John Joubert

Started by Dundonnell, August 15, 2007, 03:28:34 PM

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Dundonnell

Having just received and listened to the new Lyrita single CD of John Joubert's 1st Symphony can I recommend the work to those of you who like British symphonies of the 1930-60 period? Technically Joubert is actually a South African-born in that country in 1927-but has lived and worked in this country for over 50 years(at the Universities of Hull and Birmingham). The disc has been issued to honour his 80th birthday. Somewhat typically, Lyrita is rather coy regarding when the LPO under Vernon Handley actually recorded the piece.
Joubert has also written a second symphony and some big choral works including a big oratorio "Wings of Faith" which was performed in public recently.

It certainly is nice to see a composer recognised in this way! Glad to hear that Naxos is similarly recognising John Gardner's 80th birthday by releasing his Symphony No.1 and Piano Concerto No.1 in a fortnight. Anymore neglecting living composers' birthdays coming up?

vandermolen

Quote from: Dundonnell on August 15, 2007, 03:28:34 PM
Having just received and listened to the new Lyrita single CD of John Joubert's 1st Symphony can I recommend the work to those of you who like British symphonies of the 1930-60 period? Technically Joubert is actually a South African-born in that country in 1927-but has lived and worked in this country for over 50 years(at the Universities of Hull and Birmingham). The disc has been issued to honour his 80th birthday. Somewhat typically, Lyrita is rather coy regarding when the LPO under Vernon Handley actually recorded the piece.
Joubert has also written a second symphony and some big choral works including a big oratorio "Wings of Faith" which was performed in public recently.

It certainly is nice to see a composer recognised in this way! Glad to hear that Naxos is similarly recognising John Gardner's 80th birthday by releasing his Symphony No.1 and Piano Concerto No.1 in a fortnight. Anymore neglecting living composers' birthdays coming up?

I have this CD too (we seem to have quite similar tastes...Myaskovsky, Arnell etc!). I enjoyed it although it did not grab me by the scruff of the neck in the way that Arnell did. I will keep playing it in order to get to know it better.
"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).

Dundonnell

Quote from: Dundonnell on August 15, 2007, 03:28:34 PM
Having just received and listened to the new Lyrita single CD of John Joubert's 1st Symphony can I recommend the work to those of you who like British symphonies of the 1930-60 period? Technically Joubert is actually a South African-born in that country in 1927-but has lived and worked in this country for over 50 years(at the Universities of Hull and Birmingham). The disc has been issued to honour his 80th birthday. Somewhat typically, Lyrita is rather coy regarding when the LPO under Vernon Handley actually recorded the piece.
Joubert has also written a second symphony and some big choral works including a big oratorio "Wings of Faith" which was performed in public recently.

It certainly is nice to see a composer recognised in this way! Glad to hear that Naxos is similarly recognising John Gardner's 80th birthday by releasing his Symphony No.1 and Piano Concerto No.1 in a fortnight. Anymore neglecting living composers' birthdays coming up?

I really ought to read my own postings more carefully! John Gardner is actually 90 this year. His 1st symphony is described in the invaluable "Companion to the Symphony" edited by Robert Layton as "finely wrought but somewhat Baxian". (I also, of course, meant "neglected living composers"!)

tjguitar

I recently ordered this, I'm only in the first movement but I find it quite enjoyable. Lots of brass and percussion :)

monafam

When I saw the subject line, I immediately thought of this guy --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joubert_(criminal)

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska (still live there in fact) at the time.

vandermolen

#5
I increasingly like Joubert's First Symphony (1955), a rather turbulent work with echoes of Walton's First Symphony ( especially the scherzo) but, there is also a very moving and inspiriting redemptive section near the start of the final movement. Oddly it was released as a CD 'single' (it only last about 30 minutes) but was subsequently reissued on another Lyrita CD coupled with William Mathais's First Symphony (another fine work). Recommended very strongly to admirers of Walton, Bax, Bate, Arnell, Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams etc. I am pleased to say that the composer (born 1927) is still with us.
[asin]B003ERHL9O[/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).

calyptorhynchus

I like Joubert's string quartets (all 3 available on one CD) a lot. They are tonal, not too tough, and really know where they are going (a quality I always like).

A lot of his output is choral, which is less to my taste, but he has recently written a Cello Concerto which Dutton (?) are soon to release on CD.
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton

vandermolen

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on January 20, 2014, 03:44:13 PM
I like Joubert's string quartets (all 3 available on one CD) a lot. They are tonal, not too tough, and really know where they are going (a quality I always like).

A lot of his output is choral, which is less to my taste, but he has recently written a Cello Concerto which Dutton (?) are soon to release on CD.

How interesting!  Many thanks for this news.
"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).

Mountain Goat

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on January 20, 2014, 03:44:13 PM
A lot of his output is choral, which is less to my taste, but he has recently written a Cello Concerto which Dutton (?) are soon to release on CD.

I very much look forward to this CD, especially since IIRC it will be coupled with the Simpson concerto (about time that was recorded!)

cilgwyn

Quote from: vandermolen on January 20, 2014, 01:03:02 PM
I increasingly like Joubert's First Symphony (1955), a rather turbulent work with echoes of Walton's First Symphony ( especially the scherzo) but, there is also a very moving and inspiriting redemptive section near the start of the final movement. Oddly it was released as a CD 'single' (it only last about 30 minutes) but was subsequently reissued on another Lyrita CD coupled with William Mathais's First Symphony (another fine work). Recommended very strongly to admirers of Walton, Bax, Bate, Arnell, Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams etc. I am pleased to say that the composer (born 1927) is still with us.
[asin]B003ERHL9O[/asin]
I like the first symphony of Mathias. It's so full of energy in places. A bit like a Welsh equivalent of Martinu,with all those 'luminous' textures,but without the darkness and tragedy. (Whenever I listen to Mathias I can't help thinking he must have been quite familiar with the Czech composer?) One of his best IMHO! Not having heard Joubert before this would make a very interesting coupling!

Incidentally,just in case you know the cd? How does the performance of Mathias 1 on the Lyrita cd compare with the Nimbus recording?

vandermolen

New Release (spotted thanks to Brian here):
[asin]B07F7P2NR3[/asin]
Love the cover image and suspect that cilgwyn will too.
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).