Havergal Brian.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Yes, I expect we'll see a few more recordings of the symphonies we don't yet have commercially. But what I don't see happening are new recordings in superb sound of the less well produced or performed symphonies, i.e., the Second and Third.

Sarge

Yes, it would be great if the HBS made the re-recording of, especially, the Second Symphony a priority.

[cilgwyn]

Most of them have been recorded,though;albeit with the curious exception of No 5. Marco Polo were going to do that though,weren't they? I believe it was scuppered due to Brian Rayner Cook being in bad health or no being happy with his performance? (I'm going to have to search the thread!) While I'm all for a commercial recording,I have a feeling that,like the LSSO tenth & twenty second,Brianites will be returning more than often to the Rayner Cook. He really should have been able to put it down in a studio while in his prime. A Testament style issue of the broadcast performance would be ideal.
Still,there may be a singer out there with sufficient insight. I just hope it won't be another Mark Stone. His release was one of the most disappointing Brian cds ever imho! Although,the booklet notes about the individual songs were invaluable. I'd buy Volume 2 just for that!

In my post on alternative recordings of the tenth I should have included Pope's 1958 premiere broadcast performance which is,of course,as most people know here,available as a free download on the HBS Society website (amongst a few others). I rather like the rough edged craggy power of this a bit more than the 'smoother',more disciplined,Dutton performance.

When they have finished with the unrecorded ones there will be little excuse not to re-record No 2. If the Mark Stone cd was the most disappointing Brian release ever,the Marco Polo performance of No 2,not to mention the abysmal recording quality,has to be the worst ever Brian release!  What a shapeless,amorphous muddy mess! One to file with the Danacord Louis Glass Plovdiv recordings. Why did they even bother? (His cycle may not (quite) live up to expectations,but his 3rd & 5th certainly deserve allot better!)
When you think of what Dacapo have done for Langgaard! Another maverick,whose legacy was in an even worse situation than Brian back in the late 70s/early 80s,when I sent off my postal orders for the original Danacord Lp of his Sixth symphony & Music of the Spheres! Will we ever see a collaborative production of 'The Tigers' involving one of our top opera houses,I wonder?!

[Mirror Image]

Wow, that performance by Tony Rowe of Symphony No. 2 must be beyond abysmal. Glad I haven't listened to it yet.

In Brian-related news, I received my Naxos recordings of Symphonies Nos. 20, 22, 23, 24, & 25. Looking forward to giving these a spin today.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Good luck with those symphonies, John!


(Symphony No. 20 has a beautiful balance. It contains several lyrical passages that evoke an enormous loneliness. They never fail to move me.)

[Mirror Image]

Good luck with those symphonies, John!


(Symphony No. 20 has a beautiful balance. It contains several lyrical passages that evoke an enormous loneliness. They never fail to move me.)

Thanks, Johan. I look forward to digging into them.

[John Whitmore]

Good luck with those symphonies, John!


(Symphony No. 20 has a beautiful balance. It contains several lyrical passages that evoke an enormous loneliness. They never fail to move me.)

Do you mean 1) emotionally or 2) physically i.e. do you leave the room to avoid listening to it? I have a similar response to Bruckner if it's the latter.

[John Whitmore]

Glad people are coming on board, and appreciation of Brian is growing, but it's a pity there aren't any new recordings in the pipeline for next year (as far as we know).

On another note, it's now almost two years since I discovered this forum and through it the BBC recordings of Brian (before that I only had the published CDs).

Thanks everyone for your erudite and of entertaining comments, thanks to John W for his scepticism :-)Happy Christmas and New Year!

I have no idea what you mean.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Do you mean 1) emotionally or 2) physically i.e. do you leave the room to avoid listening to it? I have a similar response to Bruckner if it's the latter.

You poor thing.

I have no idea what you mean.

Beats me.

[springrite]

Beats me.

I for one am very skeptical about his skepticism.

[hbswebmaster]

Compliments of Christmas Eve, Brianites: have a great festive season, and a prosperous 2014.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Compliments of Christmas Eve, Brianites: have a great festive season, and a prosperous 2014.

The same to you, Martyn!

[Hattoff]

Merry Christmas all.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

And Merry Christmas to you, Steve!

[vandermolen]

Merry Christmas all.

And from me too.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Merry Christmas to the whole Davis family, Jeffrey!

[vandermolen]

Merry Christmas to the whole Davis family, Jeffrey!

And to you and Dunya Johan. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Since many of the folks who regularly post in this thread don't get out much into the wider GMG world, you may have missed this short exchange in the Listening thread; it's relevant to our conversation about future Brian recordings:

Now:



A new acquisition. Listening to Symphony No. 22. I love how this symphony begins with almost an orchestral crescendo. Audio quality is excellent. I hope Walker continues to give us more Brian.

Alexander Walker is one of my teachers so I can reassure that he is planning to record more!

Sarge

[Hattoff]

Thank you for that Sarge, my admiration of Mahler has increased exponentially

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Happy New Year to all my fellow Brianites!


[Page 300!]

[vandermolen]

Happy New Year to all my fellow Brianites!


[Page 300!]

And to you too Johan. Just received the new LSSO recordings of symphonies 10 and 22 etc. my New Year treat  .