Havergal Brian.

[cilgwyn]

More old fashioned R3 intro's from the vault,PLEASE!
Incidentally,remember the fuss about the demise of the Radio 4 UK opening theme? I've actually got recordings of the early morning sequence,including the news bulletins and programme material around it. Taped by my fair hands. Nostalgia buffs and anoraks everywhere,REJOICE!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

More old fashioned R3 intro's from the vault,PLEASE!
Incidentally,remember the fuss about the demise of the Radio 4 UK opening theme? I've actually got recordings of the early morning sequence,including the news bulletins and programme material around it. Taped by my fair hands. Nostalgia buffs and anoraks everywhere,REJOICE!

I loved that opening music, with themes from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England... I also loved 'Sailing By' before (?) the Shipping Forecast at night...


Back to Brian!

[cilgwyn]

John? Do you categorically prefer the Holmes performance to the Marco Polo? I must admit I have never warmed to that performance,although I know that Johan has heard Bisengaliev in a live performance,which he regards as superior. I can believe this (not that I doubt Johan!) because the playing of the orchestra on the Holmes seems more sympathetic (the Naxos sounds 'rushed' by comparison).

[cilgwyn]

Back to Brian (see above!)...or Catwoman,if you want? (Batman Series 3 is on ITV4 here,coincidentally).
Please note,I'm not knocking Bisengaliev. Goodness,I wish I could play like that!
Of course,the Holmes performance IS the one I was 'raised' on. Maybe,if I'd heard the Bisengaliev first,I might feel a little differently.
(Footnote: I may make the R4 Uk Theme tape sequence available as an upoad,when I can! But not,'directly' here!)

The Dundonnell Brian (John,BBC?!!) 3rd symphony is playing on the 5cd changer for the THIRD time in succession! This is THE version!
God,I love this symphony!!!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

(Footnote: I may make the R4 Uk Theme tape sequence available as an upoad,when I can! But not,'directly' here!)

I have that, too...


As for the Brian VC - the Holmes was my first experience of the piece, too. And as I said, the live performance by Bisengaliev was freer and more fiery. Still, Holmes  has a maturity that B. lacks. It's that what makes his performance deeper and more heart-felt.

[cilgwyn]

I have that, too...


As for the Brian VC - the Holmes was my first experience of the piece, too. And as I said, the live performance by Bisengaliev was freer and more fiery. Still, Holmes  has a maturity that B. lacks. It's that what makes his performance deeper and more heart-felt.

Good! I'm not a fan of uploading!!!
I would love to hear Bisengaliev have another go at recording it. Maybe,he'll get another chance,one day. One things for sure,a work like that definately deserves more than one recording. Although,with so many Brian works unrecorded,maybe it's not an immeadiate priority now.
Regarding the spoken 'intro' to the 3rd symphony on Dundonnells tape. My ear was rather 'taken' by the speakers reference to the fact that the previous symphony (No 2) contained two piano's as well. Of course,there's no real connection here,is there? And,like you, I did know about this,of course.But it was interesting to hear the speaker make the connection.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Good! I'm not a fan of uploading!!!
I would love to hear Bisengaliev have another go at recording it. Maybe,he'll get another chance,one day. One things for sure,a work like that definately deserves more than one recording. Although,with so many Brian works unrecorded,maybe it's not an immeadiate priority now.
Regarding the spoken 'intro' to the 3rd symphony on Dundonnells tape. My ear was rather 'taken' by the speakers reference to the fact that the previous symphony (No 2) contained two piano's as well. Of course,there's no real connection here,is there? And,like you, I did know about this,of course.But it was interesting to hear the speaker make the connection.

They're used in the scherzo (Allegro assai) and finale (Lento Maestoso e Mesto). They have a supporting role, unlike in No. 3, where they're more in the limelight (shades of a PC in the first movement)..

[John Whitmore]

John? Do you categorically prefer the Holmes performance to the Marco Polo? I must admit I have never warmed to that performance,although I know that Johan has heard Bisengaliev in a live performance,which he regards as superior. I can believe this (not that I doubt Johan!) because the playing of the orchestra on the Holmes seems more sympathetic (the Naxos sounds 'rushed' by comparison).

There's not much wrong with the Naxos/Marco Polo. Thoroughly professional and a fine soloist. I just think that Holmes somewhow gets into the spirit of the thing. He seems more in love with the piece.

[John Whitmore]

I loved that opening music, with themes from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England... I also loved 'Sailing By' before (?) the Shipping Forecast at night...


Back to Brian!

By pure coincidence I bought a Naxos CD called British Light Miniatures last week for 2 quid. Link below, just scroll down and you will see it. This includes the radio 4 British medley music. Also has Barnacle Bill (Blue Peter) and my own personal favourite Out of the Blue by Herbert Bath. This is used to introduce the football results on radio's Sports Report every Saturday at 5.00 and has done for centuries. Good CD nicely recorded by the RPO. Binge's Passing By can be found on another Naxos light music compilation - great tune, right up there with his Elizabethan Serenade and the wonderful Vanity Fair by Anthony Collins..

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Tesco-Outlet/Music-/_i.html?rt=nc&LH_BIN=1&_fsub=2127389014&_sid=983611004&_trksid=p4634.c0.m309

[cilgwyn]

I was a bit worried for a moment,when I saw that link led to 'Lazy town'! Now,I've got to be careful here (rather off topic),but I loved the use of 'Lillibullero' as a signature theme on the BBC World Service. Very stirring,but sadly another 'tune' that seems to have been dropped;although it does get played occasionally. I also used to quite enjoy the 'cheesy' rendition of 'Moscow nights' on the old commie bloc Radio Moscow (just before the Kremlin chimes!) And no,I'm not a communist. I was a teenager then & it was the 'fun' of listening to the 'enemy'!

Anyway,more of Brian's Symphony No 3 later. No 2 got put on last night. The Mackerras recording of course. Not quite as off beat or consistent as the 3rd,I suppose,but I remember,as a youngster,being fascinated by this bleak score and Havergal Brian's observation,that it represented 'man in his cosmic loneliness'. For some reason this struck a 'chord' with me (maybe I should have joined the gang?). Some people obviously find this symphony a disappointment after the Gothic. It is less approachable,there is some dissonance,gritty writing and less tunes! But some wonderful scoring & the fact that it is SO different,is exactly what I like about this composer. The Marco Polo recording is b***** awful. After my tape of the Mackerras got 'chewed' up I remember buying the Naxos cd & putting it on one side. The symphony I was so gripped by as a teenager just seemed a shapeless,meandering,turgid mess! Then the Mackerras download 'came along' and reminded me why the symphony had so many returns to my tape recorder. As with the 3rd,like Johan,I would love to hear this symphony in a really spacious, state of the art recording with someone like Brabbins at the helm.

NB: I wonder if John likes THIS one?!!!

[John Whitmore]

Then the Mackerras download 'came along' and reminded me why the symphony had so many returns to my tape recorder. As with the 3rd,like Johan,I would love to hear this symphony in a really spacious, state of the art recording with someone like Brabbins at the helm.

NB: I wonder if John likes THIS one?!!!

I like the 3rd enormously but I'm not very enthusiastic about the 2nd ( I also vividly recall HB's quote in The Unknown Warrior about this piece). My lack of enthusiasm may stem from the Naxos recording which I don't care much for. I've not heard the Mackerras 2nd download. Where do I get it from? To go slightly off topic I know that Brian was influenced up to a point by Brass Bands. Where I live in Delph I am surrounded by the Brass Band tradition - the film Brassed Off was filmed here and all the villages have bands. My three sons all play in brass bands. I thought you might enjoy this. It's my youngest lad (16) depping on euphonium for Ashton band who play in the championship section. It may not be high art (whatever that may be) but it's a good sound and shows that amateur music making is still alive and kicking "Up North". Many of the brass players in our major British symphony orchestras started off in the Brass Band movement.
http://youtu.be/zO57cNxD6Lg

[cilgwyn]

I had a chance to play in a brass band when I was young. I told him I couldn't play! He said it didn't matter!!!! Wish I had now!
I shall look at this later. I've spent the last few hours burning cds!

The Naxos 2nd is b***** awful. The Mackerras is THE one to hear. It is also the one I grew up with,via a dolby cassette,received through the post! I think the 3rd is more original & more consistent,but I rather like the second,in it's bleak,uneven way. Mackerras really pulls the score together. The Marco Polo performance is shoddy,shapeless and the recording is 'boxy'!
I got mine off here!
If you become a fan of No 2,after listening to the Mackerras,I'll eat my hat!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Symphony No 2 in E minor. Written in 1930-31. Performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, on 9 March 1979.


http://www.mediafire.com/file/j12dpmtt5ic/Brian%202.mp3


The sound could be better. If you could work your magic, John, that's all right by me... In the second, slow, movement there is an all-brass dialogue that is Brian at his most characteristic.


And now I'm off again. Busy!

[John Whitmore]

Symphony No 2 in E minor. Written in 1930-31. Performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, on 9 March 1979.


http://www.mediafire.com/file/j12dpmtt5ic/Brian%202.mp3


The sound could be better. If you could work your magic, John, that's all right by me... In the second, slow, movement there is an all-brass dialogue that is Brian at his most characteristic.


And now I'm off again. Busy!

I'll take a listen.Many thanks.

[Dax]

The music rather reminds me of theose Stalinist scores - e.g. Sviridov's infamous Vremya Vpered - which aim to convince of the rightness of their political stance by dint of brazen power that brooks no sentiment or argument.

Thanks for posting that. I'd never heard it before. A steel band arrangement beckons . . .

[Luke]

Oh, that is a beautiful idea!   

[Luke]

...though it probably exists in that form on youtube somewhere! Just done a quick search - just Sviridov Vremya Vpered - and am currently listening to a version for a quartet of balalaikas and bayans (surprisingly fab) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQg-mwpU4Fc . Previously a slightly chilling Russian Nationalist youth meeting with massed baseball-capped drummers, too much smoke and a backdrop of military footage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KUueRjp1Ik ). Here comes a 'violin techno-acoustic fusion'.... Ouch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwKpwOUD1Gc

[Dax]

Fantastic! Many thanks for the links. The balalaikas + accordions were particularly welcome.

[cilgwyn]

Havergal Brian wrote a balalaika concerto?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

No, but Tubin did...