Topic: Sir William Walton

[vandermolen]

I should revisit the Sinfonia concertante...but for today, my Walton session (the Viola concerto, followed by--as reported in the WAYLTN thread--Anon in love and A Song for the Lord Mayor's table) comes to an end with this little jewel as a sort of encore:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/eX4vWSHhdIw" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/eX4vWSHhdIw</a>

Good night, vandermolen, John, and all fellow GMGers!

When I tapped on the image the screen just went blank, but many thanks and good night from me too. 

[Mirror Image]

I should revisit the Sinfonia concertante...but for today, my Walton session (the Viola concerto, followed by--as reported in the WAYLTN thread--Anon in love and A Song for the Lord Mayor's table) comes to an end with this little jewel as a sort of encore:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/eX4vWSHhdIw" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/eX4vWSHhdIw</a>

Good night, vandermolen, John, and all fellow GMGers!

Very nice, ritter. Good night to you as well.

[Mirror Image]

Agh...I never got around to listening to the Viola Concerto, but I will later on. I have pulled the Power/Volkov performance from my collection. The Rubbra works will be of interest to me as well.

[vandermolen]

Agh...I never got around to listening to the Viola Concerto, but I will later on. I have pulled the Power/Volkov performance from my collection. The Rubbra works will be of interest to me as well.

Am sure you'll enjoy it John.

[Rons_talking]

Anyone else think that Walton's Viola Concerto is a better work than the more popular and more often recorded Violin Concerto?

How about the Cello Concerto? It was a favorite of mine when I had it on vinyl. I'll revisit the other concerti this afternoon (and put off exercise).

[vandermolen]

How about the Cello Concerto? It was a favorite of mine when I had it on vinyl. I'll revisit the other concerti this afternoon (and put off exercise).

Fine work - I like the Tortelier recording with Paavo Berglund conducting I think.
Here it is in a fine inexpensive set as the Mackerras version of Symphony 1 is excellent too:

[Rons_talking]

Fine work - I like the Tortelier recording with Paavo Berglund conducting I think.
Here it is in a fine inexpensive set as the Mackerras version of Symphony 1 is excellent too:

Wow! You must have a huge record collection! I can't afford to buy multiple recordings of the same work; or rather, I prefer to get something I don't already have. So it's pretty much Naxos all the way down. I live on a remote island near the Alaska panhandle so shopping can get inconvenient (I'll be here for another two years...)

I'm very impressed with the 2nd S. as well. I streamed the 1947 SQ as well and that's a terrific piece. All too often composers fall into the pattern of writing overly contrapuntal and chromatic string quartets...as if that's the only sound that can be conveyed through the group. Like Barber and RVW, Walton makes good use of lyricism and rhythm in the quartet.

[vandermolen]

Wow! You must have a huge record collection! I can't afford to buy multiple recordings of the same work; or rather, I prefer to get something I don't already have. So it's pretty much Naxos all the way down. I live on a remote island near the Alaska panhandle so shopping can get inconvenient (I'll be here for another two years...)

I'm very impressed with the 2nd S. as well. I streamed the 1947 SQ as well and that's a terrific piece. All too often composers fall into the pattern of writing overly contrapuntal and chromatic string quartets...as if that's the only sound that can be conveyed through the group. Like Barber and RVW, Walton makes good use of lyricism and rhythm in the quartet.

I have over 20 recordings of Walton's 1st Symphony - it is know as Obsessive-Compulsive CD Collecting Disorder (OCCDCD). There is a thread on it in the 'Diner' section. Your approach is far more sensible and cost-effective. The Paul Daniel Naxos recording is very fine.

[Rons_talking]

Ah! A symphony hoarder! Good thing it's not cigars...
Do you have the scores as well? I like to see just how true to the page the performers are. I believe a lot of composers get a better sounding performance than what's written if a work is performed across the board. That might sound blasphemous but they can lose sight of what is intended and the score might be micro-managed. Look at Stravinsky's super-dry performances of the early ballets (when he conducted them in the 50s) which were supposed to be a bit more lush IMO.

[vandermolen]

Ah! A symphony hoarder! Good thing it's not cigars...
Do you have the scores as well? I like to see just how true to the page the performers are. I believe a lot of composers get a better sounding performance than what's written if a work is performed across the board. That might sound blasphemous but they can lose sight of what is intended and the score might be micro-managed. Look at Stravinsky's super-dry performances of the early ballets (when he conducted them in the 50s) which were supposed to be a bit more lush IMO.

No, I don't have the scores as I cant read music. 

[Christo]

The Paul Daniel Naxos recording is very fine.

Side remarks like this are not without risks to the lives of innocently bypassing readers, here. Am playing it now. 

[Peter Power Pop]

I have over 20 recordings of Walton's 1st Symphony - it is know as Obsessive-Compulsive CD Collecting Disorder (OCCDCD). There is a thread on it in the 'Diner' section.

The thread is here:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,15426.0.html

It started out as "Compulsive Disassociative CD Collecting Disease" (CDCDCD), but morphed into "Obsessive-Compulsive CD Collecting Disorder" (OCCDCD).

[vandermolen]

The thread is here:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,15426.0.html

It started out as "Compulsive Disassociative CD Collecting Disease" (CDCDCD), but morphed into "Obsessive-Compulsive CD Collecting Disorder" (OCCDCD).

They are closely related medical conditions.

[vandermolen]

Side remarks like this are not without risks to the lives of innocently bypassing readers, here. Am playing it now. 

[Dax]

I'm not particularly a Walton fan, but I've always had a lot of time for the Johannesburg Festival Overture. Anybody else?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1gQhemb5L4

[vandermolen]

I'm not particularly a Walton fan, but I've always had a lot of time for the Johannesburg Festival Overture. Anybody else?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1gQhemb5L4

Yes, I like that work too. I have the version conducted by Sir Charles Groves:

[Rons_talking]

No, I don't have the scores as I cant read music. 

That's not important. It's just that you think like a conductor .  How do you compare Walton's own performances with those of others? Copland is the one composer whom I tend to prefer his own conducting to those of the pros. Performers I know have said he's so likable they just wanted to get their best sound. I never saw him live, unfortunately.

[vandermolen]

That's not important. It's just that you think like a conductor .  How do you compare Walton's own performances with those of others? Copland is the one composer whom I tend to prefer his own conducting to those of the pros. Performers I know have said he's so likable they just wanted to get their best sound. I never saw him live, unfortunately.

Thank you 

Actually I did see Copland conduct Roy Harris's Third Symphony in London decades ago. I love Copland's music but did not think that the performance of the Harris was that great. I think that Copland was a great conductor of his own work and his Everest recording of Symphony 3 with the LSO is perhaps the best. For some reason he recorded a lot of his works with British orchestras. I think that the Everest recording has much more urgency than the later CBS version and is much better than Bernstein's Sony version.
As for Walton he was a fine conductor of his own music and I really like his live recording of Symphony 1 with the New Zealand SO and his account of the Henry V film music is the best too.

[Christo]

One of my favorite classical miniatures.

Seconded. Always found the 'two pieces' from Henry V, the passacaglia and this little elegy, extremely moving. Bach revidivimus. 

[vandermolen]

Seconded. Always found the 'two pieces' from Henry V, the passacaglia and this little elegy, extremely moving. Bach revidivimus. 

This is one of my very favourite Walton discs and the one I find most moving apart from the First Symphony. Not to be missed in my view.