Havergal Brian.

calyptorhynchus · September 04, 2012, 05:09:45 PM

Just another thought on the new Naxos 22-24 disk.

Hope they don't have mutliple tracks within the movements

cilgwyn · September 05, 2012, 03:14:24 AM

I hope so,too! What a daft idea!

John Whitmore · September 05, 2012, 05:01:59 AM

Just a note of thanks to MVS who has done a transfer of the Aries Brian 8/14 LP for me. Curt Timmons is declicking it as we speak. I don't expect miracles considering the source material i.e. a vinyl pressing of a tape taken off air but the results should be better than what has been put out there on the internet so far. The Aries Violin Concerto worked out very well so there is reason to be hopeful. I'll keep you posted.

J.Z. Herrenberg · September 05, 2012, 05:12:11 AM

Good man, MVS. I wonder how far these recordings can be improved... I live in hopes.

calyptorhynchus · September 05, 2012, 03:42:05 PM

Quote from: John Whitmore on September 05, 2012, 05:01:59 AM
Just a note of thanks to MVS who has done a transfer of the Aries Brian 8/14 LP for me. Curt Timmons is declicking it as we speak. I don't expect miracles considering the source material i.e. a vinyl pressing of a tape taken off air but the results should be better than what has been put out there on the internet so far. The Aries Violin Concerto worked out very well so there is reason to be hopeful. I'll keep you posted.

Cool, another decent-ish recording. The number of HB symphonies without a decent-ish recording is getting smaller every day. After the next Dutton and Naxos releases it'll be down to 19 and 26 (by my reckoning). Of course, some of the decent-ish ones could do with improvement.

On another note, I'm always amused by the rapidity of movement in HB. I was listening to No.29 the other day, and following Malcolm MacDonald's account. MM talks about a wonderfully calm and emotionally conclusive coda. If this was any other composer this would last five minutes minimum, with HB's 29 the coda is over in less than 30 seconds!

J.Z. Herrenberg · September 05, 2012, 11:01:22 PM

I think MM overstates the case for No. 29 (as he does for 'Das Siegeslied, too, perhaps), which to my ears is a lesser work than the symphonies that surround it, but that coda is sublime.

John Whitmore · September 06, 2012, 03:46:46 AM

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on September 05, 2012, 03:42:05 PM
Cool, another decent-ish recording. The number of HB symphonies without a decent-ish recording is getting smaller every day. After the next Dutton and Naxos releases it'll be down to 19 and 26 (by my reckoning). Of course, some of the decent-ish ones could do with improvement.

On another note, I'm always amused by the rapidity of movement in HB. I was listening to No.29 the other day, and following Malcolm MacDonald's account. MM talks about a wonderfully calm and emotionally conclusive coda. If this was any other composer this would last five minutes minimum, with HB's 29 the coda is over in less than 30 seconds!

Just listening to the results achieved thus far on 14. It's very good. I don't know the piece at all but I quite like what I am hearing.

John Whitmore · September 10, 2012, 03:42:37 AM

I've posted the HB Violin Concerto in 3 parts on YouTube using the Klassic Haus restoration of the Holmes performance. Here's the link to the first movement. Find this and you will soon find parts 2 and 3.
http://youtu.be/FA0WqUnkrDk

cilgwyn · September 11, 2012, 01:43:08 AM

And now even more competition. According to a post on the AMF 'New release' thread,the Dutton October releases have been announced.....including Havergal Brian's aforementioned Violin Concerto,Symphony No 13,English Suite No 4,and....and,The Tinkers Wedding Overture! I didn't know that one was being included. This should make a VERY nice set indeed!

A Dutton pre-order,I think & I've just bought the Groves Delius Koanga s/h......(arrived today!)..

J.Z. Herrenberg · September 11, 2012, 01:53:35 AM

Good news! Thanks, cilgwyn!

cilgwyn · September 11, 2012, 02:17:49 AM

It's not on the Dutton website,yet,of course! It won't be long,though!

I will be ordering it from their website,because it's something special & to hopefully,help encourage more from the same stable! A premiere (and way overdue) recording of his wonderful Fifth Symphony for example,preferably without Mark Stone!

& a new recording of No3,would really get me going!

J.Z. Herrenberg · September 11, 2012, 02:32:44 AM

I wonder how Tapiola got his information... I think I'll order the CD through the HBS when it's there. Can't wait! (I read somewhere that Sir Charles Mackerras hated The Tinker's Wedding... He still did a very good job with it!)

cilgwyn · September 11, 2012, 02:59:09 AM

Hated it,eh?!

I'm going to have another listen,later! (If you'll excuse me,I just got the Groves Koanga set s/h & I really can't believe how good this music is!!!

). The selection of music on the cd is very varied. It strikes me that Dutton are getting very good at this!

cilgwyn · September 11, 2012, 04:24:12 AM

Just corrected an awful blooper in my HB post on the AMF forum in the nick of time. Hopefully,no one saw it!

"We're raving about the Brian cd on the GMG's HB thread right now.......and we haven't even been released yet!!!

Raving? And released from where? oh dear! I know some critics think HB enthusiasts are all a load of head bangers,but this is a step TOO far! In fact,this could have been nearly as excrutiating as Dr Cilgwyn's recent unintentional gender reassignment surgery on EM Marshall-Luck!!!

J.Z. Herrenberg · September 11, 2012, 05:23:23 AM

John Whitmore · September 11, 2012, 05:52:48 AM

Quote from: cilgwyn on September 11, 2012, 04:24:12 AM
Just corrected an awful blooper in my HB post on the AMF forum in the nick of time. Hopefully,no one saw it!

"We're raving about the Brian cd on the GMG's HB thread right now.......and we haven't even been released yet!!!

Raving? And released from where? oh dear! I know some critics think HB enthusiasts are all a load of head bangers,but this is a step TOO far! In fact,this could have been nearly as excrutiating as Dr Cilgwyn's recent unintentional gender reassignment surgery on EM Marshall-Luck!!! :-[

You really are a silly girl.

cilgwyn · September 11, 2012, 06:17:33 AM

Augustus · September 14, 2012, 07:50:52 AM

John, will this restoration of the Syms 8 and 14 appear on Klassikhaus for us all to be able to purchase? I think number 14 is one of the most characterful and colourful of Brian's symphonies. I have a sneaking feeling that it sounds like a sequence of several possible openings to a grand, grand symphony but I'm not convinced that Edward Downes really understood Brian's idiom, so I'd be very interested to hear a modern performance. Let's hope Martyn Brabbins can be interested in including it in a future Dutton issue. He does seem to be the best thing that's happened to Brian in a while.

John Whitmore · September 14, 2012, 11:19:52 AM

Quote from: Augustus on September 14, 2012, 07:50:52 AM
John, will this restoration of the Syms 8 and 14 appear on Klassikhaus for us all to be able to purchase? I think number 14 is one of the most characterful and colourful of Brian's symphonies. I have a sneaking feeling that it sounds like a sequence of several possible openings to a grand, grand symphony but I'm not convinced that Edward Downes really understood Brian's idiom, so I'd be very interested to hear a modern performance. Let's hope Martyn Brabbins can be interested in including it in a future Dutton issue. He does seem to be the best thing that's happened to Brian in a while.

Yes, it will be available early next month. I heard the restorations last week. The artwork is just being done and I hope that Johan will come up with a short sleeve note as he did for the Holmes Violin Concerto (Nudge, nudge). MVS provided a really excellent LP transfer from 2 copies of the Aries LP that he owns. No 8 is better than previous restorations but the tape that Aries used isn't that brilliant to be honest so don't expect miracles - the string tone is a bit smudgy in places and not a lot can be done when the originals aren't pristine. However, No.14 has come up really well and it's a huge improvement when compared to - for example - the upload that agent Herrenberg has sheared with us so on that basis I can recommend it. The quality is similar to the Klassic Haus Holmes transfer. I sent Johan a short snippet and he was enthusiastic. I didn't know 14 before I heard this restoration and I am not a huge fan of Brian's work (heads for cover

) but I am very taken with it and really enjoy its Sibelius, Nielsen and Tippett touches here and there. It hangs together and the string writing is far more competent than usual (heads for cover again

). I'll post the link on here when it's all ready to go.

John Whitmore · September 14, 2012, 11:26:12 AM

Quote from: Augustus on September 14, 2012, 07:50:52 AM
John, will this restoration of the Syms 8 and 14 appear on Klassikhaus for us all to be able to purchase? I think number 14 is one of the most characterful and colourful of Brian's symphonies. I have a sneaking feeling that it sounds like a sequence of several possible openings to a grand, grand symphony but I'm not convinced that Edward Downes really understood Brian's idiom, so I'd be very interested to hear a modern performance. Let's hope Martyn Brabbins can be interested in including it in a future Dutton issue. He does seem to be the best thing that's happened to Brian in a while.

I just noticed that you are a newcomer. Beware - this place is full of loonies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!