Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)

Started by Catison, April 09, 2007, 09:54:47 AM

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Christo

Quote from: vandermolen on January 25, 2017, 02:35:24 PMI was a friend of the Harpist Danielle at university. I once had to help transport her harp for a concert.  8)
We kept the picture:
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

Great surprise for me to discover so beautiful music of him. I love how climax is built in his symphonies, he knew to be very dramatic without being bombastic. It's inevitable not to feel any echo of Brahms and Nielsen there (especially in the first seven symphonies, the latter ones are more intimate). All of them have seemed interesting to me (maybe the No. 9 the least), from the very beginning of the No. 1 I was catched for such peculiar sounds.

vandermolen

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on March 18, 2017, 08:51:32 PM
Great surprise for me to discover so beautiful music of him. I love how climax is built in his symphonies, he knew to be very dramatic without being bombastic. It's inevitable not to feel any echo of Brahms and Nielsen there (especially in the first seven symphonies, the latter ones are more intimate). All of them have seemed interesting to me (maybe the No. 9 the least), from the very beginning of the No. 1 I was catched for such peculiar sounds.
1 and 4 to 8 and 10 are my favourites. As with Atterberg I've never got my head round No.9.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: vandermolen on March 18, 2017, 11:00:32 PM
1 and 4 to 8 and 10 are my favourites. As with Atterberg I've never got my head round No.9.

Two works where the fusion of symphony with choir was not very successful.

In addition, it's a shame that his piano concerto is not on CD. I would like to have it!

vandermolen

#165
Quote from: SymphonicAddict on March 19, 2017, 03:28:24 PM
Two works where the fusion of symphony with choir was not very successful.

In addition, it's a shame that his piano concerto is not on CD. I would like to have it!
The Rubbra PC is on CD:
[asin]B00005Q2X5[/asin]
I notice the image takes you to the U.S. Amazon site but the CD is considerably cheaper (second-hand) on Amazon UK.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britten-Rubbra-Piano-Concertos-Benjamin/dp/B00005Q2X5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1489997695&sr=1-1&keywords=Rubbra+piano+concerto
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: vandermolen on March 20, 2017, 12:12:13 AM
The Rubbra PC is on CD:
[asin]B00005Q2X5[/asin]
I notice the image take you to the U.S. Amazon site but the CD is considerably cheaper (second-hand) on Amazon UK.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britten-Rubbra-Piano-Concertos-Benjamin/dp/B00005Q2X5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1489997695&sr=1-1&keywords=Rubbra+piano+concerto

:o :o I didn't know about that recording. Many thanks!

Catison

Quote from: vandermolen on March 20, 2017, 12:12:13 AM
The Rubbra PC is on CD:
[asin]B00005Q2X5[/asin]
I notice the image take you to the U.S. Amazon site but the CD is considerably cheaper (second-hand) on Amazon UK.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britten-Rubbra-Piano-Concertos-Benjamin/dp/B00005Q2X5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1489997695&sr=1-1&keywords=Rubbra+piano+concerto

This is the wrong composer.  You can clearly see from Amazon that it is Benjamin Rubbra coupled with Edmund Britten.

-Brett

vandermolen

Quote from: Catison on March 20, 2017, 07:08:58 PM
This is the wrong composer.  You can clearly see from Amazon that it is Benjamin Rubbra coupled with Edmund Britten.
That's very funny. A friend of mine called Brian Williams wanted to change his name to 'Williams Brian' after I introduced him to the music of Havergal Brian.  8)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on March 20, 2017, 04:15:51 PM
:o :o I didn't know about that recording. Many thanks!
My pleasure it's a historical though fine performance.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#170
New release:
[asin]B071FJ5GC7[/asin]
Also includes music by Cyril Scott performed by Rubbra.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).


vandermolen

Quote from: The new erato on August 16, 2017, 01:29:32 PM
Great for slicing up pedestrians!
Yes, several were tragically chopped in half when I helped Danielle transport her harp to the concert.
8)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Looks like a fascinating new release. It features the premiere performance of the moving 4th Symphony conducted by the composer (in military uniform) at the Proms in London in 1942. The 4th Symphony has a wonderfully inspiriting conclusion and a most beautiful opening. Boult was the dedicatee of Symphony 2:

[asin]B07895ZVC1[/asin]
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Christo

Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2017, 01:50:10 PMYes, several were tragically chopped in half when I helped Danielle transport her harp to the concert. 8)
Fabricando fit artem, you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette.  ;D
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

#175
Quote from: vandermolen on January 10, 2018, 01:00:51 PM
Looks like a fascinating new release. It features the premiere performance of the moving 4th Symphony conducted by the composer (in military uniform) at the Proms in London in 1942. The 4th Symphony has a wonderfully inspiriting conclusion and a most beautiful opening. Boult was the dedicatee of Symphony 2:

[asin]B07895ZVC1[/asin]
The performances here have a special intensity to them which I find gripping. The recordings are old (1942 and 1954) but they did not stop me from enjoying this compelling music. The 'triumph against the odds' ending of the war time Symphony 4 is taken much more slowly here than in the rival performances by Hickox and Del Mar, good as they are, and is all the more moving for it. The performance is the premiere conducted by Rubbra (in military uniform) in 1942 and evidently went down well with the audience. Boult was the dedicatee of Symphony 2 and it is here performed with great urgency. There is an interesting broadcast of Rubbra discussing Symphony 4 complete with musical examples played on the piano. Altogether a wonderful disc.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

calyptorhynchus

I once played the Symphony No.4 to my family and at the end someone commented, 'No wonder the Allies prevailed in WW2'!
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton

vandermolen

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on February 08, 2018, 08:42:07 PM
I once played the Symphony No.4 to my family and at the end someone commented, 'No wonder the Allies prevailed in WW2'!

I like that!

It is a great symphony I think.

:)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

kyjo

The ending of Rubbra's 4th Symphony is indeed deeply inspiriting. Rubbra's musical language is generally quite restrained and subtle, but when he finally "opens up", as he does at the end of the 4th, the effect is marvelous!
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on February 09, 2018, 11:48:12 AM
The ending of Rubbra's 4th Symphony is indeed deeply inspiriting. Rubbra's musical language is generally quite restrained and subtle, but when he finally "opens up", as he does at the end of the 4th, the effect is marvelous!
Totally agree Kyle and that is especially true of the end of Symphony 4 in this new release of the premiere performance conducted by Rubbra himself. The 5th Symphony has a similarly inspiriting ending. As, for that matter, do the endings of Hilding Rosenberg's 2nd and 3rd symphonies. He reminds me of Rubbra in a way and is another of my favourite composers. I think that there is an underlying gravity and spirituality to much of his music as well.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).