Havergal Brian.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Lionel Friend,  who also conducted The Tigers, is already on board. As for volume three of 'Havergal Brian on Music', the German musicologist and Brianite Jürgen Schaarwächter will try and fill Malcolm MacDonald's giant shoes...

[calyptorhynchus]

Wow, really good news, so pleased.

Now I can hear Brian's 'only known use of the wood block' in 26 (the BBC announcer announces this on the old recording, but the quality is so bad you can't pick it out). 8 and 21 are amazing works too. I'd go far as to say that 8 is my favourite Brian.

[cilgwyn]

My Dutton cd arrived this morning. Has anyone else had their copy?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Wow! That's quick. Mine was sent yesterday. I think it'll be here by Saturday at the earliest...

[cilgwyn]

The first thing you notice is the clarity and detail of the sound picture. It brings to mind that thing they said about cds (when they first appeared) sounding 'as if a veil had been lifted'. After all the off air cassette tapes,file downloads of off-air broadcasts and I don't know if I should even include that swimmy,opaque sounding Marco Polo recording (no I won't!) this is how it sounds. Another comparison,if you're into old b/w movies and you buy one of those digitally restored studio prints that just seem to sparkle like diamonds. It's almost hard to believe how old they are (clothes and cars,period detail aside). It's a bit too soon for me to really pass judgement on the performance itself as a whole,because I haven't heard all of it;but Brabbins really draws you in. There is a real feeling of an unfolding narrative here. I love this symphony. It has a mysterious,enigmatic,nocturnal quality which really attracts me.
And now the third movement. Whoa! This is really something (as the Americans say) the horns whoop and what is really amazing;the sound of those pianos.You'll never have heard it like this before. This is marvellous!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

To quote my daughter (16): OMG.

[cilgwyn]

Of course you have to be careful. The excitement can get the better of you. The clarity and detail of the sound picture really does hit you though,after everything you have heard before. He's going to have to record No 3 now!! Those pianos!!
Anyway,first things first. Listening to No 14,now. A good choice for a coupling. Again the detail and clarity of the recording really strikes you. In it's own way it feels as big as No 2,but a fraction of the size. I wish I was a musician.All I can tell you is that Brabbin is a good 'story teller' here. The symphony seems seems even more packed with ideas and unexpected,quick silver changes of mood than ever before.
I'm listening on cordless (analogue) Sennheiser headphones so I can't say how this would sound through loud speakers or wired headphones;but it sounds fantastic to me.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

From what you are saying, it sounds as if Brabbins has chosen a fast(er) tempo for 14. How long does he take?

[Sergeant Rock]

My Dutton cd arrived this morning. Has anyone else had their copy?

I was going to wait for it to appear on Amazon but I just realized I haven't the patience for that  I just placed an order with Dutton (should have done it days ago  )

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I was going to wait for it to appear on Amazon but I just realized I haven't the patience for that  I just placed an order with Dutton (should have done it days ago  )

Sarge

Do not chide yourself for an exercise of patience! 

[cilgwyn]

I'm just referring to the amount Brian packs into these 'compressed' (is that the right word?) later symphonies. It's a bit like stepping into a Tardis (if you're a Dr Who fan). I don't know if it's just me;but they sometimes feel more expansive than they are. Or at least to my ears. But not in so far as they sound too long! tAs to the timing of No 14;it's 21:33. Looking at the page for No 14 on the HB website..............it says 22:03!!
Don't expect me to be too clinical in my reactions. I'm not a musician and I can't read music. I'm just an 'umble listener and I have to take into account the excitement of hearing this recording;particularly No2,because I used to listen to it so much as a youngster,so it has a special meaning to me. You have to be careful about first responses,too. I remember getting over excited about that Dutton Bax symphony. It hardly comes out of the box now!! This is different,of course;because I know these works and they are mature compostions,unlike Bax's early attempt. All I can say is that this is my second listen and it all sounds very good to me. The clarity and detail of the recording and the way those pianos pound really grabs me,though;and not in a boomy Chandos way (although I am a fan of their sound engineering). I think I should really leave the technicalities to you or someone who knows more about music than me!

[cilgwyn]

Yep that's right! Got to get the old reading glasses!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

What about the organ in both symphonies? Does it impress?

[cilgwyn]

Third listen. I'm looking at the notes on the HB website & Malcolm MacDonald's book. I'll come back to you.Graham Saxby describes the "so called" 'Battle Scherzo" as suggesting a 'whirling dance' rather than a battle. "The frenzied dance mounts in tension until it reaches a veritable climax". Four massive chords from the full brass and organ...."answered by four hammer-blows from pianos,woowind and pizzicato strings". If I can't hear them I'm obviously in trouble?!!   I'm listening out now. Trouble is I am doing other things (not to do with music or typing) as well!!

[cilgwyn]

edit!

[cilgwyn]

Yes,I'm hearing it now. Particuarly in the finale. I think I was focusing on the horns and strings. The pianos grabbed my attention then. Focusing on the bass sounds,the addition of the organ is quite thrilling. Yes,right now it's thundering out! I need to have another pop at those ear drops,perhaps?! Yes,they do impress in the finale. I'll have to have another hard listen to the 'Battle Scherzo' though. There is so much going on there. I'll be able to concentrate more later.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The organ is also prominent in a spectacular passage in 14, where Brian tries to get things moving by brute force (according to MM, who was critical of the piece, as you know).

[Hattoff]

These are two completely different works from the 2nd and 14th I've heard before. The second is a major work by anyone's standards, I can't believe the utter invention of it.

And the beauty.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Stop rubbing it in, gents. 

[cilgwyn]

It's as if someone had unearthed two previously unknown and forgotten Brian masterpieces and taken them into the recording studio!

Seriously,I think these recordings will be the first stop for these symphonies from now on.
I did hear an organ blasting out in No 14. Oh,wow! I can hear the organ now in No2! Yes,I'm hearing it all the time now. By the way Johann. Do you have any scores of these symphonies? I thought you once said you did? I have been told that you don't have to be a musician to do this. I was told by the same person that a Violin Concerto was often a good way to start. Something very tuneful like the Mendelssohn,say,for starters. I did buy two scores and I had one of those guides to the orchestra on cassette (still got it...wonder if they still work?) a book on orchestration by Walter Piston I think. It never got any further, I thought i might be a composer. like Brian!
Actually,I think I might have asked you about this a couple of thousand pages ago?!!

Both symphonies have mysterious,enigmatic sounding openings!
I've dug out my cdr-s of 3 & 7 for later. I hope Brabbins likes those. I think he could top the available recordings.