Havergal Brian.

[John Whitmore]

No, they aren't included, unfortunately. There is no booklet; just a single front cover sheet with the original LP back (MacDonald's notes) on the reverse side.

Sarge

Thanks for your email Sarge. I will dig out all the info and send it tomorrow.

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks for your email Sarge. I will dig out all the info and send it tomorrow.

Much appreciated.

Sarge

[John Whitmore]

Much appreciated.

Sarge

Change of plan. I just emailed it to you.

[Sergeant Rock]

Change of plan. I just emailed it to you.

Got it. Thanks 

[cilgwyn]

A little off topic,I know;but in lieu of his reviews of Havergal Brian cds,it was a nice suprise to see Andrew Clements giving the latest Naxos,Howard Hanson reissue a very warm review,on the Guardian website. Maybe,there's hope for him yet? I was a little suprised,actually. I like Hanson. Not a major composer,I suppose,but what he wrote was well crafted,warm hearted,lyrical & sincere. I like his US twist on Sibelius. In his own way,he's quite an original (but not in the way Bartok is,of course!!!).

[DavidW]

With a hard drive crash awhile back I thought I lost this Havergal Brian album forever... but I just found out that itunes has retroactively added all purchases onto the cloud... will be listening to this album again this week.

[asin]B0008JEKF4[/asin]

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have been absent as some of you will have noticed, as I am very busy. BUT - today is Havergal Brian's birthday. He turns 136. Let's remember the great man by playing his music!

[Hattoff]

I have been absent as some of you will have noticed, as I am very busy. BUT - today is Havergal Brian's birthday. He turns 136. Let's remember the great man by playing his music!

I have never noticed before, but it is also Delius' birthday today; that they shared the same birthday is news to me.

Perhaps there is something to astrology after all! It has to be more than a coincidence that the two composers most reviled english composers (by the cloth eared) share the same star sign, whatever that is.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have never noticed before, but it is also Delius' birthday today; that they shared the same birthday is news to me.

Perhaps there is something to astrology after all! It has to be more than a coincidence that the two composers most reviled english composers (by the cloth eared) share the same star sign, whatever that is.

When you look at the Delius thread, you will see that I remembered HIS 150th birthday, too. Delius and Brian are the two composers I love most (distinct from admire, respect et cetera).

[John Whitmore]

The Klassic Haus restorations include, as part of the download, a number of press articles and reviews. Here's the folder if anyone would like to read them.

http://www.mediafire.com/?5dhod35t7b4yb

[calyptorhynchus]

Hey all

Three things:

1.   the Havergal Brian Society, at my suggestion, has put the libretto for the Tigers up in the members' area as a PDF. Now I'll be able to read the libretto before listening to the BBC recording!

2.   My copy of the Dutton recording of the Cello Concerto arrived. Strange 2-disk compilation, I assume they thought they could fit the Brian, and the pieces by York Bowen and Alan Bush on the one disk, then they turned out to be 82 minutes total, doh!
Anyway, I was listening to the Cello Concerto last night. What a piece, completely unlike the symphonies, it's in three movements, all moderately paced with the cello playing more or less continuously. There are moments of drama, but it's a very mellow piece, with a warm brown tone. Marvelous inventiveness in the solo part, how the cello can play almost continuously for about 20 minutes, hardly ever repeating anything and yet make a completely satisfying whole. Also notable is the balance, the orchestra is smaller than HB's usual, but still quite large, but the solo part is so well balanced that it never becomes the cello striving against the orchestra (as in other Cello Concertos). I think this could prove to one of HB's most popular works if he becomes better known. Highly recommended.

3.   I also listened to the BBC recording of Agamemnon recently. What an opera! It lasts about 40 minutes and it's one continuous whirlwind of action. I reckon it would be utterly compelling in the opera house. Funnily enough, because the recording isn't that good and I couldn't make out the words in many passages I was listening to it as a sort of symphony with voices, and that's exactly what it is. The nearest comparison for energy and compression and tragic inevitability I can think of is Janacek's Kat'a Kabanova. But this Brian piece makes Janacek's opera seem leisurely! Also highly recommended.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for your contributions lately, Calyptorhynchus! I have been very busy, so I am rather late reacting.


Like you, I love the Cello Concerto. It is an appealing work and could be quite popular if given half a chance.


You are in agreement with MM in rating Symphonies No. 13 and 14 not very highly - I disagree with both of you... I think they are colourful and strong, with their own very special atmosphere.


I happen to have the Tigers libretto, but it is excellent the HBS has put it up! Good suggestion.


Agamemnon - there are some very powerful moments there, but it would help if you were able to hear exactly what the protagonists are saying/singing, it is a music drama after all.


I am envious you are listening to so many pieces by HB for the first time. I can remember the excitement.

[Dundonnell]

I must confess to find it somewhat tedious to be continually reminded that my recording of Agamemnon is not very good

Can I respectfully remind you that it was taped on an old reel-to-reel machine back in 1973, ie 39 years ago, in less than satisfactory circumstances. It is incredibly fortunate that the tape survived and has now been made available. The alternative was to have kept the music unheard by anyone but myself.

If someone comes along with a better recording I shall happily withdraw my recording from circulation

[Albion]

my recording of Agamemnon is not very good

... and the recording of The Tigers is pretty shoddy ...



... enjoy.

[hbswebmaster]

That ol' Tigers libretto had been sitting in an old HB odds-and-sods box file for years; so now it's cleaned up and 'out there' again. It still has the corrections I made when the BBC recording was transmitted in 1983!

I'm with Johan on 13 and 14. Ted Downes' premieres of 14 and 21 in 1969 were fine performances of what could turn out to be pivotal symphonies in the canon.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Martyn, could you change the Mystery Brian Piece in the Members' Area? I like a challenge. 

[hbswebmaster]

I'd almost fogotten about that! Ok, changed, see how you get on.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I'd almost fogotten about that! Ok, changed, see how you get on.

Too easy. I really am a Brian addict - closing bars of the Prologue to Faust.

[hbswebmaster]

Don't get too confident: I was calibrating you to see how difficult I have to make it...



PS ... and here we are on page 200 of this thread!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Happy calibrating then... 


Yes - 200 pages. Almost scandalous.