George Lloyd

Started by Thom, April 14, 2007, 12:37:44 PM

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Sergeant Rock

Quote from: J.Z. Herrenberg on March 20, 2019, 05:51:48 AM

Who knows? For one reason or another I suddenly was able to go along with what this symphony was doing. And so that final movement really came off.

It worked for me this time too. Quite enjoyed it this afternoon. But god, those first two movements...ravishing.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

cilgwyn

For a newcomer,I'd pick No 7,too! The haunting opening. It just draws you in! The slow movement is superb. And then there's the visceral thrill of the finale. I suppose some of that talk,(much) earlier in this thread,of Luke SkyWalker (or whatever his name is?!) and light sabres doesn't help;but it is very exciting! The Conifer cd will give your music system a good old work out. I would get the Lyrita cd first,if you're new to it. It has a darker quality. The finale could seem a little more ott,in places,in the Conifer recording. The Lyrita recording is more restrained. Or get both?! The Conifer/Albany cd is usually available very cheaply;and you could try that first! I haven't heard all the symphonies,mind (ie,No's 1,2,3,10 & 12).

vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on March 20, 2019, 10:26:04 AM
For a newcomer,I'd pick No 7,too! The haunting opening. It just draws you in! The slow movement is superb. And then there's the visceral thrill of the finale. I suppose some of that talk,(much) earlier in this thread,of Luke SkyWalker (or whatever his name is?!) and light sabres doesn't help;but it is very exciting! The Conifer cd will give your music system a good old work out. I would get the Lyrita cd first,if you're new to it. It has a darker quality. The finale could seem a little more ott,in places,in the Conifer recording. The Lyrita recording is more restrained. Or get both?! The Conifer/Albany cd is usually available very cheaply;and you could try that first! I haven't heard all the symphonies,mind (ie,No's 1,2,3,10 & 12).
No.12 has a valedictory quality to it which I find appealing.
"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).

cilgwyn

The Hurwitz is a fan?!! :o ;D

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 28, 2013, 04:22:20 AM
The Hurwitzer is a Lloyd advocate. Here are his reviews of the composer's recordings (the review of #5 can only be accessed by those with an Insider account):

Symphony 4  10/10 "The performance captured here, under the composer's baton, is superb, notably clearer and more sharp-edged than Edward Downes' otherwise worthy effort on Lyrita....do listen to this intensely beautiful, atmospheric, and joyous work."

Symphony 5  10/10  "....this outstanding disc presents one of the truly great Romantic symphonies in as fine a fashion as we have any right to expect"

Symphony 7  9/9 "....he was a very fine advocate of his own music, and this is without a doubt one of the last century's major symphonic statements."

Symphonies 2 & 9  10/10 "George Lloyd's Second Symphony is a remarkable achievement for a 19-year-old. In terms of structure, it's loosely based on Tchaikovsky's Sixth, with its peppy third-movement march (its tune fully worthy of the great Russian composer) and melancholy finale (bluesy rather than hysterically despairing). More importantly, the work shows Lloyd fully in command of his own personal idiom....the promise of the Second is abundantly fulfilled in the Ninth. The performances here are outstanding, among the best in Albany's Lloyd cycle, with sonics to match."

Symphony 8  10/10 "The symphony has three big movements, is typically colorfully scored, and sports a full range of arresting melodic ideas. This performance by the composer himself is just about ideal."

Symphonies 1 & 12  9/9  "The First Symphony is a pleasant, exuberant, but slightly anonymous piece in the tradition of the early 20th century English tonal school. The Twelfth, on the other hand, is clearly a work of the late 20th century, more ambitious in formal terms and scored with a full awareness of the potential of the modern orchestra. It's melodic and harmonic character could have come from no one but Lloyd."

Symphony 3  9/8 "Like Shostakovich's First, written at roughly the same age, the music reveals Lloyd in command of a distinctive personal voice, composed of frankly romantic melody, contemporary harmony (with perhaps a touch of jazz to spice things up), and brilliant orchestration. In this last department, particularly, Lloyd had a real gift."

Symphony 11  10/10 "...the Eleventh is simply chock-full of memorable tunes, arresting gestures, and brilliant orchestration. The idiom is unashamedly romantic in its grandeur and sweep, and in its concentration on the expression of human emotion."

Sarge
The Seventh "without doubt one of the last century's major symphonic statements." Well,there you are!! ;D

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: cilgwyn on March 20, 2019, 10:26:04 AM
For a newcomer,I'd pick No 7,too! The haunting opening. It just draws you in! The slow movement is superb. And then there's the visceral thrill of the finale. I suppose some of that talk,(much) earlier in this thread,of Luke SkyWalker (or whatever his name is?!) and light sabres doesn't help;but it is very exciting! The Conifer cd will give your music system a good old work out. I would get the Lyrita cd first,if you're new to it. It has a darker quality. The finale could seem a little more ott,in places,in the Conifer recording. The Lyrita recording is more restrained. Or get both?! The Conifer/Albany cd is usually available very cheaply;and you could try that first! I haven't heard all the symphonies,mind (ie,No's 1,2,3,10 & 12).

Luke Skywalker? Ok. Just the association is enough to turn me off the composer.

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on March 20, 2019, 10:45:48 AM
Luke Skywalker? Ok. Just the association is enough to turn me off the composer.


NOOOO!


Forget about him.


The Seventh is great.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

What does it have to do with Luke Skywalker, then?

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on March 20, 2019, 10:53:10 AM
What does it have to do with Luke Skywalker, then?


A thematic similarity, if I remember correctly. Not Lloyd's fault.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

cilgwyn

I said it wouldn't help!! ::) ;D

vandermolen: I've been thinking of investing in the cd of his first two Piano concertos,in the last week,or so! How does the "Scapegoat" compare to the third? I understand it's a sterner,more turbulent (angry?) work? What can I expect? (I am referring to the right concerto,I hope? There are two on the cd!) I read that John Ogdon described it,thus,"The piece is a torso,a Hercules:it is unforgettable." Lloyd wrote the concerto for him,and Ogdon gave the first performance in 1964. I only just found that out,incidentally!

Maestro267

Wow this thread has suddenly had quite the revival in just the last 10 hours or so!

By coincidence, I popped Symphony No. 1 on yesterday. It has some wonderful moments, especially the slow middle section.

Oddly enough, I find No. 4 the hardest one for me to get into atm. I can't put my finger on why. None of its tunes have yet lodged in my memory that I can recall without having to listen to the piece again, whereas something has done that in the rest of the symphonies I've heard (1, 5, 7, 11 & 12).

vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on March 20, 2019, 11:02:51 AM
I said it wouldn't help!! ::) ;D

vandermolen: I've been thinking of investing in the cd of his first two Piano concertos,in the last week,or so! How does the "Scapegoat" compare to the third? I understand it's a sterner,more turbulent (angry?) work? What can I expect? (I am referring to the right concerto,I hope? There are two on the cd!) I read that John Ogdon described it,thus,"The piece is a torso,a Hercules:it is unforgettable." Lloyd wrote the concerto for him,and Ogdon gave the first performance in 1964. I only just found that out,incidentally!
Cilgwyn. The 'Scapegoat' Piano Concerto is perhaps the best and the most moving and integrated in my view. It is one of my favourite works by Lloyd, especially as performed by John Ogden. No. 3 is my other favourite (great last movement theme). I rarely listen to the others.
Hope that helps
:)
"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).

cilgwyn

Quote from: J.Z. Herrenberg on March 20, 2019, 10:56:07 AM

A thematic similarity, if I remember correctly. Not Lloyd's fault.
I am no fan of the Star Wars franchise. It's fifties sci-fi,for me (and a little 60's). I do enjoy the music,though! I think I might have been the one who started this,I'm afraid?! I first heard the Seventh when I was quite a bit younger,and the finale does have an element of John Williams,to my ears,with all those huge climaxes,each one seeming to top the one before it. I don't have a problem with that. I love it. To me,it's a tour de force,which shows off Lloyd's mastery of the orchestra. I think it is absolutely thrilling! And what's wrong with a bit of excitement?! I seem to remember that George Lloyd has said,in interviews,that he liked to give the public what they want! (Thrilling brass,percussion). But the whole symphony is superbly structured,from beginning to end. And I love the way it ends as quietly and mysteriously,and enigmatically,as it began. Hearing the symphony for the first time,as a mature adult :-\ ::),I would probably make a bit less of the noisy bits;and playing them full blast at my parents house;even if my mother was still alive (my father is). I would be more attuned to the quieter moments,the poetry;that lovely slow movement. And the recent account on Lyrita makes more of this aspect of the symphony. The less boomy,sonics also help to temper the louder moments.

cilgwyn

It's a pity I brought this up,really;and I hope I haven't upset anyone here?! That said,I confess to liking and admiring the music of Korngold and feeling that Khatchaturian deserves more critical respect than he gets. Two composers who can be a bit noisy at times,and have been accused of bombast,at times (and the latter,famously,as more korn than gold!). There is allot of poetry and feeling (and tragedy) in the slower,quieter,more reflective moments of the Khatchaturian concertos,for example. I find parts of them quite moving in a really,fine performance. I have often had a tear pricking at the corner of my eye! And Gayaneh is,imho,a superb ballet score. (The Kakhidze recording badly,needs a reissue,by the way! Come on,Melodiya! ;D)

relm1

Quote from: vandermolen on March 20, 2019, 10:35:56 AM
No.12 has a valedictory quality to it which I find appealing.

The same can be said of No. 11.  If short, he's a very fine composer very much worth exploring.  I haven't heard a single work of his I thought was a waste of time.  No. 7 is fantastic and very intense (especially in the Edward Downes recording) so for that reason, I suggest No. 7 is the best example of Lloyd's music but the disc of No. 4, 5, 8 by Downes is the best intro.  No. 7 isn't as representative as 4, 5, and 8 are.  Regardless, a wonderful composer I always enjoy hearing.

vandermolen

#314
Quote from: relm1 on March 20, 2019, 04:26:22 PM
The same can be said of No. 11.  If short, he's a very fine composer very much worth exploring.  I haven't heard a single work of his I thought was a waste of time.  No. 7 is fantastic and very intense (especially in the Edward Downes recording) so for that reason, I suggest No. 7 is the best example of Lloyd's music but the disc of No. 4, 5, 8 by Downes is the best intro.  No. 7 isn't as representative as 4, 5, and 8 are.  Regardless, a wonderful composer I always enjoy hearing.
Largely agree. I prefer Downes's recording of Symphony 4 to the (very good) one conducted by the composer.

I agree with cilgwyn and also rate Khachaturian's music highly (all three symphonies, including the much derided No.3) as well as Korngold (Symphony, Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto).

Lloyd's 11th Symphony always reminds me of Khachaturian. Lloyd's 3rd Piano Concerto has a fine, hauntingly ominous slow movement,  symbolic of the 'knock on the door' in Nazi occupied Europe. It is quite reminiscent of a section of Alfred Newman's fine score for 'The Diary of Anne Frank'.
"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

Changing a bit the topic, has anyone heard this CD with his violin concertos?



When I listened to them some months ago, I thought they were delectable, above all the one with strings, one of his finest creations imho, prefering it above the piano concertos. I'm not saying the piano concertos are bad, just they didn't click on me as much as I wanted.

relm1

Well, based on a few recommendations in this thread I listened to Lloyd's Symphony No.3.  and...well...hmm...I freaking LOVED IT!  A wonderful symphony so impressive given he was 20 years old when it was written.  This makes me feel the need to traverse his entire symphony catalog.  Highly recommended.

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: relm1 on March 21, 2019, 04:18:22 PM
Well, based on a few recommendations in this thread I listened to Lloyd's Symphony No.3.  and...well...hmm...I freaking LOVED IT!  A wonderful symphony so impressive given he was 20 years old when it was written.  This makes me feel the need to traverse his entire symphony catalog.  Highly recommended.


Yes, good stuff, isn't it? The music is extremely self-assured.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

vandermolen

Been enjoying this in the car today. Rachmaninov and Khachaturian came to my mind but it is still IMO a fine work:
"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).

Maestro267

I've yet to dive into the concertos. I know the two violin concertos are scored for just strings in one and just winds in the other, if I recall correctly.