Havergal Brian.

[Mirror Image]

Roy Harris had Welsh ancestry. I remember reading this & trying to hear some 'Welshness' in his imposing & sadly neglected third symphony. Alas! But there could be something there,somewhere! Vaughan Williams is another one. According to Wikipedia 'Vaughan Williams is an unhyphenated double-barrelled name of Welsh origin". My parents are always telling me that he must have some Welsh ancestry. Mind you......we're only just over the border!

I have a good bit of Welsh ancestry having the surnames Powell and Pierce in my family history.

[kishnevi]

I am having difficulty replying to anything via email as I'm travelling in the Middle East at the moment and reasonable connection is sporadic.

Lack of reasonable connection seems to be a normal state in the Middle East....and not just in matters cybernetic.

[John Whitmore]

Lack of reasonable connection seems to be a normal state in the Middle East....and not just in matters cybernetic.

My idea of the Middle East is Lincolnshire.

[hbswebmaster]

<guffaw>You need to get out more, John!</guffaw>

[John Whitmore]

<guffaw>You need to get out more, John!</guffaw>

I went to the Far East once. Lowestoft. Not very impressed to be honest.

[cilgwyn]

I have a good bit of Welsh ancestry having the surnames Powell and Pierce in my family history.

Hm! I wonder what part of Wales they hailed from MI? Wales is always labelled a small country & physically,I suppose it is. But as someone who detests any kind of travel,it always feels like pretty vast to me. I mean,Tenby? That's like going to Outer Mongolia as far as I'm concerned (and s-o-o touristy,when you get there,unlike Outer Mongolia?).

By the way,it's nice to be back here after my sojourn at the Roy Harris thread. Although,I haven't quite got away,completely. I've got his Concerto for two Piano's & orchestra on the old Sennheiser Cordless headphones.

NB: I see it's pouring with rain outside,as usual! I love it here!

[Lethevich]

NB: I see it's pouring with rain outside,as usual! I love it here!

Same, hehe. As a rule of thumb, when I click the house door closed, and it still blows open unless I lock it - this is perhaps a sign that the weather doesn't want me outside today

[cilgwyn]

I don't mind too much actually. It keeps the neighbours & their yappy dog indoors !

[Dundonnell]

Quote from the new issue of that wonderful(not) magazine "The Gramophone"):

"I'm glad I had an opportunity to experience this leviathan live but I'll remember it with mixed feelings. Certainly it gives one a greater appreciation of Mahler's Eighth-a minnow by comparison but indubitably the work of the greater genius. And it means, now that my generation has had 'our' Gothic at the Albert Hall....that it now doesn't need to be resuscitated for another 30 years or so. In fact, I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed a second-rate piece of music so much"

How can people write such rubbish And how dare the writer(a Sub-Editor of the magazine) suggest that that should be that for another 30 years thereby denying so many others to experience a live performance of the work

[Karl Henning]

How can people write such rubbish

Wish I knew the answer to this probing question, mon cher.

[cilgwyn]

Indeed,lucky old (selfish) HIM! What about that packed hall full of people that really enjoyed it? Tough luck to them,eh?

[cilgwyn]

On a more positive note,the front inside cover of the December IRR magazine is emblazoned with a massive,whole page ad from Hyperion advertising their release of the Gothic & a blurb about the sell out concert to go with it.

I notice,in the same Magazine,with respect to Dundonnell's comments about Delius's name;an IRR critic's observation (not an exact quote!) that George Onslow had a name like a Yorkshire butcher!

[Dundonnell]

Quote from the new issue of that wonderful(not) magazine "The Gramophone"):

"I'm glad I had an opportunity to experience this leviathan live but I'll remember it with mixed feelings. Certainly it gives one a greater appreciation of Mahler's Eighth-a minnow by comparison but indubitably the work of the greater genius. And it means, now that my generation has had 'our' Gothic at the Albert Hall....that it now doesn't need to be resuscitated for another 30 years or so. In fact, I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed a second-rate piece of music so much"

How can people write such rubbish And how dare the writer(a Sub-Editor of the magazine) suggest that that should be that for another 30 years thereby denying so many others to experience a live performance of the work

Suppose you had wanted to be at the Proms performance but had not been lucky enough to get a ticket within the first 12 hours of booking(by which time it had sold out) or couldn't travel to London to stand in the auditorium Suppose you live in another country and couldn't afford to travel to Britain(or to Australia for the Brisbane performance)

This is so typically and offensively a London/South of England-centric comment written by someone who, again so sadly typically, writes without thinking through the implications of the thought

[cilgwyn]

I'm glad I cancelled that rag. To think of the time I spent poring over it as a youngster. All hail to IRR! A rare case of dumbing up instead of dumbing down. As to Mahlers eighth,I don't like comparisons either,but the eighth is not one of my favourites. I think his earlier efforts were more inspired (and less gloomy!). The Gothic seems more varied. More please!

[kishnevi]

Quote from the new issue of that wonderful(not) magazine "The Gramophone"):

"I'm glad I had an opportunity to experience this leviathan live but I'll remember it with mixed feelings. Certainly it gives one a greater appreciation of Mahler's Eighth-a minnow by comparison but indubitably the work of the greater genius. And it means, now that my generation has had 'our' Gothic at the Albert Hall....that it now doesn't need to be resuscitated for another 30 years or so. In fact, I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed a second-rate piece of music so much"

How can people write such rubbish And how dare the writer(a Sub-Editor of the magazine) suggest that that should be that for another 30 years thereby denying so many others to experience a live performance of the work

It could be worse.  At least he admitted that he enjoyed it. 

[kishnevi]

Poking around the Classics Today site to see if they've gotten around to reviewing the Hyperion release (they haven't) I discovered David Hurwitz's reviews of the prior recordings.  Now I have to wonder what line he'll use to replace "the adult population of Bratislava" quip he apparently liked so much he recycled it into his review of the Boult Testament recording.

[Brian]

As to Mahlers eighth,I don't like comparisons either,

Am I crazy for thinking the Mahler Third a more satisfying comparison?

[Mirror Image]

Am I crazy for thinking the Mahler Third a more satisfying comparison?

No, because essentially Mahler's 3rd is more symphonic in scope than the 8th and the same applies to Brian's Gothic.

[cilgwyn]

No, because essentially Mahler's 3rd is more symphonic in scope than the 8th and the same applies to Brian's Gothic.

A VERY good point indeed,in my humble opinion!
(and with due respect to Brian's original post,as well!)

[Mirror Image]

A VERY good point indeed,in my humble opinion!
(and with due respect to Brian's original post,as well!)

Thank you, cilgwyn. I'm going to be getting my Gothic on just as soon as I receive the new Brabbins recording. I'm ready to hear a new version of this monstrous masterpiece.