more impressive in the neo-Straussian opulence of Fairest Stars, a setting of Milton whose vocal line seems to reflect the wonder and ecstasy of Ariadne auf Naxos … here projected with admirable sensitivity by Janet Price" Arnold Wittall, Gramophone

Just finished symphony #2 - Wow! What an underrated work!

[Rosie55]

How wonderful! It is a thrilling piece and I adore the impressionistic poeme for vioin and orchestra 'Heaventree of Stars' on the same disc.
Both works which surely deserve programming at the Proms!

[Beef Oven]

How wonderful! It is a thrilling piece and I adore the impressionistic poeme for vioin and orchestra 'Heaventree of Stars' on the same disc.
Both works which surely deserve programming at the Proms!

Don't hold your breath Rosie!!!

[Rosie55]

Orchestral music of such variety, not heard at the Proms since his Euphonium Concerto in 2004 - available to download here and a fine piece of writing

[Extended Play]

Happy listening!

I have the Naxos CDs with the Lyrica Angelica and I also have the Lyrita, which I just about prefer. it also has the added interest of having the composer conducting.

The Naxos releases are of course much cheaper!

Many thanks for your reply.

[Beef Oven]

Charles Duncan-Rubbra - Symphonies 3 & 4. Lyrita.

I have a few Hickox recordings of Rubbra's symphonies on Chandos, but I seem to prefer these Lyrita prformances for some reason.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It seems churlish to criticize Hickox's recordings of the Rubbra given his rare commitment to the works, but they've always sounded underpowered to me: Groves, Del Mar, Handley and others have so much more fire. I so hope that NAXOS do a cycle with David Lloyd Jones or Andrew Penny at the helm.

I suppose my fantasy that Belohlavek would record a Rubbra cycle with the BBCSO will never now happen - I'm convinced he'd reveal links/similarities with Martinu, and put Rubbra on the international map where he belongs.


John Foulds, anyone?

[Pabmusic]

George Lloyd / Violin sonata.Lament air and dance.

Tasmin Little and Martin Roscoe.

One of my favourite 2nd division composers.Should have been promoted years ago if you ask me, but I suppose it's a tough league to get out of.

I quite agree. I'm particularly fond of the 7th Symphony, especially the slow movement, which is...well...special.

[Beef Oven]

It seems churlish to criticize Hickox's recordings of the Rubbra given his rare commitment to the works, but they've always sounded underpowered to me: Groves, Del Mar, Handley and others have so much more fire. I so hope that NAXOS do a cycle with David Lloyd Jones or Andrew Penny at the helm.

I suppose my fantasy that Belohlavek would record a Rubbra cycle with the BBCSO will never now happen - I'm convinced he'd reveal links/similarities with Martinu, and put Rubbra on the international map where he belongs.


John Foulds, anyone?

Egg wetter gree - I suppose that makes me a churl!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Egg wetter gree - I suppose that makes me a churl!

I still bought them - I'm just a churl who can't say "no"!

[AmpH]

BENJAMIN DALE

Sonata in E major op 11
Ballade op 15

Lorraine McAslan (violin) / Michael Dussek (piano)

From a delightfull Dutton disc - Dale is a new composer to me, apparently a contemporary of Arnold Bax and York Bowen but rather less well known which is a pity if these works are anything to go by. I shall be exploring more from this composer - viola music and the piano sonata next I think.

[Beef Oven]

I still bought them - I'm just a churl who can't say "no"!

Me Too!

I missed your John Foulds reference on post #52.

One of the best CDs I ever bought was a Foulds orchestral/vocal collection on Warner classics. Gonna play it next - thanks for reminding me of this amazing composer!

[Beef Oven]

John Foulds:

Three Mantras from Avatara
Lyra Celtica
Apotheosis (Elegy)
Mirage

If you've never heard these pieces you are in for a very special experience when you do!

Here's a link to the first Mantra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLR21wbcSnU

[Serial_Apologist]

Great to see so much love here being expressed for the generations of British composers who emerged before Malcolm Arnold and have been overlooked as unfashionable, one just assumes. I had thought to write a book on 'em all, but new names I'd never even heard of just kept on coming up and coming up, and still do.

Frank Bridge is still my favourite - I've always rated him above his most illustrious pupil.

[Pabmusic]

...Frank Bridge is still my favourite - I've always rated him above his most illustrious pupil.

Oh yes! I'd forgotten Bridge - a member of Wood's Queen's Hall Orchestra (as were John Foulds and Eric Coates) and apparently a most reliable conductor.