Havergal Brian.

[cilgwyn]

Nice colour,almost as if you've been 'awarded' a bronze disc for you're dedication to the Brian cause!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I think I deserve gold... ;-) But it's the taking part that counts (ahem).

Just thought - a neglected composer gets neglected fans.

[cilgwyn]

It is gold-ish!
I had a s/h copy of the Unicorn cd of Cipriani Potter symphonies recently. That was a bronze. Very enjoyable too.
It's green you have to worry about or purple turning slowly to black when they don't work.

[cilgwyn]

I must admit to sharing some of the reservations expressed her regarding Naxos doing more Brian. I should be delighted I know,but I feel a bit like I did when I heard that Cameo Classics were planning to do Holbrooke with East European orchestra's. I was like a character in one of those awful soaps, ie :

NooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooH!

I just wanted it to be Dutton (or Toccatta).
As you know by now,I'm not a big fan of (most of) the Naxos recordings.                                 

[Lethevich]

I read somewhere that Cameo were also pondering Brian's 5th. Frankly, anybody who records that piece, regardless of the location of the forces, is worth supporting Especially as it shouldn't be a problem to ship a British soloist along with the conductor, and much of the weight in deciding a successful or unsuccessful performance should fall upon them.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

@Cilgwyn I know the feeling (Oh no!) My first preference would now be Dutton... But as I said, let's wait and listen. There have been a few good apples in the Naxos/Brian cart.

@Lethe I think Brian is very good in the concerto form. Violin Concerto - excellent. Cello Concerto - lovely. Concerto for Orchestra - typical late Brian, but shot through with lyricism. And Symphony No. 5, 'Wine of Summer', which could be considered a 'Baritone Concerto', is a winner, too. Very spare, clean, and understatedly poetic. I hope, like you, it will be recorded one day. Fortunately, there have been two radio broadcasts, one in 1976 and one in 2008 (?), and the former, with Brian Rayner Cook, is excellent.

[Lethevich]

Playing standards amongst provincial orchestras have increased markedly since those Marco Polo recordings, I wouldn't be surprised if it beats the best of those older ones.

I do have your Mediafire folder to thank for introducing me to the 5th via Cook, it is wonderful.

[cilgwyn]

I have to say if Cameo did record Brian's Fifth I would probably buy it East European orchestra or not.
If they release a major work by Holbrooke I would probably buy it,albeit with some trepidation. But the thought of a slavonic wobbler doing the 'Wine of a Summer' might just put me off ('The Wobble of Summer'?)
I have nothing against East Europeans though. The only time I ever got free beer in a pub all night was in a pub run by a Pole! And it is true that these orchestra's have got better.
I am fairly open minded. I ordered the Classico recording of Bax's Sixth symphony s/h earlier today & I know that the Munich forces he used aren't regarded as exactly top of the tree.
Incidentally,I quite like the Slavonic wobble at times,particularly in some of those wonderful old communist era Supraphon recordings. Just not to much & NOT in the 'Wobble'....I mean,'Wine of Summer'.

[cilgwyn]

I have to say if Cameo did record Brian's Fifth I would probably buy it East European orchestra or not.
If they release a major work by Holbrooke I would probably buy it,albeit with some trepidation. But the thought of a slavonic wobbler doing the 'Wine of a Summer' might just put me off ('The Wobble of Summer'?)
I have nothing against East Europeans though. The only time I ever got free beer in a pub all night was in a pub run by a Pole! And it is true that these orchestra's have got better.
I am fairly open minded. I ordered the Classico recording of Bax's Sixth symphony s/h earlier today & I know that the Munich forces he used aren't regarded as exactly top of the tree.
Incidentally,I quite like the Slavonic wobble at times,particularly in some of those wonderful old communist era Supraphon recordings. Just not to much & NOT in the 'Wobble'....I mean,'Wine of Summer'.

[cilgwyn]

Have I just developed double vision or is that two of me? I knew I shouldn't have mentioned beer!

[karlhenning]

Did somebody say beer!?

[karlhenning]

Did somebody say beer!?

[cilgwyn]

I knew I SHOULDN'T have been to Specsavers!

[cilgwyn]

Only one saucepan of milk on the stove. I'm making progress.

[Superhorn]

    Get this -  at the annual Proms in London this Summer,  the British conductor Martyn Brabbins is actually going to be conducting the "Gothic Symphony", I belueve with the BBC symphony and about half the population of London ! 
    The Gothic symphony is the halley's comet of classical music -it  gets performed with extreme rarity,naturally because of the humongous forces required to do it .  This should be something. Could there possibly be a recording?
   

[Scarpia]

    Get this -  at the annual Proms in London this Summer,  the British conductor Martyn Brabbins is actually going to be conducting the "Gothic Symphony", I belueve with the BBC symphony and about half the population of London ! 
    The Gothic symphony is the halley's comet of classical music -it  gets performed with extreme rarity,naturally because of the humongous forces required to do it .  This should be something. Could there possibly be a recording?

Apparently you are unaware that the fanatics have been discussing that fact for the last 20 pages or so on this thread.   

[Lethevich]

Could there possibly be a recording?

I believe that, as with the recent premiere of Foulds' Requiem, it is too high profile for the (certain) recording not to be commercially released at some point. I presume that the BBC habitually records every proms performance, whether it is made available later or not.

[Mirror Image]

    Get this -  at the annual Proms in London this Summer,  the British conductor Martyn Brabbins is actually going to be conducting the "Gothic Symphony", I belueve with the BBC symphony and about half the population of London ! 
    The Gothic symphony is the halley's comet of classical music -it  gets performed with extreme rarity,naturally because of the humongous forces required to do it .  This should be something. Could there possibly be a recording?

God, I hope so!

[Mirror Image]

I own all the Naxos and Hyperion recordings so far of Brian's music. I'm anxiously awaiting that Toccata disc that has been mentioned previously in this thread.

Anyway, getting back to the music, I find Brian's use of brass just incredible. Yes, sometimes his orchestration can be thick, but there is such drive, passion, and mystery to this man's music. I shall be revisiting all of the recordings I own soon.

[springrite]

I find Brian's use of brass just incredible.

I love the fact that the first time I hear it, the entrace of the brass just seems so out of place and making no sense. But unpn repeated listening, it becomes the most logical and natural thing in the world, and just perfect. It just couldn't be any other way. That is the best way I can describe Brian's music.