EJ Moeran

[Irons]

Once when listening to the slow movement I had an interesting experience of synesthesia. I was falling asleep and as I listened I had the distinct impression of floating in a cool rock pool on the beach, rising and falling with a gentle swell.

Funny you say that. I listened last night to the excellent Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra. I need to revisit but my initial reaction was that the Rhapsody is one of Moeran's finest works. After a medium-paced opening the piece falls into a slow dream-like state, spare, but most effective.
The notes by Anthony Payne are instructive and I think this worth repeating:His dramatic change of direction involved the completion of a large scale Symphony in 1937, an achievement which could hardly have been predicted from his previous output of small orchestral works. Although adding Sibelius to his other influences, the Symphony is nonetheless a heroic breakthrough, structurally sure and touching in expression, and it released a flow of large scale works which crowned his output, the exquisite Violin Concerto (1938-41), Sinfonietta (1944), Cello Concerto (1944-5) and the Rhapsody in F sharp, completed in 1943.

[vandermolen]

Funny you say that. I listened last night to the excellent Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra. I need to revisit but my initial reaction was that the Rhapsody is one of Moeran's finest works. After a medium-paced opening the piece falls into a slow dream-like state, spare, but most effective.
The notes by Anthony Payne are instructive and I think this worth repeating:His dramatic change of direction involved the completion of a large scale Symphony in 1937, an achievement which could hardly have been predicted from his previous output of small orchestral works. Although adding Sibelius to his other influences, the Symphony is nonetheless a heroic breakthrough, structurally sure and touching in expression, and it released a flow of large scale works which crowned his output, the exquisite Violin Concerto (1938-41), Sinfonietta (1944), Cello Concerto (1944-5) and the Rhapsody in F sharp, completed in 1943.

A very nice quotation from Anthony Payne and thanks for posting. In my youth I once read a rave review (by Anthony Payne) of a concert  I'd attended of VW's 'A Pastoral Symphony' conducted by Norman del Mar. I thought the performance was terrible and my brother fell asleep during it. I wrote to the paper asking if Anthony Payne had actually been to the concert. He wrote back saying that I had 'a bloody cheek' to suggest that he hadn't  been to the concert, pointing out that my brother was hardly in a position to judge the performance as he was unconscious for much of it! A fair point I guess.

[Irons]

A very nice quotation from Anthony Payne and thanks for posting. In my youth I once read a rave review (by Anthony Payne) of a concert  I'd attended of VW's 'A Pastoral Symphony' conducted by Norman del Mar. I thought the performance was terrible and my brother fell asleep during it. I wrote to the paper asking if Anthony Payne had actually been to the concert. He wrote back saying that I had 'a bloody cheek' to suggest that he hadn't  been to the concert, pointing out that my brother was hardly in a position to judge the performance as he was unconscious for much of it! A fair point I guess.

[vandermolen]

Interesting looking new release:
I'm unaware of any other Barbirolli Moeran recording.

[André]

Very nice program. Constance Schacklock is the Angel in Barbirolli's 1957 Rome Gerontius.

[Irons]

Interesting looking new release:
I'm unaware of any other Barbirolli Moeran recording.

Did some digging but didn't find anything. What I did find shocked me. Barbirolli conducted the premier of Sinfonietta with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1944 which drew a response from Moeran "Thank God, we have escaped Boult for it".

Looking into it, the quote is not quite as stark as it seems as the tenure of Boult at the BBC during this period was difficult.

[vandermolen]

Did some digging but didn't find anything. What I did find shocked me. Barbirolli conducted the premier of Sinfonietta with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1944 which drew a response from Moeran "Thank God, we have escaped Boult for it".

Looking into it, the quote is not quite as stark as it seems as the tenure of Boult at the BBC during this period was difficult.

How interesting! I have a CD of Beecham conducting the Sinfonietta which I thought was the premiere but evidently not.

[Roasted Swan]

In part prompted by the discussion here, I relistened to the Dilkes version of the Symphony.  I like his "Lonely Waters" a lot - I find the Symphony just too rough - a rehearsal or two short of real orchestral security.  Also, the EMI recording is not one of their finest - on my system suffering from quite a bit of peaking and distortion.  Love the piece as much as ever but this version sits behind Boult and Handley in my preferred list.....

[vandermolen]

In part prompted by the discussion here, I relistened to the Dilkes version of the Symphony.  I like his "Lonely Waters" a lot - I find the Symphony just too rough - a rehearsal or two short of real orchestral security.  Also, the EMI recording is not one of their finest - on my system suffering from quite a bit of peaking and distortion.  Love the piece as much as ever but this version sits behind Boult and Handley in my preferred list.....

Maybe I'm influenced by it being the first recording I heard of the symphony (on LP) but then again maybe the 'roughness' appeals to me in the way that those old Melodiya recordings of Shostakovich conducted by Kondrashin do - they have a kind of rough authenticity which I find appealing. I want to listen to the Boult again. The Handley version never appealed to me. I wish that the Sinaisky version was on CD.

[Papy Oli]

Is this one any good for a first (if not, only) foray into Moeran's music please ? Just to avoid further surprises, the sound is not too "historical" on this one (the sample i found on YT sounded ok) ? Thank you.

[asin]B000N8UVRQ[/asin]

[J]

Some of us prefer Dilkes in the Symphony, but Boult's recording is the Classic rendition, with an exceptional Sinfonietta accompanying.  Hard to argue against this CD as a first Moeran acquisition, but as to what might come next, I'd choose the Violin Concerto (with Lonely Waters) on Chandos.  Mordkovitch nails this piece quite beautifully, - and BTW (i'm sorry to say) I find Tasmin Little's recording of the VC largely sterile and unmoving (with equal blame for it on Andrew Davis), - probably the most disappointing Moeran playing I've heard ( not technically but interpretively, - though it's not that good technically either).  I challenge anyone to listen to it on YouTube (1rst & 3rd movements) side by side with Mordkovitch and argue otherwise, - which the reviewer on MusicWeb does, though I believe erroneously, or at least he hears what I don't.  How he can call it "the finest available recording of the Moeran Concerto" is utterly beyond me.  I think it's the worst.  Little entirely fails to convey the visionary quality, - she clips the phrasing throughout (Davis too) and doesn't allow the music to breathe and expand the way it should IMO, - there's no light and shade, no nuance.  It's a monochrome performance, all surfaces, - typical of these younger players, who just lack the needed soul (Little's bad in the Delius Concerto as well).  I'll just add that Chandos' house replacements for Handley, Thomson, Hickox, & Mordkovitch in English music with Gamba, Davis, Little, (who else?) have had disastrous results.  I can't think of any issues by them I regard as successful. 

[vandermolen]

Is this one any good for a first (if not, only) foray into Moeran's music please ? Just to avoid further surprises, the sound is not too "historical" on this one (the sample i found on YT sounded ok) ? Thank you.

[asin]B000N8UVRQ[/asin]

That recording is often considered the 'market leader' Olivier. It is generally considered the finest recording of both works. Its more 'magisterial' approach compliments the more intimate Dilkes version as far as I'm concerned. They are both excellent as is the historic Heward version made with Moeran in the studio.

[vandermolen]

Some of us prefer Dilkes in the Symphony, but Boult's recording is the Classic rendition, with an exceptional Sinfonietta accompanying.  Hard to argue against this CD as a first Moeran acquisition, but as to what might come next, I'd choose the Violin Concerto (with Lonely Waters) on Chandos.  Mordkovitch nails this piece quite beautifully, - and BTW (i'm sorry to say) I find Tasmin Little's recording of the VC largely sterile and unmoving (with equal blame for it on Andrew Davis), - probably the most disappointing Moeran playing I've heard ( not technically but interpretively, - though it's not that good technically either).  I challenge anyone to listen to it on YouTube (1rst & 3rd movements) side by side with Mordkovitch and argue otherwise, - which the reviewer on MusicWeb does, though I believe erroneously, or at least he hears what I don't.  How he can call it "the finest available recording of the Moeran Concerto" is utterly beyond me.  I think it's the worst.  Little entirely fails to convey the visionary quality, - she clips the phrasing throughout (Davis too) and doesn't allow the music to breathe and expand the way it should IMO, - there's no light and shade.  It's a constipated performance.

Largely agree with Greg's verdict on the Boult here as well. Actually I prefer the Cello Concerto to the Violin Concerto, beautiful though that is. Even though the Boult/Coetmore version of the Cello Concerto has some imperfect cello playing from Coetmore (who was Moeran's wife) it has a depth of feeling unlike any of the other, ostensibly more polished, versions. In a way Coetmore's, at times, scratchy playing adds to the whole experience and I find the climax of the last movement overwhelming.

[J]

Have you heard Little/Davis in the VC, Jeffrey, - and love it (which I don't)?

[vandermolen]

Have you heard Little/Davis in the VC, Jeffrey, - and love it (which I don't)?

Don't think so Greg. I have versions by Mordkovitch, Campoli, Georgiadis and Sammons and like all of those.

[Papy Oli]

Thank you J & Jeffrey. I'll add the Boult in the basket for now.

[J]

In fact, you can can acquire the Violin & Cello Concertos together on a Chandos reissue (the CC with Wallfisch), - a definite "next in line" for Papy Oli.  I don't quite share Jeffrey's great enthusiasm for Coetmore's reading of Moeran's Cello Concerto, less because of the scrappy playing than her unworkably distended tempo in the middle ( slow) movement, which is just unbearably slow to me (almost "slow motion" even, - like about half-tempo).  I've played it dozens of times, and still find it agonizing and simply "wrong".

[vandermolen]

Thank you J & Jeffrey. I'll add the Boult in the basket for now.

You won't regret it Olivier.

[vandermolen]

In fact, you can can acquire the Violin & Cello Concertos together on a Chandos reissue (the CC with Wallfisch), - a definite "next in line" for Papy Oli.  I don't quite share Jeffrey's great enthusiasm for Coetmore's reading of Moeran's Cello Concerto, less because of the scrappy playing than her unworkably distended tempo in the middle ( slow) movement, which is just unbearably slow to me (almost "slow motion" even, - like about half-tempo).  I've played it dozens of times, and still find it agonizing and simply "wrong".

Yes, it's a very nice disc as well:

[aukhawk]

Is this one any good for a first (if not, only) foray into Moeran's music please ? Just to avoid further surprises, the sound is not too "historical" on this one (the sample i found on YT sounded ok) ? Thank you.

The recording date for the Symphony is 1975 which is pretty much 'peak Lyrita' in terms of engineering quality, and that means up there with the best.  The Sinfonietta recording date is 1968 which, for all it's over 50 years ago now, is not what I'd view as historical.  I'm saying this not having heard this recording at all - but I'd buy with confidence.