Havergal Brian.

[John Whitmore]

There certainly is a streak of the romantic in Brian. The ambition of the early symphonies & his choice of heroes. The Gothic is a product of late romanticism,in it's steely way,even if it looks further ahead than that period (as well as back!). Parts of 'The Tigers',the Seventh & the Second & third symphony particularly,are very romantic,especially the 'Brucknerian' (well,some people refer to in that way) third. Indeed,the inspiration & mood of the Second strikes me as intensely romantic,even though the music itself is very anstringent,almost dissonant at times.Although,I'm not sure I would class it AS romantic!
Having said that,like Daniel Jones,who's got a similarly romantic streak,he's probably a bit too astringent to fit in with the likes of Raff,Stanford(!),Marx,Wetz,Draeseke,Ropartz,Bainton & some other composers that appear to fit in over there.

I wonder how this will apply to composers who change their style later on? Cyril Scott starts off like an English Debussy or Scriabin,but his late output is very astringent. Even a wildly romantic composer like Schreker got very sinewy in his last years.
Brian goes even further;although,even in his most allusive later symphonies there's always something of the romantic about him,even if isn't always apparent in the music itself.
And what could be more romantic,as the choice of subject matter for an opera,than Faust?

But maybe they're referring to the actual music itself;so the Gothic will be allowed,maybe & the tenth symphony will be shown the door?!!

How VERY dare you

[Christo]

HB fans*

* correction: Brianites (with sincere apologies to all of them).

[calyptorhynchus]

Listened to Symphony No.22 this morning, all 9 and half minutes of it. What a symphony! If you played it people and kept any clues as to time out of their sight, I'm sure they'd all think it was over twenty minutes long!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

No. 22 is one of my favourites - it packs quite a punch. I like it that you have to come to appreciate No. 19 more, a bright and lovely work with a very strong middle (slow) movement.


That's it, for now. I can't wait for the new Dutton CD to arrive on the scene!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The latest review of 'The Curse of The Gothic':


http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/listen-to-this-20120719-22b5y.html

[John Whitmore]

Listened to Symphony No.22 this morning, all 9 and half minutes of it. What a symphony! If you played it people and kept any clues as to time out of their sight, I'm sure they'd all think it was over twenty minutes long!

After nearly a year of trying I have finally located the master tapes of the CBS/LSSO 1974 recording of Symphony 22/Psalm 23/Suite No.5 at Sony. As much as I am thrilled with the Curt Timmons vinyl restoration I'm delighted to have found that the original master still exists. There is also a strong possibility that a CD release may soon follow. A record label has said that it is "right up their street" so let's see.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Excellent news!

[cilgwyn]

Wonderful news,John! Now if you can just find us the full score of that bloomin' Prometheus Unbound!

Two HB cds to look forward to,now. Unless Johan knows something 'we' don't!

[John Whitmore]

Wonderful news,John! Now if you can just find us the full score of that bloomin' Prometheus Unbound!Two HB cds to look forward to,now. Unless Johan knows something 'we' don't!

I'll have a look in my sock drawer (or is it draw?).

[John Whitmore]

By the way, I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Queen Victoria to Norway  and met a film producer on board (lecturing on classical music) called John Bridcut who has made some great films for the BBC about Elgar, Delius, Britten and Parry. His Parry includes Prince Charles who is a Parry fanatic I understand. He's thinking about a Tippett film which would be good news. I mention HB and he was cool. As it turned out he sang in the Schmidt Gothic and he said it was not particularly pleasurable - he thought it was clumsily written and rather drawn out. Anyway, I hope to help with the Tippett (my personal photos etc) and have promised to send him the HB 10/21 and Schmidt Gothic. Now, if he could be converted........

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Very interesting, John! I still have to see his Delius documentary, but I know the one about Elgar, which was very good. A pity that he sang in 'The Gothic'... If he hadn't, he'd still perhaps be drawn to the music as a listener. Thank you for doing your best on behalf of HB! And good luck with the Tippett venture!

[springrite]

By the way, I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Queen Victoria to Norway  and met a film producer on board (lecturing on classical music) called John Bridcut who has made some great films for the BBC about Elgar, Delius, Britten and Parry. His Parry includes Prince Charles who is a Parry franatic I understand. He's thinking about a Tippett film which would be good news. I mention HB and he was cool. As it turned out he sang in the Schmidt Gothic and he said it was not particularly pleasurable - he thought it was clumsily written and rather drawn out. Anyway, I hope to help with the Tippett (my personal photos etc) and have promised to send him the HB 10/21 and Schmidt Gothic. Now, if he could be converted........

He doesn't need to be a convert. He just needs to make the damn film!

[John Whitmore]

I've emailed him and will speak later this week. If only it were so simple as to "make the damn film" but he will need sponsorship, funding and some sort of outlet. Hopefully the HBS will read this thread and go to John's website. I intend to try to get some leverage out of our meeting. As far as the Norway trip is concerned, I visited Troldhaugen for the 4th time - what a fantastic place for a composr to live. Lucky old Grieg. I recommend it to one and all.

[cilgwyn]

I've emailed him and will speak later this week. If only it were so simple as to "make the damn film" but he will need sponsorship, funding and some sort of outlet. Hopefully the HBS will read this thread and go to John's website. I intend to try to get some leverage out of our meeting. As far as the Norway trip is concerned, I visited Troldhaugen for the 4th time - what a fantastic place for a composr to live. Lucky old Grieg. I recommend it to one and all.

Well,you can't win 'em all,can you? At least you tried,John! I wish I could bump into a film producer,now & again! Not a sausage here,if you'll pardon the expression! Or,at least,nothing I'd care to talk about! Conversely,My dad used to keep bumping into people! I remember I bought a book by Ian Parrott (the composer) about Cyril Scott's piano music. When I showed it to him,he said,casually, 'Oh,I've met him!' On a train,apparently! Gerald Durrell (My Family & other animals) was another fellow train passenger! After that,I gave up showing him my books,unless they were dead. Just in case! As if trains weren't enough,he met them in pubs! George Melly (the jazz/blues singer) and one of 'The Moody Blues' in a pub! (Ray Davies,not Justin Hayward!) He had a holiday house on the mountain. Apparently he liked my dads speaking voice & asked him to read a few lines on their next album (Long Distance Voyager) My dad said,'No,I've got too many commitments!' I said,'I wish I could be offered a part on a Moody Blues album,why did you refuse?' My dad looked at me & said,'Why would I want to be on it? I don't like pop music!' Oh,and Richard Harris,the actor outside a Wimpy's! Apparently Richard Harris was with someone & my dad spoke to him,not Harris,who just looked miserable! He also met the man who inspired the Powell & Pressburger movie 'Ill met by Moonlight!'

He has,however,reassured me that he hasn't met anyone really famous,like Elvis Presley,Tommy Cooper,Cher or Havergal Brian!

Maybe,I should sign up for a cruise,or just get out a bit more!

Talk of Grieg,reminds me of Beecham's wonderful recording of 'Peer Gynt'!  I have been posting on the Delius thread,recently & I just 'googled' Troldhaugen. Apparently,Delius visited Grieg there,twice! The website 'The Land of Lost Content' has an interesting page about their friendship. The book by Lionel Carley 'Grieg & Delius: A Chronicle of their Friendship (in letters) sounds interesting,too! Of course,this is a little off topic,so it's off to the Delius thread for me.....but Delius & Brian both had unusually fascinating lives,in their own very different ways,and they were both mavericks!

[calyptorhynchus]

Great about the rediscovered masters of the Symphony No.22 &c. Now I'll have another HB CD to blast around the living room, instead of just blasting it through headphones!

Looking forward to the next Dutton too.

[springrite]

As far as the Norway trip is concerned, I visited Troldhaugen for the 4th time - what a fantastic place for a composr to live. Lucky old Grieg. I recommend it to one and all.

A good place for a wedding, too, I'd assume?

[John Whitmore]

A good place for a wedding, too, I'd assume?

Absolutely.

[John Whitmore]

Great about the rediscovered masters of the Symphony No.22 &c. Now I'll have another HB CD to blast around the living room, instead of just blasting it through headphones!

Looking forward to the next Dutton too.

The Klassic Haus restoration is worth getting as a download in the meantime. Don't count chickens just yet....................

[cilgwyn]

Listening to Brian's Second Symphony,courtesy of 'The Music Art Forum',I can now see why I played my old 'off air' C90 so many times,back in the early eighties. Well,to some degree,anyway! Yes,it's uneven & a little bombastic in places. It's also a bit too long for it's own good;but oh,the good bit's are good. I particularly love that 'theme' (the rather romantic sounding one,near the beginning) & the way it returns,in it's full glory,later on. Wonderful! It really sweeps you along! Also,the 'battle scherzo' which sounds so exciting in this performance. 'Man in his cosmic loneliness'! Wow! That really struck a chord with my youthful mind (I knew I should have joined the Village gang! ) That feeling of desolation & mystery,really got me going! At the same time,there are patches where Brian's muse seems to run a little dry,as if he's not quite sure where he's going with all this! Nevertheless,imho,the good bits definately outweigh the less good bits. In fact,after listening to this performance,in such excellent sound,I'm inclined to put this near the top of my list of Brian favourites! A problematic,but like all the best Brian,strangely compulsive symphony!

I'll put it on again,later!

[Mountain Goat]

Listening to Brian's Second Symphony,courtesy of 'The Music Art Forum' [...] in such excellent sound

Is that the Mackerras performance? I don't remember where I got my copy from, but the sound can hardly be described as excellent, so perhaps they have a better copy there! I'll have to download it - then again, maybe it's just my computer speakers that are rubbish 

Looking forward to the next Dutton too.

Is that the one with Symphony No. 13? I hope that's actually going ahead, it's a great symphony which seems to be poorly regarded by some - maybe a decent modern recording is just what's needed to silence the doubters!