Havergal Brian.

[vandermolen]

By the way? Is there any hope,at all,of a new studio recording of No 3?!! A big favourite of mine! A Dutton recording,with Martyn Brabbins,would be just what the doctor ordered!
(Or trip to Honolulu,like Laurel and Hardy,in Sons of the Desert? Some,hope?!! ).

I also like No.3 but am happy with the Hyperion disc with its atmospheric front cover image of Pan.

[Maestro267]

Yeah, if we are talking about new recordings of symphonies, I'd prefer a new 4th over a new 3rd. With a better, less warbly soprano soloist in the middle movement please.

[cilgwyn]

The best thing about the Hyperion recording is the artwork! If I want to listen to the third,it's always the Pope recording,for me. That performance was also my introduction to it,via the Aries Lp. So,I would love a new recording! And I'm sure it will happen,one day!! That said! With respect to some of the comments about performances of Brian,by Newstone and Pope,here. I'm,somehow,doubtful that any new recording would supplant my affection for the Pope recording?! In fact,despite the new recordings of No's 6,8 & 10;the old emi recordings are still the definitive recordings for me,anyway! Only,Brabbin's recording of No 2,has supplanted,the earlier recordings by Mackerras,and Head,in that sense. And I'm not sure if I'm gravitating back to the old Rayner Cook performance of No5,these days?  And maybe,even Holmes,for the Violin Concerto? The Dutton recordings of both,are excellent. But if the earlier recordings were restored and released on a,commercially released,cd,I'd probably put those on,first?!! As to Das Siegeslied. Funnily enough,of the earlier recordings of Brian on the old Marco Polo label;the performance of No 4,was the only one I really enjoyed. I also rather liked the soloist's 'Slavonic wobble'! And those East European choirs are always good,imho! Although,in a perfect world,the old Poole performance would be released on cd;which is,always,my benchmark!

But,I'm jumping the gun,here!!

[vandermolen]

I have successfully smuggled my Havergal Society mug together with the new Naxos recording of symphonies 7 and 16 into the house. You can all breathe again.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have successfully smuggled my Havergal Society mug together with the new Naxos recording of symphonies 7 and 16 into the house. You can all breathe again.

I won't betray you.

[vandermolen]

I won't betray you.

I knew I could rely on you. Katy was at the gym when the post arrived so the retrieval operation went like clockwork.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I knew I could rely on you. Katy was at the gym when the post arrived so the retrieval operation went like clockwork.

You dastardly man, you!

[vandermolen]

You dastardly man, you!

[cilgwyn]

Won't it be a bit of a give-a-way,when your wife sees you drinking out of it?!! Will you cover the picture of Brian (or wording) with your hands,when drinking out of it? Or,will you only use it,when she's not around? Or maybe (for a truly,retro experience of your lost youth) in your bedroom?! (Alternatively,a garden/potting shed,or garage;if you've got one?!).

[krummholz]

By the way? Is there any hope,at all,of a new studio recording of No 3?!! A big favourite of mine! A Dutton recording,with Martyn Brabbins,would be just what the doctor ordered!
(Or trip to Honolulu,like Laurel and Hardy,in Sons of the Desert? Some,hope?!! ).

So we have two performances already on CD, the Hyperion issue under Lionel Friend and the Klassic Haus restoration with Stanley Pope.  I agree with others that the Friend reading is fine and well recorded. I've listened a few more times to Pope's performance and while it has many good points, it sounds a bit muddled to me, the ensemble is not anywhere near as good as in the Friend, and all of Klassic Haus's expertise can't hide the defects in the original sound. So I'm going to side with cilgwyn: let's have an alternative reading of Brian's "Eroica", under a conductor like Brabbins who really "gets" Brian, and with fully modern sound.

To those who would prefer a new recording of the Siegeslied, why can't we have both?

[calyptorhynchus]

Won't it be a bit of a give-a-way,when your wife sees you drinking out of it?!!

I have my HB Society mug at work and drink tea out of it all the time. I work in a busy government department and lots of people see me using it, but no-one has ever asked me who Havergal Brian is. 

[vandermolen]

Won't it be a bit of a give-a-way,when your wife sees you drinking out of it?!! Will you cover the picture of Brian (or wording) with your hands,when drinking out of it? Or,will you only use it,when she's not around? Or maybe (for a truly,retro experience of your lost youth) in your bedroom?! (Alternatively,a garden/potting shed,or garage;if you've got one?!).

That's a very good point cigwyn which I had not properly considered. At the moment it is hidden behind my two Tintin mugs and my 'HAL 9000' mug from 2001: A Space Odyssey (which was on TV this evening). I have had the garden shed converted into what my wife calls 'a man cave' so I suspect that the HBS mug will find its way down there.

[vandermolen]

I've been enjoying the new Symphony 16. To be honest it's a long time since I played the Lyrita recording but I like both of them. The solo instruments seem to be more highlighted in the Naxos recording. It is one of my favourites of the Brian symphonies after No.10. I haven't got round to Symphony 7 and may never get round to 'The Tinker's Wedding' as the juxtaposition of Havergal Brian and 'Comedy Overture' doesn't sit easily with me, although, no doubt, others may disagree:

[krummholz]

I've been enjoying the new Symphony 16. To be honest it's a long time since I played the Lyrita recording but I like both of them. The solo instruments seem to be more highlighted in the Naxos recording. It is one of my favourites of the Brian symphonies after No.10. I haven't got round to Symphony 7 and may never get round to 'The Tinker's Wedding' as the juxtaposition of Havergal Brian and 'Comedy Overture' doesn't sit easily with me, although, no doubt, others may disagree:

Courtesy of the HBS, or is it available to ship already from online stores?

I had almost decided to pass on this one based on the excerpts on that site, but now I can see that I must take the plunge, if only for the 16th. I listened to the Fredman on Lyrita recently and was once again, quite blown away - this is certainly one of Brian's finest.

[cilgwyn]

That's a very good point cigwyn which I had not properly considered. At the moment it is hidden behind my two Tintin mugs and my 'HAL 9000' mug from 2001: A Space Odyssey (which was on TV this evening). I have had the garden shed converted into what my wife calls 'a man cave' so I suspect that the HBS mug will find its way down there.

Regarding,the point made by calyptorhyncus! Maybe,your wife won't even notice?!!
I'm sure nothing passes her,razor sharp,observational powers,though?!! Unluckily,for you!

[cilgwyn]

No's 6 & 16 seemed to go very well together,on the old Lyrita Lp,somehow? I'm sure I read,somewhere,that a different symphony was considered,initially;but they,subsequently,settled on No 16?! (Although,I may have got this wrong?)
I actually heard the Hyperion recording of No3,via the musicassette,released by the same company! I remember I had to turn it over,for the third movement. I was thinking,I wouldn't mind tracking down the cassette,s/h,for old times sake!! I wish I'd kept the Aries Lp,in a way! Did you buy any,vandermolen? It would be quite nice to have the one of the Gothic,actually! I presume the money wouldn't go to any bootleggers,now?!! I can't imagine they got rich on Brian? (Mansions,swimming pools!! ) They had great taste in music,though! Fair play!! I remember reading that their Lp of the Gothic was one of their better efforts (in terms of sound!) They seem to fetch quite a bit,now!

[Christo]

I knew I could rely on you. Katy was at the gym when the post arrived so the retrieval operation went like clockwork.

Very happy to learn you didn't need this one then:

[Roasted Swan]

I picked up very recently - and have yet to start reading - "Ordeal by Music - the strange experience of Havergal Brian" by R. Nettel published by OUP.  One of those wonderful "post-war austerity editions" printed on something akin to thin toilet paper.  Delighted to get a copy of this rare book at a very reasonable price in good condition.....

[Klaatu]

Some latter-day Ken Russell really should do a biopic of Brian.

"Ordeal by Music" would be a great title for such a venture.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Very happy to learn you didn't need this one then: