Havergal Brian.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

There is a whole exposé in the Newsletter, pages 5-7...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

On Saturday I wrote the liner notes for this Havergal Brian CD by Klassic Haus, which completes the series of restored recordings of historic radio performances. It was issued yesterday.

[hemmesjo]

On Saturday I wrote the liner notes for this Havergal Brian CD by Klassic Haus, which completes the series of restored recordings of historic radio performances. It was issued yesterday.

Johan,

The HBS site lists several more Aries recordings.  Hadley conducting 20 & 26; Pope conducting 13, 15 & 17; Fredman conducting 26; and Canarina conducting 25 which shows being originally coupled with 5.  Were these not radio performances?

Dan

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hi, Dan! Yes, they were. I may have been overly hasty when I said 'which completes the series of restored recordings of historic radio performances'. The point is that at the moment those remaining Aries LPs are hard to come by, and apart from that, they have to be in a very good condition to enable Klassic Haus to enhance the quality of the recording. But if they turn up, on eBay for instance, I might well have to write some new liner notes...

[Albion]

Canarina conducting 25 which shows being originally coupled with 5.

This was indeed Aries LP 1629. Symphony No.5 has already been issued by KH (from a programme viewpoint very sensibly coupled with No.4) but what has happened to No.25?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

If I remember correctly, the Symphony No. 25 side of the LP was of such bad quality, even Curt Timmons couldn't salvage it. (Back me up on this, John Whitmore!)

[John Whitmore]

If I remember correctly, the Symphony No. 25 side of the LP was of such bad quality, even Curt Timmons couldn't salvage it. (Back me up on this, John Whitmore!)

Spot on. The LP was in a bad state. Couldn't make anything of it. Another copy anyone?

[calyptorhynchus]

Ok, I've been listening to the new Symphonies 22-24 disc and I'm very pleased with it.

I think it's very well played and I haven't noticed a single thing that I'd like to be different about the interpretation. Both Symphonies 22 and 23 are of a similar quality to the recordings we have had before, but 24, which we can now hear properly for the first time, is a revelation, and it could become one of my favourite Brians.

Also enjoyed the English Suite 1. This I think is earliest orchestral Brian we have, and already shows his sly humour. There is hardly a bar in the piece that doesn't have some sort of amusing or quirky feature.

Finally just a thought, people have been talking about how easy, or not, it is to appreciate these symphonies, because of their elliptical qualities and ferocity (particularly 22 and 23). When I was listening to these I had a strange feeling that these pieces reminded me of some older music, and after a while I realised it was the large scale fugues for organ by Bach, eg the 'Dorian' Toccata and Fugue (perhaps it's the key, D minor). In these pieces by Bach I have always heard the kind of grim existential expression that we have in the Brian 22 and 23, only with an older musical language. (I remember reading that Bach at one point was censured for stirring the emotions of churchgoers with his organ playing!). I'm sure these pieces were in the back of Brian's mind when he was composing 22 and 23 too.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks, calyptorhynchus. Well, Bach was a major influence on Brian, and I agree that the latter's sublime organ works can be just as intellectually (and sonically) overwhelming... As for the CD, you know I am very positive about it, too. I do think, though, that the closing Adagio of No. 24 could have been taken at a slower pace. But that's a minor niggle.


Some news just in - I have it on good authority that a DVD of the Brisbane Gothic could be issued in the near future. Let's hope it'll come to fruition! It would be an excellent companion to the Gothic documentary, which will be commercially available soon, too.


P.S. Re that tempo: it's the closing passage of 24, that procession , that is too quick for me.

[calyptorhynchus]

No, I've listened to 24 several times and I don't feel that the tempo of the final section is too fast. It seems consistent with the pace of the rest of the symphony IMHO

[Hattoff]

I've listened to the new disc several times now and it makes such a difference hearing the music in good sound in good performances. I had a frisson on hearing the 22nd which doesn't happen much lately. I agree with calyptorhynchus about the difficulty of the late symphonies and their relation to Bach. it has always seemed to me that Brian was a bridge between the German tradition and the the Stravinskian view of what music can be, I expect that that's just me though.
I've found with Brian, that if you put the effort in you get the rewards. Music that is handed to one on a plate doesn't last.

[calyptorhynchus]

Today I took up my headphones again to listen 22-24, but instead I found myself listening to Mahler's 9th.

I couldn't work out why, but then I realised that Brian's 3 symphonies are centred around D, with 24 being described as in D major, but ending in D flat. Mahler's 9th is a symphony centred on D minor which also ends in D flat.

Uncanny, eh?

[Hattoff]

Here's a small review from yesterday's Times by Richard Morrison.

Turbulent, untidy, unclassifiable yet gripping. Brian's 32 symphonies mostly written after he was over 70, are still rare beasts on record or in the concert hall. Three cheers, then, to (of all people) the New Russian State Symphony orchestra under Alexander walker for supplying feisty performances of the English maverick's Symphonies 22-24- a dark dissonant triptych from the 1960s. For light relief the is also the English Suite No1, composed 50 years earlier and full of whimsical quotations.

I was surprised to see this in the Times, times are a-changing.

The 24th on re-listening is a revelation to me, it's wonderful.

No Mahler temptation from this quarter.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The following review appeared last week. It is by Andrew Clements... For the record:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/may/03/brian-symphonies-english-suite-review


Compared to AC's rubbish, the Times review is a miracle. Re the D minor/D flat fact in Brian and Mahler - what connects triptych and symphony is that they travel from turmoil to tranquility, the tranquility of acceptance. Perhaps that's reflected in that tonal dip...

[John Whitmore]

Today I took up my headphones again to listen 22-24, but instead I found myself listening to Mahler's 9th.

I couldn't work out why, but then I realised that Brian's 3 symphonies are centred around D, with 24 being described as in D major, but ending in D flat. Mahler's 9th is a symphony centred on D minor which also ends in D flat.

Uncanny, eh?

Uncanny but only if you have perfect pitch. Any old key will usually do for the vast majority 

[John Whitmore]

The following review appeared last week. It is by Andrew Clements... For the record:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/may/03/brian-symphonies-english-suite-review


Compared to AC's rubbish, the Times review is a miracle. Re the D minor/D flat fact in Brian and Mahler - what connects triptych and symphony is that they travel from turmoil to tranquility, the tranquility of acceptance. Perhaps that's reflected in that tonal dip...

The BBC Music Mag gave a right royal roasting to the recent Fiddle Concerto CD as well. Basically good playing wasted on poor music. Ah, well.

[John Whitmore]

The following review appeared last week. It is by Andrew Clements... For the record:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/may/03/brian-symphonies-english-suite-review


Compared to AC's rubbish, the Times review is a miracle. Re the D minor/D flat fact in Brian and Mahler - what connects triptych and symphony is that they travel from turmoil to tranquility, the tranquility of acceptance. Perhaps that's reflected in that tonal dip...

Hi Johan, I just had a look at the Andrew Clements review. Please don't send out a lynch mob because, as you know. I do have a wee bit of empathy with Brian, but the comments about saturated textures and semi formed sketches ring true when I listen to the music. Especially the textural weaknesses. Quote Bob Simpson: "As rough as a bear's backside". Sorry. Will you still converse with me elecronically or have I shot myself in the foot? Good news about the new Heritage double CD release by the way. I look forward to it. Honestly. Anyway, must dash. Leicester v Watford on the telly soon.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Good luck with the match, and rest assured - you won't burn for your heresy. Joking aside, I simply don't have any trouble with Brian's polyphony, the density, the roughness of it. I simply find it exhilarating. And 'semi-formed'? No, allusive, quick, elliptical. But we know where we stand on the matter. I'm fine with that.

[cilgwyn]

Judging by all the various posts I've read here & at the AMF;these late symphonies are,from what I can make out,controversial,even amongst those who profess to like,or even admire,Brian. I must admit I'm not so sure about No's 20,plus;though No21 is an exception. I listened to the LSSO performance again recently,and found some of it quite thrilling. What an orchestra!! I also enjoy No's 30 & 31,in the Dutton & emi recordings,but No's 20 & 22-29,are tough little nuts!
My favourites are,without doubt,No's 1-3,5-17;and I'm going to have to have another crack at 18 & 19,again;but I quite like them.
No's 10-17 are particularly engrossing. There is so much variety of expression there,and some very haunting moments of repose! (What went wrong?!!!)
And why no recording plans for the Fourteenth? For goodness sake,it's one of his best!

I think I'll hold off on the new Naxos for a little while. Having just forked out on several cds of piano music by Bax,Ireland & Scott (much better than his orchestral output,with the notable exception of his First Piano Concerto,Sym 3 & Neptune!) I need to concentrate my resources on paying some bills!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Give Symphonies 27-29 another chance, cilgwyn. They are just as approachable as 30 and 31... No. 27, especially, is simply beautiful, in the same way as No. 31 is.