Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)

[jowcol]

I say go!

You've been a bad influence on a lot of us-- and we wouldn't have it any other way.

[vandermolen]

You've been a bad influence on a lot of us-- and we wouldn't have it any other way.

That's so unfair - you should be very grateful for my CD box-sets purchasing tips. 

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Do you know the Boult recording which is very fine?

No. How does it compare with Hickox?

[vandermolen]

No. How does it compare with Hickox?

I prefer the Boult - more lyrical in the last movement and deeper - but this was my introduction to the work, on LP, so I may be biased towards it - as we often prefer the first recording we have of a work.  The Hickox is fine too.

[Dundonnell]

It is, to say the least, unfortunate that we are still without a modern recording of the Rubbra Piano Concerto. This is the only one of his works for solo instrument and orchestra outstanding and is a major omission from the composer's discography.

When Chandos embarked on its (otherwise) marvellous Rubbra symphonic cycle conducted by Hickox I was confident that the concertos would be included too but, for some reason, this didn't happen. I find it intensely frustrating when a company gives one an almost complete survey of a composer's music. (Contrast this with Naxos appearing to have recorded every orchestral piece ever composed by William Alwyn, including orchestrations by other people.) In fact, the only concertante work Chandos added to the symphonies was the Sinfonia Concertante for piano and orchestra.

The Violin Concerto was recorded by Tasmin Little with Handley and the RPO for Conifer coupled with the Viola Concerto played by Rivka Golani. That cd may be difficult to obtain(?) but there are alternative versions of both-the Violin Concerto on Naxos(coupled with the Improvisations for Violin and orchestra) and the Viola Concerto on Hyperion.

The Piano Concerto however languishes in oblivion. There was a version from 1976 played by Malcolm Binns with the LSO under Handley on the old and only briefly available Carlton Classics label which released a number of BBC Radio Classics recordings. These were performances of (mostly?) British music from the BBC archives and included some real treasures like the Bliss Violin Concerto(Alfredo Campoli), the Boughton 2nd and 3rd Symphonies and the Simpson Piano Concerto. The Rubbra disc also contained Handley's version of the 4th Symphony and Raphael Sommer's performance of the Soliloquy for Cello and orchestra. I imagine though that few will ever have been able to locate this cd.
(There was also an old LP with Denis Matthews-who gave the first performance in 1956-accompanied by Sir Malcolm Sargent.)

The Piano Concerto is a marvellous work, imbued with all the familiar Rubbra depth of feeling and restrained passion. The opening movement-Corymbus(Adagio; calmo e quasi improvisatore)-immediately introduces the listener to the same kind of magical soundworld as the 4th symphony. The influence of Eastern improvisation is certainly noticeable. The slow movement-Dialogue(Lento e solenne)- is fantastically beautiful, moving forward with that slow but inexorable Rubbra progression I find so magical.
This is, I think, the British Piano Concerto most in urgent need of a modern recording. Can some record company please oblige?

[vandermolen]

Colin,

I agree with you about the Rubbra Piano Concerto - a wonderful, deeply felt work.  Actually I have a CD of the Denis Matthews/Sargent version - it was on an old EMI British Composers CD with Britten's Piano Concerto and Prelude and Fugue for 18-part string orchestra. (EMI CDZ 5 74781 2).  I also have the BBC Radio Classics CD with Rubbra's 4th Symphony.  There were some gems in  that short-lived and generally poorly received series.  As well as the Bliss VC you mention there was a version of 'Morning Heroes' narrated by Richard Baker, Howells's 'Hymnus Paradisi' conducted by Donald Hunt, Bantock's 'Pagan Symphony', coupled with some Bax and some interesting Vaughan Williams symphonies CDs conducted by Sargent, Stokowski and Boult.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Viola Concerto

Had my first listen to it last night (Hyperion recording with Lawrence Power, coupled with Walton's concerto).

It was a typical Rubbra experience in that the first hearing makes me think "this is very nice" but not much else. Later listens will no doubt reveal more and deeper layers to it.

I do like the meditative, quasi-archaic atmosphere, as usual with this composer.

[jowcol]

The Piano Concerto is a marvellous work, imbued with all the familiar Rubbra depth of feeling and restrained passion. The opening movement-Corymbus(Adagio; calmo e quasi improvisatore)-immediately introduces the listener to the same kind of magical soundworld as the 4th symphony. The influence of Eastern improvisation is certainly noticeable. The slow movement-Dialogue(Lento e solenne)- is fantastically beautiful, moving forward with that slow but inexorable Rubbra progression I find so magical.
This is, I think, the British Piano Concerto most in urgent need of a modern recording. Can some record company please oblige?

Thanks.  I know that I'm going to obsess over this. 

[vandermolen]

Thanks.  I know that I'm going to obsess over this. 

Amazon UK has a brand new copy for only £18.83 - I suggest that you must immediately order it 

(actually you can get one there, second hand for £5.00 )

[Elnimio]

His second symphony is my favorite piece of his now. Absolutely mind-blowing. I think I've listened to it 11 times during the last week.

[vandermolen]

His second symphony is my favorite piece of his now. Absolutely mind-blowing. I think I've listened to it 11 times during the last week.

It's often seen as rather densely orchestrated - I must listen to it again as I tend to listen to 1,4,5,7 and 8 much more than 2. Thanks

[cilgwyn]

His second symphony is my favorite piece of his now. Absolutely mind-blowing. I think I've listened to it 11 times during the last week.

I'm JUST going to HAVE to buy a cd of this,now! I notice the Chandos cd is coupled with No 6.
This is what comes of crossing swords with Dundonnell.......another hole in my wallet!

[Dundonnell]

His second symphony is my favorite piece of his now. Absolutely mind-blowing. I think I've listened to it 11 times during the last week.

As I mentioned in my lengthy post about Rubbra in the Roy Harris thread .....

the Second Symphony was Boult's favourite. It was the Rubbra symphony he would have chosen as one of his eight Desert Island Discs

[Dundonnell]

I'm JUST going to HAVE to buy a cd of this,now! I notice the Chandos cd is coupled with No 6.
This is what comes of crossing swords with Dundonnell.......another hole in my wallet!

No swords were crossed, I assure you

Excellent though Hickox is in all the Rubbra symphonies, I have a soft spot for the Handley version of the 2nd coupled with Boult's incomparable 7th on Lyrita.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/May04/Rubbra2_7.htm

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/DEC10/Rubbra_2_7_SRCD235.htm

And here are comparative reviews of the Fourth Symphony as recorded by Handley, Del Mar and Hickox:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/rubbra4.htm

Many of the points made by these reviewers about this superlative symphony are ones which I would heartily endorse. There is a stately and precise beauty which few other British composers can come near, let alone match. The Fourth reminds me of why, ultimately, I hold Edmund Rubbra in higher esteem than Havergal Brian (for all the latter's craggy individuality, there is little in his music which can plumb such depths). And yes, maybe that will upset Johan but I have to be honest

[cilgwyn]

I saw you'r post at about 2.30 in the morning & I was reminded of your riposte to my Rubbra post (in the Harris thread,of course! ) so I decided not to reply!
  However,now that Count Dracula & Frankenstein's monster are safely in in bed I have digested you're very interesting & helpful reply & will be putting these suggestions on my list. You're description of the Piano Concerto is particularly intriguing.
  As to my remarks about Rubbra in the Harris thread. Not one of my best posts (an American Rubbra! ). I was just trying to defend Harris against the usual accusations of 'sameness' & flailing for a comparison......and at 2.30 am this is exactly why they invented beds!!!
  I may not be buying this immeadiately as something broke down last night & the imminent hole in my wallet may be larger than I thought! I have however been thinking about getting into Rubbra for a while now,so it won't be long!
I shall look at some prices later!

[cilgwyn]

If I was forced to choose one composer above all others to name as my favourite I would be torn between Vaughan Williams, Havergal Brian and Edmund Rubbra.

There is a something about Rubbra's music which I find intensely moving. I have always found that 'something' difficult to define or explain. Nothing about the music is flashy or overtly dramatic but there is, in my opinion, a quite sublime intensity and an understated passion which undoubtedly stemmed from Rubbra's own personal religious and spiritual convictions. Those imbue his music with a a purity and quiet seriousness which elevates it above so much else in 20th century music. I cannot fail to listen to Rubbra without being held in its spell.

That applies to all of the eleven symphonies, the concertos and the wonderful unaccompanied choral music. Rubbra has been criticised for a certain thickness of scoring and it is only fair to acknowledge that, to a certain extent, that criticism is justified in the 1st symphony and (perhaps) the 2nd. He has also been accused of a lack of obvious 'colour' in his music-whatever exactly that may mean.
It is certainly true that if one were to listen to Rubbra's music with less than full attention the impression might be of a lack of incident, a 'greyness' I suppose. But Rubbra's sound world is one which does reward real committment on the part of the listener because there is little similar in British music of its time. The lumping together of Rubbra, Alwyn, Lennox Berkeley, Fricker and Rawsthorne by Malcolm MacDonald in his book on Havergal Brian as examples of 'Cheltenham Symphony' composers was an error which he himself now acknowledges.

Rubbra drew his influences from Tudor polyphony but also from a wide range of literary sources including medieval Latin and Chinese poetry. He certainly deeply admired both Brahms and Vaughan Williams and there are echoes of both in his music. He was undoubtedly a very British composer yet it is difficult to say that the music  sounds much like many other British composers.

My own personal favourites include the 4th(which has the most magical and sublime opening pages of any symphony of the last century), the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th 'Hommage a Teilhard de Chardin' and the big choral 9th 'Sinfonia Sacra'. All have, of course, been recorded by Hickox on Chandos but there are individual recordings by Boult, Handley and Del Mar which also illuminate particular symphonies. There are modern recordings of the Violin Concerto, the Viola Concerto and the Soliloquy for Cello and Orchestra but a modern recording of the wonderful Piano Concerto is desperately needed.

Rubbra's music will never-I fear-have widespread appeal or be a Proms favourite because it does require such a degree of concentration. It is not difficult music per se but it does have a profound 'stillness' which is ultimately so rewarding for those prepared to give it the attention it undoubtedly merits.

There's allot here!
Who needs Groves?
I'm sure I have an off air cassette somewhere of the Fourth's premiere performance?
I must try & 'dig it out'!

[cilgwyn]

Indeed I have! I just found it! Edmund Rubbra conducting the first performance of his Fourth Symphony at the Proms in 1942. This is followed by Rubbra playing his 'Variation(s) on a theme of Cyril Scott'.
I notice a rarity on the A side of the cassette. Julius Harrison's 'Worcester Suite' performed by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Stephen Barlow,broadcast 18/9/96! (This has been recorded by Dutton recently,I believe).

A Maxell D90 cassette. Now let's see if it works. I plan to play the Rubbra items,but I could give JH a spin on my nice Dolby Cassette deck,if I'm in the right mood!

[Dundonnell]

The performance of the 4th Symphony from the Promis in 1942 is quite a rarity I believe   You are extremely fortunate to have it

As for the quote from September 9th 2008..........that really does sum it up for me and I don't think that I should repeat myself or that I could improve on what I wrote almost four years ago

[cilgwyn]

The performance of the 4th Symphony from the Promis in 1942 is quite a rarity I believe   You are extremely fortunate to have it

As for the quote from September 9th 2008..........that really does sum it up for me and I don't think that I should repeat myself or that I could improve on what I wrote almost four years ago

Please note. The cassette was taped from a repeat broadcast some years ago. I'm not THAT old! At least,I hope not!!! * (That's why I've got all these aches & pains! )

Yes,I know flattery get's you knowhere & never has ,but it is a very impressive post! Anyway,before I get too jealous! A question,if you have the time. If I plump for the cheaper (from sellers) Chandos recordings of say,Symphonies 2 or 4,will I really be that worse off? If I'm that smitten I could get the Lyrita recordings later.

And now my joke about mis-posting in the HB thread has backfired. I just checked to see if I was posting this in the Rubbra thread!

* No,I'm okay,the cassette hadn't been invented,then!!!

[Dundonnell]

Hickox has the benefit of splendid modern Chandos recording quality, a good orchestra and his readngs are far from neglible. To record a complete Rubbra symphonic set with a few other works (but, sadly, not the concertos) thrown in was a great achievement for which Rubbra-lovers are truly grateful. So I am not going to be over-critical

In any case...if you cherish the less well known composers you are often glad to get whatever is available