Do you like the Symphonies of Bax?

[Simula]

If so, what do you like about them? I have decided to pay more attention to them over the next few weeks. I know he was an admirer of Sibelius.

[Mirror Image]

Honestly, Bax is one composer that has remained completely elusive to me. I haven't quite figured him out. That said, his symphonies go in one ear and out the other with nothing sticking out or being memorable, but those are just my ears. Perhaps you can tell us what you admire about these symphonies?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I listened to a little bit of Bax once and at the time I didn't find his aesthetic particularly enjoyable. I was probably into some other music at the time which I liked much more...so I am a very unreliable source for myself of what music I like and what I don't like.

I need to properly investigate his music. I see that sometimes people listen to Bax, but I haven't read about his music much in academic journals on music (omg nerd who tf reads these) so I can't really say I know anything about his impact in the music world either.

[Scion7]

I like just about everything that Bax composed.

[andolink]

Bax is among my all time favorites.  In the area of purely instrumental music, he surpasses Richard Strauss.  I generally prefer him to Vaughan Williams in the areas of symphonies and tone poems, concertos, chamber music and solo instrimental music.  Herbert Howells I value highly too but listen to much more Bax than Howells.

[aligreto]

Bax was influenced by Sibelius and the Norse legends and apparently after Bax met Sibelius, Bax dedicated his fifth symphony to him. The music is reminiscent of but not imitative of the music of Sibelius as Bax has a voice of his own. The resemblance comes in the orchestral textures that would be part of the Sibelius sound world. The music would not be as profound as that of Sibelius but it is rather good in its own right and it is very accessible and easy on the ear. It is also very important to know that Bax was very taken with Ireland and all things Irish and Celtic mythology played a part in his sources for inspiration. The music of Bax is definitely worth a listen and perhaps a good place to start might be the Tone Poems.

[The new erato]

Honestly, Bax is one composer that has remained completely elusive to me. I haven't quite figured him out.

The same for me. I hear some Sibelian influences but nothing that sticks in the mind like Sibelius. After a listen I can seldom remember anything particular about the music.

[amw]

The symphonies are probably ok. I can only recall No. 6 offhand, but, I mean, it's fine, nothing wrong with it. If you like the aesthetic you'll want to hear the symphonic poems as well (which are probably better works overall than the symphonies).

The Piano Quintet's also good as are the first two piano sonatas. (I attempted to sight-read No. 1 once so remember it better, but No. 2 is probably the better work.)

[Karl Henning]

Do you like the Symphonies of Bax? I am not sure that I do.

[aligreto]

You might like to browse the Arnold Bax thread for more information.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I don't like the symphonies. I like the tone poems - Tintagel and November Woods are masterpieces, no question about it. The symphonies are rather meandering, like someone already said -in one ear and out the next.

[andolink]

Symphony No. 2 is my favorite.  Nos. 1 and 7 are great too.  I really like all three of his piano sonatas.  Garden of Fand, Tintagel and November Woods are all exellent Orch. Poems.  Spring Fire and the big piano concerto Winter Legends are also very good.

[Daverz]

6 is probably my favorite of the symphonies.  But start with the tone poems.

[Sergeant Rock]

Symphony No. 2 is my favorite.

I'm still trying to sort them...but yeah, at this moment No. 2 ranks at or at least near the top.

Sarge

[Simula]

Thanks for all the responses. I have recently discovered another composer who has a very similar sound to Bax (at least this is my early impression): Cyril Scott. I think one of the reasons Bax is something of a mystery is because he is not so much "expressing" himself in music, as he is merely trying to create according to an ideal form. Bax seems to be lacking passion (this was certainly not the case with Sibelius).

[PerfectWagnerite]

I think one of the reasons Bax is something of a mystery is because he is not so much "expressing" himself in music, as he is merely trying to create according to an ideal form. Bax seems to be lacking passion (this was certainly not the case with Sibelius).

Passion, no, skill, yes.

And if you compare someone with Sibelius very few will come out ahead.

[Maestro267]

Bax is one of the finest orchestrators this country has ever produced. I'd say his orchestration is comparable with Ravel's. His use of muted brass and tremolando strings is particularly brilliant. My favourite symphonies of his are Nos. 2, 4 & 6.

So in answer to the question: Yes, I do. Very much.

[Christo]

Good question, and I think I read my own slightly hesitating answer before: I still like Springfire most.

[Parsifal]

It was a long disappeared contributor to this site, Lethevich, who turned me on to Bax with this recording, volume 5 of the Chandos Bax orchestral series.

[asin]B001190KEU[/asin]

Since then I have held Bax in high regard, although I am more familiar with the symphonic poems and smaller pieces than with the symphonies.

[vandermolen]

I love all the symphonies by Bax. He is one of my favourite composers. The most approachable is No.3 which has a beautiful poetic Epilogue section. I discovered it on LP in the university record library when I was a student and I would listen to it over and over again (LSO, Downes - never released on CD). No.5 is my other favourite and perhaps the most coherent and least rambling of them all - I've  seen it performed live to a largely empty Albert Hall in London. I find them memorable and love the 'legendary' Celtic twilight atmosphere of them. If you can enter enter Bax's sound world the symphonies can give great pleasure. There is a sense of looming catastrophe hanging over Symphony 2 which greatly appeals to me. I think that Bax wrote it following a disastrous love affair and it demonstrates a brooding, oppressive and claustrophobic atmosphere. So, I think they are all great but I'd start with symphonies 3 and 5. I saw his fine tone poem 'Nympholept' used as background music for a TV documentary on J.R.R. Tolkein, the author of 'Lord of the Rings' and Bax's music evokes a kind of mythical world which, to me, is part of his appeal. I was recently in Tintagel, Cornwall on holiday and, of course, had Bax's eponymous tone-poem going through my head as I walked along the cliffs!

PS I like Cyril Scott too - especially the Piano Concerto 1 which has a distinctly Chinese feel to it and the powerful Symphony 'Neptune', influenced by the Titanic disaster I think.