Havergal Brian.

[Dundonnell]

The new links to the Brian uploads are:

Symphony No.3(New Philharmonia/Stanley Pope with David Wilde and Ronald Stevenson, pianos))

(Part 1):

http://www.mediafire.com/?zx49mr95j5kncs2

(Part 2):

http://www.mediafire.com/?6z7cm2rsbejou6x

Symphony No.20(New Philharmonia/Vernon Handley):

http://www.mediafire.com/?mlhl8yas4ej1818

Violin Concerto(Ralph Holmes/New Philharmonia/Stanley Pope):

http://www.mediafire.com/?a8ywe6adecau2ot

Opera "Agamemnon"(William McAlpine, ten (Agamemnon); Milla Andrew, sop (Clytemnestra); Ann Howard, mezzo (Cassandra); John Dobson, ten (Watchman); Michael Rippon, bass (Herald); Dennis Wicks, bass
           (Old Man)/ BBC Northern Singers/ BBC Northern SO/ Richard Armstrong)

http://www.mediafire.com/?1vwtnhihx7ibi9j

[Dundonnell]

May I just add something about these Brian downloads?

The original recordings were made in mono in the mid-1970s on a smallish reel-to-reel tape recorder. Many of my recordings at that time were made during the day whilst I was at work. I could not therefore
monitor the recording; it was very much a case of 'press start and go away' to attend to my principal and over-riding responsibility of teaching my pupils.

I have never claimed that they represent the last word in recorded sound quality. The tapes have lain untouched and neglected for 30 years in boxes in an attic.

The fact that we can hear anything at all is-frankly-a b***** miracle .  If asked at any point over the last three decades about these tapes I would have said that they would be worthless. Had I moved
house at any point during the last thirty years goodness alone knows what might have become of them

In response to perfectly proper and very helpful comments I have increased the amplification of the recordings in this second conversion to mp3. Given time I may be able to make further improvements,
eg, getting rid of sound 'blips'.

I hope that-at least for the time being-people will be happy to have these recordings......the alternative was not to have them

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

That was quick! 

[cilgwyn]

I prefer Brian 3 to the Turangalila any day. The latter is vastly overrated in my very humble opinion.

Actually,I can't stand the 'Turangalila! I prefer Brian's 3rd. I was just making a comparison,because of their use of the piano. Messiaens incorporation of the piano is deliberate,Brian's more an accident of circumstances,and they are both obviously very different works,I know,but there are passages in the earlier Brian work which bring the Turangalila to mind. Of course,the fact that they both seem to have quasi Piano Concerto's weaving in and out of them ( and some astonishing textures) IS,undoubtedly, the only real connection at all! (The 'Briangalila Symphony' it is not!) And Brian didn't use an ondes Martenot,(ever!)thankfully!!!!
It just stands out from the other British symphonies of it's time like a sore thumb. A one off! Like Brian,himself!
I'm glad you like his 3rd,John! (I know you're a big fan of his 4th).

[John Whitmore]

May I just add something about these Brian downloads?

The original recordings were made in mono in the mid-1970s on a smallish reel-to-reel tape recorder. Many of my recordings at that time were made during the day whilst I was at work. I could not therefore
monitor the recording; it was very much a case of 'press start and go away' to attend to my principal and over-riding responsibility of teaching my pupils.

I have never claimed that they represent the last word in recorded sound quality. The tapes have lain untouched and neglected for 30 years in boxes in an attic.

The fact that we can hear anything at all is-frankly-a b***** miracle .  If asked at any point over the last three decades about these tapes I would have said that they would be worthless. Had I moved
house at any point during the last thirty years goodness alone knows what might have become of them

In response to perfectly proper and very helpful comments I have increased the amplification of the recordings in this second conversion to mp3. Given time I may be able to make further improvements,
eg, getting rid of sound 'blips'.

I hope that-at least for the time being-people will be happy to have these recordings......the alternative was not to have them

Don't sound so apologetic. I also have some late 60s reel to reel monos taken off an ancient radio using a Grundig machine. I managed to transfer a couple of recordings from these old tapes but was horrified to find that my younger brother had recorded over a 1970 Bliss/LSSO piano concerto from Cheltenham with two episodes of Round The Horne. The BBC didn't archive this performance so I'm still rather peeved. As much as I love HiFi I can listen through poor recorded sound up to a point if the music making is worth hearing. There is no better Elgar fiddle concerto than the Albert Sammons and I don't care about the sound. I also prefer analogue to digital. Well done for putting in the effort and sharing your work. If it's OK with you I will burn these to CD, listen through and then attempt a few fixes to remove blips and suchlike. Can't promise anything but I will have a go. My attention today is very much focused on West Ham vs Leicester City but I will get stuck in next week. I was surprised to hear the radio announcer mention Rolf Holmes. Never heard of him. I do enjoy Ralph Harris though.

[John Whitmore]

Actually,I can't stand the 'Turangalila! I prefer Brian's 3rd. I was just making a comparison,because of their use of the piano. Messiaens incorporation of the piano is deliberate,Brian's more an accident of circumstances,and they are both obviously very different works,I know,but there are passages in the earlier Brian work which bring the Turangalila to mind. Of course,the fact that they both seem to have quasi Piano Concerto's weaving in and out of them ( and some astonishing textures) IS,undoubtedly, the only real connection at all! (The 'Briangalila Symphony' it is not!) And Brian didn't use an ondes Martenot,(ever!)thankfully!!!!
It just stands out from the other British symphonies of it's time like a sore thumb. A one off! Like Brian,himself!
I'm glad you like his 3rd,John! (I know you're a big fan of his 4th).

I think the 3rd is very good music. Excellent stuff. What makes you think I dislike the 4th? Oh, yes, now I remember - I ripped it to bits on this forum some weeks ago. Purely subjective of course. I'm not a huge fan. It's up there with Khachaturian 3. Here I go again....

[cilgwyn]

Only the other week I was listening to Elgars acoustic recordings of his suites & 'Starlight Express'. Marvellous stuff! (And about time his pre-electric recordings were re-released!) I also have Nikisch's Beethoven 5,Fried's 20's recordings of Mahler 2 & Bruckner 7,1910 recordings of orchestral music by Edouard Colonne & Pathe's 1911 complete recording of Carmen,amongst other early recordings in my collection. And what about poor old Lionel Mapleson,of Mapleson cylinders 'fame'?
It could be allot worse Dundonnell!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Re Albert Sammons - I love his recording of the Delius and Elgar VCs. As for the Turangalila vs Brian's Third - give me the latter any day. Just listened to it again. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a new and spacious recording? A Brianite can dream...

Btw, I wonder what the HBS has in store for 2012, when they intend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Brian's death with (a) concert(s), also featuring symphonies...

[Dundonnell]

Of course, John, do what you can

[Dundonnell]

That was quick! 

Determination, perseverance, 14 hours of solid work and a great deal of unstinting help and encouragement from Albion

[cilgwyn]

Please don't get me wrong,Johan! Just a comparison. But people go on about the Messiaen,yet Brians bold experiment/s get overlooked. I'm just trying to think of another British symphony of the time that incorporates the piano in this way. I can't think of anything.Can you? Anybody,out there? I personally,think it one of Brians most original works.
Personally,(each to his own,of course),two minutes of Messiaen is enough to drive me up the wall!

Incidentally,I first heard the 3rd via the Aries Lp release & my old dolby cassette would have been the Pope recording.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Determination, perseverance, 14 hours of solid work and a great deal of unstinting help and encouragement from Albion

Napoleon really was unhinged. That he could call Albion 'perfidious' is beyond me.

@cilgwyn I voted FOR Brian's Third!

[cilgwyn]

Bax's Second Symphony No 2,is another British symphony,albeit a little earlier,that also uses the piano in an in a fascinating and novel way. Another hugely underrated work.( I think the Prom performance did allot for his cause). But Brian's 3rd. A symphony and a piano concerto,rolled into one...well almost. What more could a discerning music lover want?
The 'Briangalila' symphony? But,it's more original than that.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Briangalila Symphony - I like it!

Bax 2 is fascinating, certainly. But it's a much narrower world. You traverse so many landscapes in Brian's Third...

[Dundonnell]

Napoleon really was unhinged. That he could call Albion 'perfidious' is beyond me.

@cilgwyn I voted FOR Brian's Third!

Very true

[John Whitmore]

Please don't get me wrong,Johan! Just a comparison. But people go on about the Messiaen,yet Brians bold experiment/s get overlooked. I'm just trying to think of another British symphony of the time that incorporates the piano in this way. I can't think of anything.Can you? Anybody,out there? I personally,think it one of Brians most original works.
Personally,(each to his own,of course),two minutes of Messiaen is enough to drive me up the wall!

Incidentally,I first heard the 3rd via the Aries Lp release & my old dolby cassette would have been the Pope recording.

Two minutes? Very well done. This breaks my personal best by 45 seconds.

[cilgwyn]

Woooooooo-eeeeee! It certainly beats the 'Krypton factor'! I'm suprised the CIA don't use it. (Although,again,no offence to Messiaen admirers!!!)

[Luke]

One would have thought that Brian-lovers would have less trouble than some do with Messiaen's trademark jump-cut juxtapositions...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I don't have any problems with jump-cuts in music. My problem with Messiaen is more a matter of temperament. His time-scales are very diffucult to manage for me, as I am not religious. I also like my eroticism a bit cooler and reserved, like in Delius and, even, Scriabin. They know when to stop.

[Dundonnell]

Oh..I love the "statue theme" in 'Turangalila'

In a live performance I often focus excessively on the brass and in 'Turangalila' the recurrence of that theme is exciting, imposing, baleful............

I also very much admire Messiaen's organ compositions-particularly "La Nativite du Seigneur". The final Meditation from that work "Dieu parmi nous" is incredibly grand I have had the pleasure of sitting
next to an organist who was playing the work and I can assure you those last few minutes are hair-raising, goose-bumps moments