Archibald James Potter (1918-1980)

vandermolen · January 31, 2010, 02:25:19 AM

Not much on Irish composers here. Anyone know this? Great CD, contains lovely tuneful works like 'Fantasia Gaelach No. 1' very much in the spirit of A J Potter's teacher Vaughan Williams' 'English Folksong Suite' and then a powerful and darkly moving Symphony 'De Profundis', which marked Potter's struggle through depression, despair and alcoholism. He had a difficult childhood - a blind father who was a piano tuner and a mother who was, according to the composer 'a raging alcoholic'; as a Presbyterian child he was also bizarrely brought up in the Falls Road in Belfast, a strongly Republican area. A very fine composer and this is a great CD. Happy and tragic music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._J._Potter

By the way I'm expecting thousands of replies

Sergeant Rock · January 31, 2010, 03:53:58 AM

Quote from: vandermolen on January 31, 2010, 02:25:19 AM
Not much on Irish composers here. Anyone know this?

I don't...I don't even know the composer's name. Your description of the music makes me curious to hear it. €7.99 at amazon. Ordered.

Sarge

Lethevich · January 31, 2010, 04:53:23 AM

Damn, someone starts an Irish composer thread (so rare), and it's not on the one I recently heard

Edit: Actually, I'll start an Irish composers thread so we can accumilate these little bits of info together, perhaps?

Potter sounds interesting though, I'll keep an eye out for that disc if I see it cheaply

UB · January 31, 2010, 05:15:44 AM

You can listen to part of this CD at Naxos to decide if you want to buy. I am listening to the the first movement of Sinfonia "De Profundis."

vandermolen · January 31, 2010, 05:27:04 AM

Quote from: Lethe on January 31, 2010, 04:53:23 AM
Damn, someone starts an Irish composer thread (so rare), and it's not on the one I recently heard Edit: Actually, I'll start an Irish composers thread so we can accumilate these little bits of info together, perhaps?

Potter sounds interesting though, I'll keep an eye out for that disc if I see it cheaply

Yes, an Irish Composers thread would be a good idea. Think you'd enjoy the CD.

vandermolen · January 31, 2010, 05:31:50 AM

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on January 31, 2010, 03:53:58 AM
I don't...I don't even know the composer's name. Your description of the music makes me curious to hear it. €7.99 at amazon. Ordered.

Sarge

Sarge - I hope that you enjoy the music. Let us know what you think. I'm pleased to see that the CD is still available. The Fantasia Gaelach No 1 is heartwarming, inspiriting - and fun, as are all the lighter works. But the tragic but ultimately uplifting Symphony is evidently Potter's masterpiece. The variety of music on the CD reminds me of the Lyrita CD with Arthur Benjamin's light works and epic Symphony - another one to look out for perhaps.

vandermolen · January 31, 2010, 07:02:38 AM

Quote from: UB on January 31, 2010, 05:15:44 AM
You can listen to part of this CD at Naxos to decide if you want to buy. I am listening to the the first movement of Sinfonia "De Profundis."

What did you think of it?

UB · January 31, 2010, 08:33:06 AM

It interested me enough to listen to the second movement but that was as far as I went. I will give it another try in a day or two, but I do not think it is anything I would pay money to buy. But then is not much that does cause me to part with hard cash these days.

vandermolen · January 31, 2010, 09:11:33 AM

Quote from: UB on January 31, 2010, 08:33:06 AM
It interested me enough to listen to the second movement but that was as far as I went. I will give it another try in a day or two, but I do not think it is anything I would pay money to buy. But then is not much that does cause me to part with hard cash these days.

Fair enough - thanks for feedback.

vandermolen · February 20, 2010, 12:11:55 AM

Archie Potter's ' Rhapsody Under a High Sky' is a very atmospheric/lyrical work (c 10 mins) on the enjoyable CD below (mine has a different cover design). No date is given in the notes but it clearly relates to the time of Potter's studies with Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music in London. It is very much in the spirit of VW's 'In the Fen Country' and 'The Lark Ascending'.

Sarge, what did you make of the Potter CD with 'De Profundis' on? Is your silence on this ominous? I hope not

Lethevich · February 21, 2010, 01:39:56 AM

Sarge can offer more considered comments, but I finally found myself in the mood to give the disc a listen. From the title I expected the Sinfonia de profundis to be quite grim and dirge-like, but it's rather more moderate and often fun. It really perks up around the final two movements, becoming much more boistorous, and I found it to be well worth any future listens.

I liked the fillers too - Finnegan's Wake reminded me of Brian at his most populist (the Tinker's Wedding overture), and basically very typical of the early 20th century English style. Great stuff!

vandermolen · February 21, 2010, 02:09:54 AM

Quote from: Lethe on February 21, 2010, 01:39:56 AM
Sarge can offer more considered comments, but I finally found myself in the mood to give the disc a listen. From the title I expected the Sinfonia de profundis to be quite grim and dirge-like, but it's rather more moderate and often fun. It really perks up around the final two movements, becoming much more boistorous, and I found it to be well worth any future listens.

I liked the fillers too - Finnegan's Wake reminded me of Brian at his most populist (the Tinker's Wedding overture), and basically very typical of the early 20th century English style. Great stuff!

Thank you for interesting feedback! Yes, that is a very nice CD. I really like 'Fantasia Gaelach No 1' too. You might like the 'Romantic Ireland' CD too. I am playing it now. The Potter is very lyrical and I find 'Introspect' by Padraig O'Connor to be a very soulful and moving work. In fact I enjoy everything on the CD.

Darwin · May 21, 2012, 02:44:24 AM

I've been inspired to order the Potter CD, and will let you know what I think of it in due course. It's coming from America - as so often, it's a silly price in the UK

There's some very fine music on Marco Polo. Two of my best discoveries were on that label: Truscott's Elegy and Amstrong Gibbs' 3rd Symphony, the "Westmoreland". Marvellous, deeply moving works, both of them.

vandermolen · May 21, 2012, 07:09:36 AM

Quote from: Darwin on May 21, 2012, 02:44:24 AM
I've been inspired to order the Potter CD, and will let you know what I think of it in due course. It's coming from America - as so often, it's a silly price in the UK

There's some very fine music on Marco Polo. Two of my best discoveries were on that label: Truscott's Elegy and Amstrong Gibbs' 3rd Symphony, the "Westmoreland". Marvellous, deeply moving works, both of them.

We have similar tastes - as I find both those works very moving too (and Truscott's Elegy on the same CD). I also like Devereese's Symphony No 1 'Gothic' on Marco Polo with the terrific 'In Memoriam'.

ttle18 · July 28, 2012, 06:03:10 AM

The Sinfonia de profundis remains the most powerful Irish symphony I know (if we do not count Moeran's and Bax's as Irish, and maybe even then). I have yet to come to terms with his 2nd symphony, not having listened to it more than once. Does anyone here know and appreciate it?

vandermolen · July 28, 2012, 07:35:22 AM

Quote from: ttle18 on July 28, 2012, 06:03:10 AM
The Sinfonia de profundis remains the most powerful Irish symphony I know (if we do not count Moeran's and Bax's as Irish, and maybe even then). I have yet to come to terms with his 2nd symphony, not having listened to it more than once. Does anyone here know and appreciate it?

Is the Second Symphony available on CD?