Topic: Alun Hoddinott(1929-2008)

[tarantella]

Its a pleasure - just listened to it again and the folksong arrangements ending the disc are just charming!

[vandermolen]

Been listening again to Symphony No 3 - not an 'easy' work but it has a dark integrity which I love and a very moving (to me at least) final chord.

[Androcles]

I've been listening to the 2nd Violin Concerto 'Le Mistral' on Youtube for the umpteenth time, and I'm very impressed. For me, this is one of the very best postmodern concerti for the violin, along with those of Rautavaara, Vasks, Schnittke and Gubaidulina. Why has it not been released on disc?... groan of despair...

I'm very impressed by Hoddinott in general and think he of all the British composers is something of an underrated genius - extremely prolific in virtually all genres, a mix of gritty and romantic, writing music that is highly individual and instantly recognisable as 'Hoddinott'. I appreciate he is perhaps not the most approachable, but then neither is he of the Darmstadt variety. Of any British composers of the late 20th century, he and perhaps Tippett seem to me to be the closest to what you might call 'mainstream'. The symphonies, concerti, string quartets and operas could all do with some decent recordings. Symphony No. 6 is a work of real genius that has been well recorded in clear sound. How about Chandos doing the others? Most of them are up on Youtube, but the sound is a bit suspect and the discs are lacking....

Much as I like eg Havergal Brian and understand his cult status, it mystifies me why the far more prolific, consistent and even approachable Hoddinott is ignored. Is it because he didn't write a massive Gothic Symphony, or because he's Welsh?

Rant over... 

[relm1]

I agree with you in your assessment. I don't think I've heard a work I haven't enjoyed of his and all of the works sound like a mixture of neo-romantic and postmodern though there is great range.  I think he might have the problem of being too prolific so it is hard for a recording company to know how to introduce an audience to his music when there are so many choices.  I also enjoy his dramatic/theatrical expertise.  In many ways, I think he is consistent than his contemporary, Maxwell Davies. 

[Androcles]

I agree with you in your assessment. I don't think I've heard a work I haven't enjoyed of his and all of the works sound like a mixture of neo-romantic and postmodern though there is great range.  I think he might have the problem of being too prolific so it is hard for a recording company to know how to introduce an audience to his music when there are so many choices.  I also enjoy his dramatic/theatrical expertise.  In many ways, I think he is consistent than his contemporary, Maxwell Davies.

Yes - I think this is the problem with many prolific composers, particularly when there is no obvious work that stands out as the one to be played. There are other composers who have suffered from the same problem - Martinu in particular springs to mind, but slightly more recently, Weinberg is another. Hoddinott only died in 2008. Perhaps there is yet time... I've been listening today to Noctis Equi - very good. I haven't heard any of his operas - do you know where I might be able to find a recording?

[tarantella]

I also enjoy the Heaventree of Star (poeme for violin and orchestra) on a Nimbus (I think) CD
His song CD which I recommended on the BMS label has been reissued on Naxos (great for the composer) with a very fetching new John Piper cover, which Hoddinott (and Britten) would have approved of I am sure:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoddinott-Cycles-Claire-Williams-8571360/dp/B00OSB0M6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477421804&sr=8-2&keywords=claire+booth

[cilgwyn]

Listening to Hoddinott's Fourth Symphony on cordless headpohones. I downloaded this from the Art Music Forum yesterday,along with a few other Hoddinott symphonies. I was expecting something pretty gruelling and scary from some of the posts here......but surprise,surprise,this really grabbed my ear'oles in the best possible way,right from the start. Thrilling,exciting music packed with visceral energy and colourful orchestration. I love the opening,the way it builds up.....everything about it. I wish I'd added on another Hoddinott symphony now;but the posts here put me off;so I added David Wynne's third symphony,which although it hasn't really impressed me so far,is at the very least non scary. I needed a copy anyway,as he is a Welsh composer. My copy is from Youtube and the sound quality is better than the AMF one. (Actually,I think I am beginning to quite like it now?!!) The Hoddinott is absolutely fantastic,though. Power packed!! Incidentally,I bought a s/h Chandos musicassette of the Sixth,recently. I'll have to listen to that again,now.

[vandermolen]

Listening to Hoddinott's Fourth Symphony on cordless headpohones. I downloaded this from the Art Music Forum yesterday,along with a few other Hoddinott symphonies. I was expecting something pretty gruelling and scary from some of the posts here......but surprise,surprise,this really grabbed my ear'oles in the best possible way,right from the start. Thrilling,exciting music packed with visceral energy and colourful orchestration. I love the opening,the way it builds up.....everything about it. I wish I'd added on another Hoddinott symphony now;but the posts here put me off;so I added David Wynne's third symphony,which although it hasn't really impressed me so far,is at the very least non scary. I needed a copy anyway,as he is a Welsh composer. My copy is from Youtube and the sound quality is better than the AMF one. (Actually,I think I am beginning to quite like it now?!!) The Hoddinott is absolutely fantastic,though. Power packed!! Incidentally,I bought a s/h Chandos musicassette of the Sixth,recently. I'll have to listen to that again,now.

Symphonies 6 and 3 are the ones I most appreciate.

[cilgwyn]

I'm going to have to get that Lyrita cd. I'll put it on my list.....one of my New Year resolutions being to resist clicking that purchase button unless it's some particularly outstanding new release. I've only resisted the new Daniel Jones cd because I've got someone coming here painting and I must admit I dislike other people handling my post!! With the exception of the postman,of course (and post lady....we did have one!). I'm also a tenant so I don't get to choose the painter!!
I enjoyed the Sixth symphony. I'm not so keen on the other works,having a curious aversion to orchestral works with someone warbling along to an orchestra. The sole exception really is Brian's 'Wine of Summer'. The words are awful,but the magic of Brian manages to transmute them,and the music accompanying them,into something truly strange and wonderful. The good thing about the Chandos musicassette version of their Hoddinott release is that the vocal works are all on side 2!!

[vandermolen]

I was listening to the car radio a week or so ago and turned on in the middle of a most beautiful and haunting work. It sounded a bit like something from 'A Sea Symphony' by Vaughan Williams or possibly a choral work by Sir George Dyson ('Quo Vadis' for example). Anyway it turned out to be the longest of 'Three Welsh Songs' arranged (most beautifully) by Alun Hoddinott. This surprised me as I associate Hoddinott with orchestral music of a more crash-bang-wallop variety.

Anyway here it is - the middle movement 'Fair Lisa'. I wonder if cilgwyn knows this arrangement. I had this song in my head all day. This appears to be the only CD from 1995, remastered in 2009:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JeDcQEG1Hi4

PS I posted the link to my brother, who responded:

'Well, well, well, Alun Vaughan Hoddinott'!

[Irons]

Far as I am aware not heard a note of Hoddinott's music until I played a Lyrita LP by Valerie Tryon. His Piano Sonata No.1 Op.17 I thought wonderful, a triumph. A deep work, I was taken aback by the excellence of it. The 2nd Sonata I did not find as striking but the 1st, I know he has not a lot to beat, the finest piano sonata I have heard from a British composer. As can be guessed by now, I rate it!