This long-forgotten 90-minute work will be receiving its first performance in over 80 years at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday November 11th at 6:30pm. Written to commerate the dead of all nations after the First World War, it's apparently a heartfelt memorial that was first performed on Armistice Day in 1923.
Leon Botstein and the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (along with several other choirs and soloists) will be performing the work, and it's scheduled for broadcast on BBC Radio 3. I'm going to capture it and put it up for download some time later in November. Is anyone actually attending the concert? And does anyone have any more details about the work?
No I don't know anything about the work, but the one disc of Foulds' orchestral music (including "Mantras") I have shows him to have the capability of blowing off the roof with his fortissimos! Great excitement!!
I'm very much looking forward to this. :)
Hi Mark, do keep us informed! Too bad I will miss the concert...I'll be in London in October.( 15-19)...Did anything else catch your attention.?
Peter
Quote from: pjme on September 20, 2007, 01:58:44 PM
Hi Mark, do keep us informed! Too bad I will miss the concert...I'll be in London in October.( 15-19)...Did anything else catch your attention.?
Peter
I had a flyer through the mail this morning, as I'm on the mailing lists of most of the big London venues. It came on its own, so nothing else to share at this point. ;)
I understand that Chandos are recording the concert for issue as a double CD in due course!
That is great news! The World Requiem was very popular in the 1920s-performed on Armistice Day(November 11) but has not been heard for a very long time. I wonder if the coming performance is going to have the 1.200 performers who were used at the 1920s performances?
Sakari Oramo at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted two splendid Warner CDs of Foulds's music and there is also a Lyrita CD. Unfortunately, Oramo is leaving Birmingham shortly and Warner has bitten the dust so probably no more from that source.
Quote from: Mark on September 20, 2007, 02:32:42 PM
I had a flyer through the mail this morning, as I'm on the mailing lists of most of the big London venues. It came on its own, so nothing else to share at this point. ;)
Thanks anyway! I have the Chandos/Oramo discs and look forward to the concert ( BBC 3 is on my cable).
Peter
Quote from: Mark on September 20, 2007, 03:07:57 AM
This long-forgotten 90-minute work will be receiving its first performance in over 80 years at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday November 11th at 6:30pm. Written to commerate the dead of all nations after the First World War, it's apparently a heartfelt memorial that was first performed on Armistice Day in 1923.
Leon Botstein and the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (along with several other choirs and soloists) will be performing the work, and it's scheduled for broadcast on BBC Radio 3. I'm going to capture it and put it up for download some time later in November. Is anyone actually attending the concert? And does anyone have any more details about the work?
I hope to go to the concert if I possibly can.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 21, 2007, 02:45:19 AM
I hope to go to the concert if I possibly can.
Tickets range in price from £27.50 down to just £6. A bargain, in my estimation; and a concert I'd attend, if I thought my wife wouldn't kill me for leaving her alone with what could, by then, be our six-week-old daughter. ;D
Quote from: Dundonnell on September 20, 2007, 03:03:05 PM
I understand that Chandos are recording the concert for issue as a double CD in due course!
That is great news! The World Requiem was very popular in the 1920s-performed on Armistice Day(November 11) but has not been heard for a very long time. I wonder if the coming performance is going to have the 1.200 performers who were used at the 1920s performances?
Sakari Oramo at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted two splendid Warner CDs of Foulds's music and there is also a Lyrita CD. Unfortunately, Oramo is leaving Birmingham shortly and Warner has bitten the dust so probably no more from that source.
Sorry to hear about Warner. There are two good Lyrita CDs of Foulds; one with the Dynamic Tryptich and Vaughan Williams's Piano Concerto and the other one, which is probably my favourite Foulds CD, with Hellas (only recording), the exotic Three Mantras and the magnificent April-England. There is an interesting CD of his chamber music too.
I just returned from The Albert Hall having heard "A World Requiem" performed for the first time since 1926. It was a wonderful experience, which I would have not missed for anything. The work is quite beautiful; the end was incredibly moving. It is a very hauntingly ethereal and mystical work, way ahead of its time with its minimalist echoes (which may be one reason why it was misunderstood in its time). Difficult to grasp as a whole, at first hearing, but Chandos are releasing this performance on CD in January and I will certainly be getting a copy then (there was a flyer in tonight's programme).
It was great to hear it live. We were sitting high up in the circle and gained maximum effect from the boy's choir in the top gallery and the the offstage trumpets situated strategically round the Albert Hall. Leon Botstein and his soloists with the BBC Symphony Orchestra did Foulds proud tonight; a colossal act of restitution for the forgotten composer.
In style, the music is not really like any other composer of the time but there were, I thought, faint echoes of early Holst (ie The Cloud Messenger) and at one or two points I was reminded a bit of Frank Martin's "In Terra Pax", a much later work written at the end of World War Two. My brother, who was with me was reminded of Vaughan Williams's "A London Symphony" but I did not really make this connection.
Anyway, it was a great evening and I hope that others from CMG were there or managed to listen in on the radio. The CD is released on 2nd January 2008.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 11, 2007, 02:12:39 PM
Anyway, it was a great evening and I hope that others from CMG were there or managed to listen in on the radio. The CD is released on 2nd January 2008.
Thanks for the report - much appreciated. :)
For those who want to hear this work WITHOUT buying the CD, I'm hoping to have it ready as MP3 files before Chandos gets their disc into stores, as I captured the performance (I hope - I haven't yet checked) on my PVR. ;)
It's also been archived at the R3 website; I'm listening to (and recording) the opening bars as I write this
Interesting review of the concert in today's Daily Telegraph (UK). I totally agree with the comments on last night's concert:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/12/ndead412.xml
I suppose there is no libretto available on the net? Couldn't find anything myself. I recorded this concert from BBC Radio 3 and indeed it is an impressive, massive and yet highly emotional work.
Quote from: XXXPawn on November 13, 2007, 03:12:25 AM
I suppose there is no libretto available on the net? Couldn't find anything myself. I recorded this concert from BBC Radio 3 and indeed it is an impressive, massive and yet highly emotional work.
I think that a score must be available as the guy sitting next to me at the concert was following it! Maybe he got it from one of the performers. I have the full text of "A World Requiem" in the concert programme and am happy to send a photocopy to you.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 13, 2007, 03:18:01 AM
I have the full text of "A World Requiem" in the concert programme and am happy to send a photocopy to you.
Any chance you could please scan it in and post it in this thread? :)
Quote from: Mark on November 13, 2007, 03:19:08 AM
Any chance you could please scan it in and post it in this thread? :)
Yes Vandermolen that would be great, thank you very much!
Quote from: Mark on November 13, 2007, 03:19:08 AM
Any chance you could please scan it in and post it in this thread? :)
Very sorry Mark but don't have a working scanner.
Jeffrey
Yes, thank you all for the info'. from somebody who's PVR did not record the performance for reasons I have yet to investigate ???
Quote from: Hector on November 13, 2007, 06:33:54 AM
Yes, thank you all for the info'. from somebody who's PVR did not record the performance for reasons I have yet to investigate ???
I did a spot check on mine - I got it! :D
Hector, have you retuned your PVR? Radios 1-4 moved frequencies recently. ;)
As I tried to suggest yesterday - those wanting to try before they buy ought to click here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_aod.shtml?radio3/thechoir). And if you like it, you can record it from here too, as I did, though I'll probably be buying the CD too in January.
Quote from: lukeottevanger on November 13, 2007, 09:16:31 AM
As I tried to suggest yesterday - those wanting to try before they buy ought to click here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_aod.shtml?radio3/thechoir). And if you like it, you can record it from here too, as I did, though I'll probably be buying the CD too in January.
Record it? How?
I let it play and meanwhile set my sound editing software to record internally (rather than from an external source/microphone).
FWIW I use NCH's freeware Wave Pad, simply because I've found that NCH's various freeware programs (for ripping, filetype switching etc.) are small, reliable, intuitive and friendly little things, and contain all I need. Unlike most such things, the free version is not severely limited (e.g. limiting saving options, or only active for a limited number of days); and I don't need the extra bells and whistles one would get if one paid. If you're interested, type NCH into google and take it from there.
Quote from: Hector on November 13, 2007, 06:33:54 AM
Yes, thank you all for the info'. from somebody who's PVR did not record the performance for reasons I have yet to investigate ???
I made a recording from BBC Radio 3. I can post it if someone could tell me where to and how.
Having been to the concert on Sunday, I have been listening to my other Foulds CDs at home.
The one below is especially good with the Three Mantras and some other works that are otherwise unavailable. The second movement of Lyra Celtica is very beautiful. I think that Warner has gone bust but there are still copies on Amazon UK for about £6.00.
Strongly recommended; a great CD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foulds-Orchestral-Vocal-Works-John/dp/B0002VE20G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195030920&sr=1-1
Quote from: Mark on November 13, 2007, 11:12:31 AM
Record it? How?
Mark, I use Total Recorder
http://www.highcriteria.com/ (http://www.highcriteria.com/)
I quote:
"Total Recorder is a powerful, yet simple audio recording solution. Total Recorder records streaming audio directly from systems like Real Player, Windows Media Player, QuickTime and WinAmp. It can also record from cassette tapes, LPs, DVDs, CDs or through a microphone connected to your PC. The resulting recordings may be saved as wav, wma, mp3, Ogg Vorbis or FLAC audio files. The recordings may then be copied to a CD using a standard CD burner and associated software."
I am sure there are other comparable tools around.
Th.
Quote from: Thom on November 13, 2007, 09:55:12 PM
I made a recording from BBC Radio 3. I can post it if someone could tell me where to and how.
www.mediafire.com is the best file host currently around. It may have a size limit of 100mb though (as does Rapidshare) - if it is too large, it can be split using WinRAR or HJ Split.
Quote from: Lethe on November 14, 2007, 02:12:50 AM
www.mediafire.com is the best file host currently around. It may have a size limit of 100mb though (as does Rapidshare) - if it is too large, it can be split using WinRAR or HJ Split.
100Mb is not enough unformatunately. This is what I have:
Tracklisting
------------
01 01 Introduction 05:32
02 02 World Requiem part 1 46:21
03 03 Intermission 05:34
04 04 World Requiem part 2 45:21
05 05 Applause and conclusion 01:34
Playing Time : 104:22
Total Size : 238 MB
Quote from: Thom on November 14, 2007, 03:04:43 AM
100Mb is not enough unformatunately. This is what I have:
Tracklisting
------------
01 01 Introduction 05:32
02 02 World Requiem part 1 46:21
03 03 Intermission 05:34
04 04 World Requiem part 2 45:21
05 05 Applause and conclusion 01:34
Playing Time : 104:22
Total Size : 238 MB
It's 100Mb
per file on MediaFire ... so as long as the files are all seperate, you can get uploading. ;)
Quote from: Mark on November 14, 2007, 03:30:23 AM
It's 100Mb per file on MediaFire ... so as long as the files are all seperate, you can get uploading. ;)
Two of them are > 100 Mb but they are 320 Kbps 44100 Hz, I can downsize them of course. I will give it a try. Will let you know.
Quote from: Thom on November 14, 2007, 03:35:04 AM
Two of them are > 100 Mb but they are 320 Kbps 44100 Hz, I can downsize them of course. I will give it a try. Will let you know.
Downsize (from the WAV, naturally - lossy to lossy ain't good ;)) to 192kbps. That will save you upload time, too. :)
Quote from: Mark on November 14, 2007, 03:53:27 AM
Downsize (from the WAV, naturally - lossy to lossy ain't good ;)) to 192kbps. That will save you upload time, too. :)
Thanks for the advice. I will try it, but it will take some time. I get back to you all.
Quote from: Thom on November 14, 2007, 04:00:30 AM
Thanks for the advice. I will try it, but it will take some time. I get back to you all.
I'm only getting you to try this because I don't have time yet myself to cut up and prepare the digital recording on my PVR! ;D
First part is downloading fine for me - thanks :)
Sorry, Thom, but I'm just getting broken links after the 'Introduction'. Did you create a free account? This really helps. ;)
Quote from: Mark on November 14, 2007, 08:28:17 AM
Sorry, Thom, but I'm just getting broken links after the 'Introduction'. Did you create a free account? This really helps. ;)
Yes I did, I created an account but when I now try to login the system doesn't know me anymore. Strange. By the way, I had to upload one of the 60mb files 5 or 6 times before I succeeded. So far I am not impressed by this mediafire service. Is there an alternative perhaps?
Quote from: Thom on November 14, 2007, 08:36:33 AM
Yes I did, I created an account but when I now try to login the system doesn't know me anymore. Strange. By the way, I had to upload one of the 60mb files 5 or 6 times before I succeeded. So far I am not impressed by this mediafire service. Is there an alternative perhaps?
You could try www.rapidshare.com ... but folks here without paid-up accounts won't thank you for it. ;D
Allright another try with rapdshare (much much faster upload, great upload tool and more reliable). Sorry for the inconvenience.
Fould's World Requiem:
http://rapidshare.com/files/69701118/01_Introduction.mp3 (http://rapidshare.com/files/69701118/01_Introduction.mp3)
http://rapidshare.com/files/69703316/02_World_Requiem_part_1.mp3 (http://rapidshare.com/files/69703316/02_World_Requiem_part_1.mp3)
http://rapidshare.com/files/69703555/03_Intermission.mp3 (http://rapidshare.com/files/69703555/03_Intermission.mp3)
http://rapidshare.com/files/69706067/04_World_Requiem_part_2.mp3 (http://rapidshare.com/files/69706067/04_World_Requiem_part_2.mp3)
http://rapidshare.com/files/69700928/05_Applause_and_conclusion.mp3 (http://rapidshare.com/files/69700928/05_Applause_and_conclusion.mp3)
Hope this works!
Th
Thom, you did a great job! I listened to the performance last Sunday and was really impressed by this work. Great to be able to listen to it again!
I downloaded the files without any problems (I have a Rapidshare account...)
Quote from: Jezetha on November 14, 2007, 09:36:40 AM
Thom, you did a great job! I listened to the performance last Sunday and was really impressed by this work. Great to be able to listen to it again!
I downloaded the files without any problems (I have a Rapidshare account...)
Great. Happy to hear that these links work!
Mediafire seems to be working again.
John Foulds:
01 introduction
http://www.mediafire.com/?5wgpzgmo03x (http://www.mediafire.com/?5wgpzgmo03x)
02 Part 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?9wzujkxligs (http://www.mediafire.com/?9wzujkxligs)
03 Intermission
http://www.mediafire.com/?4jnymzblls4 (http://www.mediafire.com/?4jnymzblls4)
04 Part 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?cayzq4jvf5y (http://www.mediafire.com/?cayzq4jvf5y)
05 Applause and conclusion
http://www.mediafire.com/?fnn0gf0yf1f (http://www.mediafire.com/?fnn0gf0yf1f)
Th.
Quote from: Thom on November 15, 2007, 09:53:47 AM
Mediafire seems to be working again.
John Foulds:
01 introduction
http://www.mediafire.com/?5wgpzgmo03x (http://www.mediafire.com/?5wgpzgmo03x)
02 Part 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?9wzujkxligs (http://www.mediafire.com/?9wzujkxligs)
03 Intermission
http://www.mediafire.com/?4jnymzblls4 (http://www.mediafire.com/?4jnymzblls4)
04 Part 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?cayzq4jvf5y (http://www.mediafire.com/?cayzq4jvf5y)
05 Applause and conclusion
http://www.mediafire.com/?fnn0gf0yf1f (http://www.mediafire.com/?fnn0gf0yf1f)
Th.
Got 'em. Thanks, Thom. ;)
Stupid of me not to check this thread before now. I was looking for discussion in the composer section for some reason.
Interesting to read vandermolen's report on the concert and Ivan Hewett's review in the 'Daily Telegraph'. John Allison in today's 'Sunday Telegraph' calls the work "cumbersome", "undistinguished", "turgidly scored", adds that the "few genuinely striking effects .....are little compensation" and generally dismisses the work as that of a crank!
Will just have to wait until January and listen to the CD for myself.
Quote from: Dundonnell on November 18, 2007, 03:13:06 PM
John Allison in today's 'Sunday Telegraph' calls the work "cumbersome", "undistinguished", "turgidly scored", adds that the "few genuinely striking effects .....are little compensation" and generally dismisses the work as that of a crank!
Nonsense. It can't be worse than Verdi's and everyone seems to like that one.
Quote from: Dundonnell on November 18, 2007, 03:13:06 PM
John Allison in today's 'Sunday Telegraph' calls the work "cumbersome", "undistinguished", "turgidly scored", adds that the "few genuinely striking effects .....are little compensation" and generally dismisses the work as that of a crank!
Yes, but Allison also asserted - in last month's Gramophone - that Nigel Kennedy is ' ... possibly the world's greatest violinist ... '. On this evidence, I think it's fairly safe to dismiss his review of Fould's 'A World Requiem' (or indeed, his review of
anything) as the insane dribblings of an idiot. ;)
Quote from: Dundonnell on November 18, 2007, 03:13:06 PM
Stupid of me not to check this thread before now. I was looking for discussion in the composer section for some reason.
Interesting to read vandermolen's report on the concert and Ivan Hewett's review in the 'Daily Telegraph'. John Allison in today's 'Sunday Telegraph' calls the work "cumbersome", "undistinguished", "turgidly scored", adds that the "few genuinely striking effects .....are little compensation" and generally dismisses the work as that of a crank!
Will just have to wait until January and listen to the CD for myself.
I agree with Ivan Hewett who gave a very balanced review in the Daily Telegraph (see above). I thought that it was a very fine work, deeply moving in places and I'm really looking forward to the Chandos release on 2nd January. Foulds was an underrated composer of some fine music (Three Mantras, Dynamic Tryptich, April-England, Lyra Celtica and some excellent chamber music).
This, from Chandos' monthly eNewsletter:
Many of you will be aware of the much-anticipated concert that took place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 11 November: a performance of A World Requiem by John Foulds. This featured amongst the soloists the wonderful Gerald Finley, along with massed choirs and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein. This historic event was recorded live and the recording will be released on multiple formats in January. To give you an idea of the treasures in store on this release we will be offering audio samples in the next couple of weeks, exclusively on our site, so please visit us to hear excerpts of this long-neglected work.
The obvious comparison to remark on is that Foulds might be somewhat like the English Ives - the same time period of course, wildly experimental, lofty spiritual aspirations, far ahead of their time and essentially alone in their exploration of musical language - both were seen as slightly mad for their ideas, but they composed on regardless. But then of course there are many differences too, which are probably too obvious to mention.
This piece is absolutely fantastic - I adore many of his other works, and am currently trying to get hold of the sheet music to his cello concerto - though it's painfully difficult to obtain! It is apparently a very good piece and similar in parts to the wonderful cello sonata. It was played once in the late eightees by Raphael Wallfisch and was broadcast, but unfortunately I don't know of anyone who has kept their recording of this radio performance, and neither does Foulds' current main editor and champion.
Quote from: Guido on November 26, 2007, 05:42:36 AM
... and neither does Foulds' current main editor and champion.
You mean, writer and reviewer, Malcolm (Calum) MacDonald, old friend of our very own Dundonnell?
Quote from: Mark on November 26, 2007, 08:53:16 AM
You mean, writer and reviewer, Malcolm (Calum) MacDonald, old friend of our very own Dundonnell?
I am embarrassed to say that I cannot remember his name. Do people have any more thoughts on this work? I haven't got the Chandos CD, though am fairly tempted.
Quote from: Guido on March 28, 2008, 07:41:56 PM
Do people have any more thoughts on this work? I haven't got the Chandos CD, though am fairly tempted.
You'd better succumb at your earliest convenience.
I find it to be an excellent and at times extraordinary work. The performance as well as the SACD recording are superlative.
Quote from: Guido on March 28, 2008, 07:41:56 PM
I am embarrassed to say that I cannot remember his name. Do people have any more thoughts on this work? I haven't got the Chandos CD, though am fairly tempted.
There are a couple of reviews here (one written by me) which may help youto make up your mind.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foulds-World-Requiem-Jeanne-Mich%C3%A8le-Charbonnet/dp/B000ZBPPXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1206802324&sr=1-1
Cheers. I did actually download the versions that people had recorded off the BBC broadcast, but I guess the difference in recorded sound quality will be huge, so it's probably worth the price.