Britain's Rutland Boughton (1878-1960)

[Scion7]

 Chamber                                                                                     Orchestral
==================                                                      ===============================
Trio for Flute, Oboe & Piano, 1925                                               Symphony Nr.1 "Oliver Cromwell"  1904
String Quartet Nr.1, 1923                                                           Symphony Nr.2 "Deirdre" 1927
Sonata for Violin & Piano, 1921                                                   Symphony Nr.3  1937
Piano Trio, 1948                                                                        Trumpet Concerto  1943
Oboe Quartet Nr.1, 1930                                                           Concerto for Strings  1937
Sonata for Cello & Piano, 1948                                                   Oboe Concerto in c, 1936
String Quartet Nr.2, 1923                                                          Oboe Concerto in g,  1936
Oboe Quartet Nr.2, 1945                                                           Reunion Variations  1945
String Trio, 1944                                                                      Concerto for Flute & Strings  1937
Celtic Prelude for Violin, Cello & Piano, 1917                               A Summer Night, symphonic poem  1903
                                                                                              Aylesbury Games, Suite for String Orchestra  1952
                                                                                               Winter Sun  1932
                                                                                               Rondo in Wartime  1941
  Ballet                                                                                     Troilus and Cressida (Thou and I) symphonic poem   
=====================                                              The Queen of Cornwall, overture  1926
Death Dance of Grania (1912)                                                    Overtures to 'Dante and Beatrice', 'Isolt',
Snow White (1914)                                                                       'The Land of Heart's Desire', 'Little Plays of St Francis'
The Death of Columbine (1918)                                                  Three Flights for Orchestra  1929
May Day (1926–27)                                                                   Britannia, symphonic march  1901     
                                                                                               Imperial Elegy: Into the Everlasting, symphonic poem  1901
6 Operas
various songs and choral music


A good "throwback" but enjoyable in spite of that.  Too bad he was such a Socialist.
I like the string quartets a lot.   Wish more of his music was available.                                                                   

[vandermolen]

'The Immortal Hour' is his masterpiece. I also like the Oboe Concerto.

[Maestro267]

I have a Helios (Hyperion) disc with his Symphony No. 3 in B minor and the C major Oboe Concerto. Both fine works.

[cilgwyn]

Congratulations Scion7,for starting this thread. I must admit,I have thought about it,but chickened out,thinking I would get replies from members stating that Boughton was boring or cr*p.......and we probably will now!
I like his Second and third symphonies. The third has had some positive reviews and postings in various quarters;but the Second gets less attention. I think his Symphony No 2 "Deirdre" A Celtic Symphony,is a lovely work in the best tradition of the 'Celtic twilight'! Indeed,the second movement,'Moonlight Idyll: Deirdre and Naisi' is,imho,absolutely gorgeous. It is available,coupled with the third symphony,on a deleted Carlton BBC Radio Classics cd,in a very good performance conducted by Sir Edward Downes. I remember hearing the original performance on the radio,back in the 1980's,and the atmosphere and sound world of the music stayed in my mind for years. Not obsessively,I might add,like a bad pop record;but in a nice way! I was very pleased to hear it again via the BBC radio Classics cd. The recording is also available at the AMF forum,if anyone else wishes to hear it.
The third symphony,while it does have an Elgarian sound to it,as some have observed;also shares some of the Celtic poetry of the Second in it's quieter moments. The 'Allegro gocoso' is probably it's Achilles heel. It seems somewhat misplaced;but once you get into it,Boughton's orchestration more than compensates. That said;Elgar would never have made a mistake like that! Nit-picking aside,it's a fine British symphony from the lesser ranks. I'd put it with Rootham's First and Bainton's Second.
I was not too impressed with his First Symphony.......but to be fair,it is an early work!
I also like the Hyperion cd of the 'Aylesbury Games,'Concerto in D major for flute and strings',Concerto for String Orchestra' and 'Three Folk Dances'. Much of this again is,imho,in it's own way,fine,well crafted,imaginative music,from the lesser ranks. In fact,some of it is very good;particularly the 'Concerto for String Orchestra'. I often wish Boughton had been more interested in orchestral music. I think he was a very fine composer in this area of composition;and unlike his operas,or music-dramas,they are not encumbered by fey,rambling,dated librettos. Fine for Gramophone listening,I suppose;but,because of this (as with Holst's fantastic,hugely enjoyable little opera,'The Perfect Fool') always open to flak from unsympathetic critics  Alas!

[Scion7]

Well opinions vary greatly here as anywhere - there are people that actually adore Stockhausen and Cage, so it takes all types. 

[cilgwyn]

Agreed!
On the topic of Boughton's operas,or music-dramas,or whatever he wanted to call them .......I remember when I bought the Dutton set of his,'The Queen of Cornwall',someone at the AMF Forum observed that it wasn't as approachable as 'The Immortal Hour'. I quite like that one,now and again;it rambles too much,but if you are in the right mood,it can cast it's spell (appropriate that!). On the other hand,I have only played 'The Queen of Cornwall',once! Rob Barnett refers to it (in a purple moment perhaps?!) as a "blazing masterpiece'!! I'm not too sure?! With credit to all concerned in the project;I haven't really decided if it's just a bit too dour (I don't like unhappy endings!) a bit dull,or I'm just too kind?!!! Obviously,unlike the 'Immortal Hour',this isn't one you just bung on and wallow in the pretty sounds and Celtic hinterland. You need to follow the text;and to be quite honest,with respect to an observation in my last post;I'm not sure if I have the time or inclination. Life is short enough as it is!! On a more positive note;it does suggest that Boughton's operas (or whatever you call 'em?) aren't all just fey tunes! Maybe,Boughton's later Arthurian cycle takes this sort of thing further? 

Anyway,back to my Gustav Holst cd's................

[Sean]

Most interesting to see the enthusiasm here, cilgwyn et al, I assumed the likes of The Immortal Hour were obscure for good reasons but I'll try and track this one down.

[cilgwyn]

I should point out,I prefer his orchestral music;apart from his First symphony,which I didn't think much of.
He would have liked Jeremy Corbyn!!

[vandermolen]

I should point out,I prefer his orchestral music;apart from his First symphony,which I didn't think much of.
He would have liked Jeremy Corbyn!!

V funny. Am sure you're right! 

[Dax]

Too bad he was such a Socialist.                                                               

Why is that "too bad"?

[Scion7]

Most interesting to see the enthusiasm here, cilgwyn et al, I assumed the likes of The Immortal Hour were obscure for good reasons but I'll try and track this one down.

The majority of classical music is obscure - sometimes it is justified, sometimes not (more often not).  Just one of the sad facts of life.  Tastes vary.