Roy Harris (1898-1979)

[cilgwyn]

Out of interest,the timings,for the Ninth,on the Naxos cd. I prefer Kuchar's Harris to Alsop's. I'm hopeless at this kind of thing,but you can click on it!

[cilgwyn]

Again!

[cilgwyn]

The Ormandy performance of the Seventh:

[cilgwyn]

Just am I'm about to put Harris on my latest cd purchase drops through the letterbox. The original Erato release of Martinon conducting Roussel's Symphony No 2 and Le festin de l'araignée! Egad! What does a man do in this situation?!!

Put on Roussel!

Roy Harris,hopefully,a bit later!!!

[Mirror Image]

By the way,you mentioned Harris's Eleventh symphony,MI. His eighth is a bit like the eleventh,without the rhetoric. Like the Sixth it's a bit different from his usual declamatory idiom. Full of tinkling tintinnabullations. I think it's rather original. Less aggressive than usual for Harris. In fact,I think that's the one I'll put on!!

I'll have to give the 8th and 11th a listen, cilgwyn. Thanks for the feedback. I know I don't like the 9th at all.

[cilgwyn]

Looking at posts here and elsewhere and using my own ears and brain I have come to the conclusion that the Ninth is one of his weakets,even IF you like,or find his music interesting at all. I prefer the Eighth' It's less declamatory than some of his symphonies. I quite like the sounds I'm hearing.....but there is that feeling that you've heard it all before?!! I'll listen to it again,though!

And now I've pricked up my ears. I really do like this bit! Unfortunately,I'm listening via cordless headphones. The mini-hifi is on track 6 and it isn't playing the symphony at all. This is the fill-up in between;Memories of a Child's Sunday. It's in three short movements; Bells,Imagining things and finally,Play. This is really nice. A lovely piece. It has a lightness of touch that seems to be missing from all the symphonies. The third movement,in particular,Play,is an absolute delight!! Wow! At last a piece of music by Roy Harris I KNOW I like!
Actually,I like the opening of the Ninth....but after a few promising opening bars it feels like a symphony going nowhere!! (Although,I don't dislike it as much as you,MI)
I DO like the sound of Harris's orchestration. It really tickles my ears. It has that wide open prairie feel to it and a spring like clarity of texture. I just wish he could have got a grip on the ranting......and like Hovhaness,in a wholly different way (at least he's relaxing) that uneasy feeling that he's just composing the same symphony over and over again with slight variations! I am enjoying this music now............but to paraphrase the song.........will I still love it tomorrow?!!

It's the sound of Harris's orchestration,when it's at it's least tub thumping,that has stopped me from taking these cd's down to the charity shop. This is one aspect of Roy Harris's music I DO like. I just wish I could feel as comfortable with what he did with it. More variety,more humour,less ranting.....but I do like the sounds I'm hearing during the less rhetorical (noisy) passages.

[cilgwyn]

Nope! Listened to the eighth twice. I prefer this to the Ninth,but it still feels like too much note spinning,really! I think the best Harris symphonies are 5-7,and 3 for some people. Talking about charity shops earlier,I realise I did actually drop the Albany cd of the Eleventh off at one!! Oops!! Revisiting these symphonie does confirm my earlier findings. Memories of a Child's Sunday is a lovely piece,though!!

[vandermolen]

Thanks for the posts, Jeffrey and Cilgwyn.

Jeffrey, I know that 2-CD set you linked but haven't heard any of that music in years. I really need to revisit it at some juncture. It's also good to know Harris' 6th has a special meaning for you. I think all music has a purpose and that purpose is communication on a another plain --- something that can't be communicated through words but rather in sound through musical expression.

And thank you John and Cilgwyn. I agree John with what you say above about the 'purpose' of music and that it communicates something that cannot be communicated in words. 'The arts are the means by which we can look through the magic casements and see what lies beyond' said the agnostic Vaughan Williams. I think that you would both enjoy 'Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight', which is ideal late night listening.

[cilgwyn]

I'll have to give the 8th and 11th a listen, cilgwyn. Thanks for the feedback. I know I don't like the 9th at all.

I'd choose No 11 over No 8,MI,if you want to try one.
The Sixth sounds impressive in the Keith Clark recording. I like the Seventh in the old Ormandy recording. I prefer it to the third. The Kuchar on Naxos is quite good imho,if you must have stereo. If you can stomach the rhetoric I think it's an imposing piece of music. The Fifth,I quite like. I always prefer the old Louisville recording. After that I think the Eleventh is probably the one most hearing.The Albany recording sounded very good to me. I seem to recall I actually disposed of it because it had other things on it that I didn't want! That said,Harris is not a composer I want to play as often as say,Copland,Barber,Piston,Schuman,Mennin,Hanson,or even Antheil!.

[Mirror Image]

I'd choose No 11 over No 8,MI,if you want to try one.
The Sixth sounds impressive in the Keith Clark recording. I like the Seventh in the old Ormandy recording. I prefer it to the third. The Kuchar on Naxos is quite good imho,if you must have stereo. If you can stomach the rhetoric I think it's an imposing piece of music. The Fifth,I quite like. I always prefer the old Louisville recording. After that I think the Eleventh is probably the one most hearing.The Albany recording sounded very good to me. I seem to recall I actually disposed of it because it had other things on it that I didn't want! That said,Harris is not a composer I want to play as often as say,Copland,Barber,Piston,Schuman,Mennin,Hanson,or even Antheil!.

Cool, thanks for the feedback here, cilgwyn.

[vandermolen]

I'd choose No 11 over No 8,MI,if you want to try one.
The Sixth sounds impressive in the Keith Clark recording. I like the Seventh in the old Ormandy recording. I prefer it to the third. The Kuchar on Naxos is quite good imho,if you must have stereo. If you can stomach the rhetoric I think it's an imposing piece of music. The Fifth,I quite like. I always prefer the old Louisville recording. After that I think the Eleventh is probably the one most hearing.The Albany recording sounded very good to me. I seem to recall I actually disposed of it because it had other things on it that I didn't want! That said,Harris is not a composer I want to play as often as say,Copland,Barber,Piston,Schuman,Mennin,Hanson,or even Antheil!.

Those are the recordings of the symphonies that I like too.

[cilgwyn]

I suppose I should add that some people rate the Symphony 1933 as well!
Incidentally,after the disappointment (as expected) of No 9 and No 8,I finally put on No 6 (after being distracted by the new Roussel cd and Schulhoff symphonies!) Disaster struck! My Albany cd was faulty. Cleaning didn't help! Then it got worse. For some reason I lost my connection. I have only just got it back now!! Is there a Harris jinx,by the way?!! Not that I believe in that sort of thing,of course!!

Yep,I'm still connected!

[cilgwyn]

Ordered a new cop of the Albany Sixth. So I'm now in the same situation as Mirror Image with this cd!
That said,this is one Roy Harris symphony that does impress me and I can understand why the music would move Vandermolen. My father is still alive,so far,at 83,and it does make you think late at night. My mother loved Beethoven I remember. The Pastoral was a particular favourite! You put it on and remember.
A lovely opening. That feeling of big,wide open spaces. The strings have a lovely,serene,luminous quality which reminds me of Martinu. (And those soft chords) Although,Harris doesn't sound like him,of course.

[Rons_talking]

The Ormandy performance of the Seventh:

Three of my favorite symphonies. I love the Ormandy performance but how is the fidelity? The Harris 7th is underrated by many; it's Harris at his best.

[Mirror Image]

And thank you John and Cilgwyn. I agree John with what you say above about the 'purpose' of music and that it communicates something that cannot be communicated in words. 'The arts are the means by which we can look through the magic casements and see what lies beyond' said the agnostic Vaughan Williams. I think that you would both enjoy 'Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight', which is ideal late night listening.

Indeed, Jeffrey. RVW was quite right in saying this about music. Wise man.

[Daverz]

Three of my favorite symphonies. I love the Ormandy performance but how is the fidelity? The Harris 7th is underrated by many; it's Harris at his best.

I only know the LPs.  It's good 50s mono.

There have been other transfers of these from LPs:

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=9.80239
http://shellackophile.blogspot.com/2012/03/ormandy-three-american-symphonies.html

[cilgwyn]

Actually,I did originally hear the recordings via that blog. I bought the Albany cd of the Ormandy recordings when i Finally found it at a reasonable,low price. I like the artwork on that old Lp on the blog site. I can't help wishing they'd reissue it with that. Oh well,it's not exactly important!!

[cilgwyn]

Painted for Columbia Records by Arnold Blanch!!

[vandermolen]

Three of my favorite symphonies. I love the Ormandy performance but how is the fidelity? The Harris 7th is underrated by many; it's Harris at his best.

I have this CD - it is terrific.

[cilgwyn]

I am listening to the Albany cd of the Ormandy recordings and I think the sound quality is remarkably good for it's era.