Daniel Jones(1912-93)-a prolific Welsh symphonist

Started by Dundonnell, January 16, 2009, 06:23:43 PM

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J.Z. Herrenberg

You are. And thanks for all the info, Colin and cilgwyn!
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato


J.Z. Herrenberg

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

Dundonnell

Heavens!

I didn't realise that I might spark such interest ;D

Well, I have Morgan's Sinfonia da Requiem on tape...so.....IF we can get the transfers effected you will be able to hear that too :) :)

cilgwyn

#184
Thank you,Dundonnell,I look forward to that.
Regarding David Morgan being a bit of an enigma. He certainly is. Allot of fruitless googling around the internet got me just about sod all. The music,yes,but not the man!

cilgwyn


By dinasman at 2011-09-11

Daniel Jones was a Writer as well!

'My Friend Dylan Thomas' 1977 (Littlehampton Book Services Ltd Illustrated Edition)
'A Prospect of the Sea' 1955  A Compilation of Thomas's prose,edited by Jones
'Dylan Thomas-the poems' 1971 ed.by Daniel Jones
He also edited the text of the first published version of 'Under Milk Wood'. In case anyone DOESN'T know,Dylan Thomas and Daniel Jones were childhood friends. They first met on the way to Swansea Grammar School,an encounter which is described in Thomas's short story 'The Fight'. After this encounter,Dylan Thomas was a frequent visitor to the Jones family home,at Warmley in Sketty,where they wrote poetry,played music and formed their own broadcasting company!

J.Z. Herrenberg

I knew all that, but I didn't know that nice cover with the picture! I listened to 2 and 4 again today. The 4th is rising in my estimation - beautiful piece. Next time I'll listen to 4 and 6. Daniel Jones is a good composer, that's for sure.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

cilgwyn

#187
I think the Dylan Thomas connection is probably the best known thing about him,these days. I just think that,seeing that Dylan Thomas is a bit of a cult figure,emphasising the Dylan Thomas connection might encourage some people who don't know his music ) outside  the radio play) to 'dig out' some of his serious concert music. There are always people who just browse by these forums,even if they don't actually post & they might just click on this thread. Knowing that one of his best childhood friends and a character in one of his stories actually composed symphonies and string quartets might just be an incentive to buy one of those Lyrita cds or download those string quartets.
Sadly,the University of Wales press booklet I mentioned is out of print,as are all the others in the series,tut! tut! I shall have to write to them!
I'm glad you are enjoying Daniel Jones symphonies.I actually,prefer Daniel Jones to Grace Williams. I do like & admire some of her music,but find Daniel Jones warmer & more multi layered. Grace Williams music is a little too severe for me. I need more warmth,
Incidentally,I listened to the two Nimbus cds of William Mathias orchestral music last night. I like most  of his music,but some times it can be a little bland;but the symphonies are fantastic,so full of energy,particularly No's 1 and 3 (but I like them all). I play these allot and rate them VERY highly. In fact,they are my favourite Welsh symphonies after those of Jones! The Nimbus performances and recordings are superb & as an introduction to Mathias at his very best I would actually rate them above the Lyrita (orchestral) cds!!!! Such a pity Mathias died before his time (as they say) and that he was unable to record more of his music for Nimbus (he would have conducted the items on the second cd).
Anyway,I'd better stop here,otherwise Dundonnell will be giving me a link to the Mathias thread (I believe there is one).
And so he should!
Who knows,maybe there'll be a David Wynne thread here,one day,as well!

NB: As far as I can make out,there isn't a William Mathias thread???????

Dundonnell

No, there isn't ;D

There is one for Alun Hoddinott....which I started(surprise, surprise ;D) but not Mathias.

cilgwyn

An opening for me at last. And I was looking Laszlo Lajtha!!! All I need now is a suitable thread title,eg: 'Mathias's Mountain' (?),'Mathias's Mall (actually,I think Johan's done that one?),'Mathias's Mates','Mathias's Meadow','Mathias's Mews','Mathias's Marvels','Mathias's Maelstrom','Mathias's Mecca','Mathias's Motorway','Mathias's Mellee (maybe not!),'Mathias's Molotov','Mathias's Malteser','Mathias's Marmite',or what about 'Mathias's Margarine'?
Actually,come to think of it,maybe that's why there isn't a Mathias thread?

NB: What about,just 'William Mathias'? Now that sounds original!

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: cilgwyn on September 12, 2011, 02:05:13 PM
An opening for me at last. And I was looking Laszlo Lajtha!!! All I need now is a suitable thread title,eg: 'Mathias's Mountain' (?),'Mathias's Mall (actually,I think Johan's done that one?),'Mathias's Mates','Mathias's Meadow','Mathias's Mews','Mathias's Marvels','Mathias's Maelstrom','Mathias's Mecca','Mathias's Motorway','Mathias's Mellee (maybe not!),'Mathias's Molotov','Mathias's Malteser','Mathias's Marmite',or what about 'Mathias's Margarine'?
Actually,come to think of it,maybe that's why there isn't a Mathias thread?

NB: What about,just 'William Mathias'? Now that sounds original!


You may use it...
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

cilgwyn


J.Z. Herrenberg

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

cilgwyn

#193
That's if I launch it! If I do it will be a first,for me. At least on this forum!!!Mathias has got some admirers,I gather,although I get the feeling that his music is generally regarded as well crafted,maybe a little underrated,but not that deep. Having said that,cds of his music usually get good reviews,indeed,some VERY good, & I must say out of all the cds I have heard of his music,the Nimbus cds of his symphonies have impressed me the most. He really COULD orchestrate & I find some of the music on these two cds,quite exciting. (Although,with respect to some of the recent posts on the Havergal Brian thread,regarding Brians orchestration,maybe as a humble listener,I'd better not get into that,should I?) Maybe,Mathias the symphonist,isn't,ultimately, quite as deep or multi layered as Daniel Jones,but this is music that is full of colour,energy,drama and the Welsh soul.
After listening to those Nimbus cds I wish to goodness he could have lived long enough to write some more.

Dundonnell

#194
(Extracted from my cd catalogue):

William Mathias:     


Symphony No.1; and Daniel Jones: Symphony No.6: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra(Sir Charles Groves)

Symphony No.1; and Symphony No.2(Summer Music): B.B.C. Welsh Symphony Orchestra(the composer)

Symphony No.3; Oboe Concerto*; "Helios"; and "Requiescat": David Cowley(oboe)* with the B.B.C.Welsh Symphony Orchestra(Grant Llewellyn)

Sinfonietta++; Invocation and Dance*; "Laudi"+; "Vistas"+; Prelude, Aria and Finale for String Orchestra**; Divertimento for String Orchestra**; and Dance Overture*:London
                 Symphony Orchestra*,New Philharmonia Orchestra+, English Chamber Orchestra**(David Atherton) and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales(Arthur Davison)++

Piano Concerto No.3*; Clarinet Concerto**; and Harp Concerto+:Peter Katin(piano)*, Gervase de Peyer(clarinet)**, Osian Ellis(harp)+, the London Symphony Orchestra*+ and
                    the New Philharmonia Orchestra**(David Atherton)   

Horn Concerto for horn, strings and timpani*+; Songs of William Blake for baritone**, celeste++, harp***, piano+++ and strings; Intrada for small orchestra; "Threnos" for string
           Orchestra; and "Hobed o Hilion" for baritone and strings**: David Pyatt(horn)*, Jeremy Huw Williams(baritone)**, Graham Bradley(timpani)+, Helen
                     Davies(celeste)++, Elinor Bennett(harp)***, John Gibbons(piano)+++ and the Welsh Chamber Orchestra(Anthony Hose)

"Lux Aeterna": London Symphony Orchestra(Sir David Willcocks)

"This Worlde's Joie"*; "Ave Rex", A Carol Sequence+; and Elegy for a Prince**: Janet Price(soprano)*, Kenneth Bowen(tenor)*, Michael Rippon(baritone)*, Sir Geraint Evans
                     (bass-baritone)**, the New Philharmonia Orchestra*+(Sir David Willcocks* and David Atherton+) and the London Symphony Orchestra(David Atherton)**

Celtic Dances: National Youth Orchestra of Wales(Arthur Davison)

I will move this to the Mathias thread when it goes up here ;D ;D ;D



Mirror Image

Hey cilgwyn, what part of Wales are you from? Do you speak Welsh? This seems like a very difficult language to learn.

cilgwyn

Actually,Carmarthenshire,Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion!!!! My Father's first language is Welsh,but my Mother is English,although she was brought up in Wales,so unfortunately I don't speak Welsh,although I can get the gist of a conversation,pronounce it,know allot of Welsh words and a few Welsh songs (great when you're drunk!)
Regarding you're Mathias cds Dundonnell. You make my shelves look empty!
Incidentally,I've just seen the time!!!!!! I'm off to bed.
Nos da!!!

Dundonnell


Mirror Image

Quote from: cilgwyn on September 12, 2011, 04:15:18 PM
Actually,Carmarthenshire,Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion!!!! My Father's first language is Welsh,but my Mother is English,although she was brought up in Wales,so unfortunately I don't speak Welsh,although I can get the gist of a conversation,pronounce it,know allot of Welsh words and a few Welsh songs (great when you're drunk!)

Awesome! I would love to visit Wales one day as I have Welsh ancestry.

cilgwyn

#199
Actually,I think I went a little over the top,last night, in my praising of the Mathias symphonies,ie !"full of...the Welsh soul"! Mathias's music isn't that deep. But the quiet moments are soulful,which is nearly as good!!!!
I DO like this music though & I think it's sincere. Mathias's orchestration reminds me of Martinu at times. It's like a richly coloured stained glass window in sound,but unlike Martinu or Daniel Jones,while it's often very beautiful or even exciting to look at,if you pick away at the surface,there's not so much to find. That's not to say Mathias is shallow,but it strikes me that Daniel Jones gives you allot more to think about.
Having said all that,I do think that the challenges of writing a symphony do seem to have inspired Mathias to dig a little deeper into his psyche than usual. Behind his usual,seemingly effortless  facility for colour and professional note spinning,there is a sense of atmosphere and feeling,which is so often missing from his work (much as I like most of it).
With all their faults,as someone who considers himself Welsh (well I was born here!) I do feel I can identify with these works.
But a Welsh Martinu,he isn't!

Incidentally,it's nice to see Naxos taking an interest in Mathias,with their cd of Violin Sonatas. I see Andrew Clements,the 'Guardian critic,has actually given it a very good review. I think this one's going on my list. Wouldn't it be great if Naxos were to give us some Daniel Jones!