Havergal Brian.

[cilgwyn]

Johan,Do you know if the Dutton recording of Festal Dance includes the delightfully wacky piano part? That is one of the reasons I always prefer the Hull Youth SO performance (and the fact that it just feels more fun than the Marco Polo!).

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

"It  remained only to tackle Festal Dance. Although we had originally planned to record this in the version with the ad lib piano,  Martyn  Brabbins, after studying the score,  had expressed a firm preference for recording it without the piano and  so  this  was  agreed.  The  performance  was  achieved  in just eleven takes, and is a lot more vital than either of the existing recordings. This early piece should impress as never before,  given  such  playing."


John Grimshaw, Chairman of the HBS, in Newsletter 234...

[cilgwyn]

Well,he should know! I'm sure it will be a fine performance,but it was the ad lib piano that sort of made it for me. Also,the fact that the Marco Polo performance didn't include the piano was my main reason for hoping a new recording would emerge that would include it! I await the results with interest,but I think it added to the fun!
If not,this one will join the LSSO peformance of No 10,the Hull Youth performance of 'In Memoriam' and the Pope No 3,as the ones I prefer to play! Not that I won't play it,of course! Just not quite as often!!  I also believe the Ralph Holmes performance is still the finest. Having said that the Lorraine McAslan's performance is very fine and unlike the Dutton recording of No 10 I don't have any issues with it. Indeed,I think it is a superb interpretation that stands up to the Holmes very well. I am very happy with it! Incidentally,I haven't heard anyone else say this;but her name always grabs my imagination. McAslan! For some strange reason it makes me think of the Lion in the Narnia books of CS Lewis! I think his name was Aslan? A bit strange for my mind to make that connection,but it does!

Ungrateful moaning aside,this is still going to be an exciting release for Brianites! I do feel like grumbling about it is like moaning about the jet black artwork for Hyperion's release of AC DC's Back in Black......I mean the Gothic,of course!! Although Back in Black seems somewhat apt!
'Festal Dance' aside,I think the biggest issue with this release will be the choice of soloist for the 'Wine of Summer'! This will absolutely make it or break it for me!

[John Whitmore]

"It  remained only to tackle Festal Dance. Although we had originally planned to record this in the version with the ad lib piano,  Martyn  Brabbins, after studying the score,  had expressed a firm preference for recording it without the piano and  so  this  was  agreed.  The  performance  was  achieved  in just eleven takes, and is a lot more vital than either of the existing recordings. This early piece should impress as never before,  given  such  playing."


John Grimshaw, Chairman of the HBS, in Newsletter 234...

Just 11 takes? For a piece running for 5 or 6 minutes? OK,they were probably sight reading but even so.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The new Dutton CD has disappeared from their website, as far as I can see (or I am a Dutchman). Strange.

[cilgwyn]

Apparently there is a full page ad for the new Dutton cds in BBC Music Magazine. You can drool over the artwork! I don't buy it,so maybe I can leaf through it in the cramped spaces of WH Smiths (since they moved the Post Office there)!

[cilgwyn]

I put a slew of Brian cds on the cd changer last night. Beginning with Vols 1 & 2 of the Toccata Classics Orchestral music series. I remember someone describing the sound quality of Vol 1 as 'dry'! After listening to a slew of cds from emi,Decca and Chandos,amongst others,I was taken a-back at the flat,one dimensional quality of the recording. The difference between it and Vol 2 which followed really was startling to my ears. It just seemed to open out! No wonder I had problems with Vol 1. Maybe it was largely the sound quality not the music. I particularly enjoyed 'Elegy',but the 'Burlesque Variations' really seemed to 'click' with me for the first time. The sheer intricacy of the music and the way it evolves. It is very cunningly constructed. I think it takes a while to get your had around it. In this way it brings to mind the elliptical nature of of the later symphonies. It seems a difficult nut to crack at first,but once you get inside the taste is very good! That said,I really do wish Dutton (or someone else) would give it the recording quality it deserves!

[John Whitmore]

Apparently there is a full page ad for the new Dutton cds in BBC Music Magazine. You can drool over the artwork! I don't buy it,so maybe I can leaf through it in the cramped spaces of WH Smiths (since they moved the Post Office there)!

There is a full page Dutton advert in BBC Music Magazine but of the 6 new issues they concentrate on 3 of them.The Brian isn't one of them - just a pic of the sleeve and the contents. Nothing else.

[Augustus]

The Wine of Summer disc is now back up for pre-order on the Dutton site with the five other January releases.  I expect we'll all fall on it like hungry Tigers ....

[cilgwyn]

A bottle of wine included in the front cover artwork for the cd!

[cilgwyn]

There! I've placed my pre-order for the Dutton cd. I said I wouldn't,but I feel I need to support Dutton because of the dearth of interesting off the beaten track cd releases these days and Dutton still come up with some treasure! I'm not so interested in the other releases I'm afraid and I can't spend too much after that blitz I told you about here. The Testament Tigers will have to wait until the New Year!

[cilgwyn]

There I've got the email from Dutton confirming my order. I just hope the baliffs like Havergal Brian as much as I do!

[John Whitmore]

There I've got the email from Dutton confirming my order. I just hope the baliffs like Havergal Brian as much as I do!

Let's hope the baliffs can spell better than you old mate. You aren't English are you?

[John Whitmore]

Let's hope the baliffs can spell better than you old mate. You aren't English are you?

Or Dutch for that matter....................

[cilgwyn]

One of the most annoying things about the internet and the advent of spellcheck is finding out that those people who looked at my short story effort in the pub were right about my spelling! Indeed,the burly men who will come to my door will be bailiffs not bailiffs!
Time to rip up that First in English,I suppose!

On a brighter (geddit?!) note;After my recent Brian cd session (see above) I thoroughly enjoyed the Dutton recording of No 10. Taken on it's own terms there's very little to grumble about really. But there's no doubt that the classic LSSO still rules!  This time around the stand out cd,in some ways,had to be the Toccata recording of 'Music from the operas'. Brian's sonorous use of brass in the 'Turandot' selections and the harp in the 'Night Ride of Faust and Mephistopheles' from 'Faust'. Isn't there anyone at the BBC or 'in the know' (as it were) who can get these operas recorded? And 'The Cenci',of course!

I'll use ye olde cd changer to listen to the Testament 'Gothic' and 'Forlane' sets later. Let the machine do the hard graft of loading the cds in order! I'll listen to the Fould's Pasquinade Symphonique No 1 that John raved about & the Hager performances of Parry,which still sound very good,to my ears,today! My trusty old cd player downstairs has started getting a bit dodgy. I had to play music cassettes yesterday. Remember them?! Luckily I'd still kept a few. Not having many left it was Handel's Messiah (Pinnock/Archiv),Solomon (Gardiner/Philips) and there are two complete Rossini operas,German's 'Merrie England',a Mozart Mass..........Fleetwood Mac....Santana 'Moonflower'!!...................then nostalgia took over and I realised I could get around my self imposed ban on cd buying by purchasing s/h cassettes. The result? Albany & Chandos cassettes of George Lloyd's Seventh and Harty's Irish symphony are currently in the post! Thank goodness I'm not into Wagner's Ring Cycle!!
I'll stop now. I have a feeling John is going to be checking out my grammar!!

[cilgwyn]

If they cut the power I've got two HMV wind up gramophones and a couple of 78's to play on them!

[cilgwyn]

Come to think of it,they'll probably take them first!

CD Changer currently on CD2,track 7 'Concerto for Orchestra'. I seem to recall that,along with 'Agamemnon' and the 'Jolly Miller ov',this was one of the worst,if not THE worst of all the off air tapes I heard (in terms of sound quality) before the advent of the popular internet and forums like this? This is a concise,terse piece in Brian's best late style. Johan was right about this one. Symphony No 30 follows on very nicely. As has been observed before;the contents of the Dutton cds are very well chosen.

[John Whitmore]

One of the most annoying things about the internet and the advent of spellcheck is finding out that those people who looked at my short story effort in the pub were right about my spelling! Indeed,the burly men who will come to my door will be bailiffs not bailiffs!
Time to rip up that First in English,I suppose!

On a brighter (geddit?!) note;After my recent Brian cd session (see above) I thoroughly enjoyed the Dutton recording of No 10. Taken on it's own terms there's very little to grumble about really. But there's no doubt that the classic LSSO still rules!  This time around the stand out cd,in some ways,had to be the Toccata recording of 'Music from the operas'. Brian's sonorous use of brass in the 'Turandot' selections and the harp in the 'Night Ride of Faust and Mephistopheles' from 'Faust'. Isn't there anyone at the BBC or 'in the know' (as it were) who can get these operas recorded? And 'The Cenci',of course!

I'll use ye olde cd changer to listen to the Testament 'Gothic' and 'Forlane' sets later. Let the machine do the hard graft of loading the cds in order! I'll listen to the Fould's Pasquinade Symphonique No 1 that John raved about & the Hager performances of Parry,which still sound very good,to my ears,today! My trusty old cd player downstairs has started getting a bit dodgy. I had to play music cassettes yesterday. Remember them?! Luckily I'd still kept a few. Not having many left it was Handel's Messiah (Pinnock/Archiv),Solomon (Gardiner/Philips) and there are two complete Rossini operas,German's 'Merrie England',a Mozart Mass..........Fleetwood Mac....Santana 'Moonflower'!!...................then nostalgia took over and I realised I could get around my self imposed ban on cd buying by purchasing s/h cassettes. The result? Albany & Chandos cassettes of George Lloyd's Seventh and Harty's Irish symphony are currently in the post! Thank goodness I'm not into Wagner's Ring Cycle!!
I'll stop now. I have a feeling John is going to be checking out my grammar!!

Do you mean Grandma? I love that little gem by Foulds. Very enjoyable.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

CD Changer currently on CD2,track 7 'Concerto for Orchestra'. I seem to recall that,along with 'Agamemnon' and the 'Jolly Miller ov',this was one of the worst,if not THE worst of all the off air tapes I heard (in terms of sound quality) before the advent of the popular internet and forums like this? This is a concise,terse piece in Brian's best late style. Johan was right about this one. Symphony No 30 follows on very nicely. As has been observed before;the contents of the Dutton cds are very well chosen.

Those things happen... Symphony No. 20 and the Concerto for Orchestra inhabit the same space. They start off grimly and end festively, and a lot of moving lyricism is encountered along the way. All in all, I think the CfO is marginally the better piece.

[cilgwyn]

I'll bear that in mind,Johan! Listening to all these commercially recorded cds in succession does make you realise how important really first rate recordings are to really getting to grips with a composer like Brian. The only ones I'm missing out are the Marco Polo/Naxos ones;although the recent release of No's 22-24 is in a different class altogether. I'll put it on soon. At the moment I've got the Forlane set,the Testament Gothic and the first cd of the emi set (No's 7 etc) loaded up,in that order!
Actually,I do think the Marco Polo recording of Das Siegeslied is pretty good. I would even go so far as to say that imho it was their best effort until the Alexander Walker cd came out. (I'm talking about the performance itself I should point out!)
I'm going to have to go through the threads again. I'm sure you said there was another Naxos Brian release waiting in the wings?!