EJ Moeran

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

That all sounds very appealing, Jeffrey. The 'Overture for a Masque' has always been a favourite of mine. If this new performance is better than Handley's, it really must be something. (Boult's (on Lyrita) is far too slow and ponderous, in my opinion.)

[vandermolen]

That all sounds very appealing, Jeffrey. The 'Overture for a Masque' has always been a favourite of mine. If this new performance is better than Handley's, it really must be something. (Boult's (on Lyrita) is far too slow and ponderous, in my opinion.)

Hi Johan, I am sure that you will love the new version of the Overture - much greater urgency than the Boult and all I can say is that I did not really appreciate how good this work is until JoAnn Falletta's performance, but the excellent recording helps too. The Overture is seen as a 'light' jolly work to cheer people up in the war - but it has much greater depth than I appreciated - the whole CD is very involving.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The nice thing about the Overture is that it seems to encapsulate the whole of Moeran in only a few minutes - the melancholy and the joy.


P.S. I'm going to buy this later tonight (download).

[vandermolen]

The nice thing about the Overture is that it seems to encapsulate the whole of Moeran in only a few minutes - the melancholy and the joy.


P.S. I'm going to buy this later tonight (download).

Yes, you are right about it encapsulating the essence of Moeran - as with Lilburn and the Aotearoa Overture.

Let us know what you think. Hope it lives up to expectations. 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Listening to this as I write... The 'Overture to a Masque' is, indeed, done very well, Jeffrey. Falletta is energetic, but doesn't rush the lyricism.

[vandermolen]

Listening to this as I write... The 'Overture to a Masque' is, indeed, done very well, Jeffrey. Falletta is energetic, but doesn't rush the lyricism.

Let us know what you make of the rest of the programme Johan. I have just got to the 1943 Rhapsody for the umpteenth time. I am especially fond of the short Rhapsody No. 1 from 1922, which also seems to encapsulate the essence of Moeran. Oops, I think I meant the 1924/41 Rhapsody No. 2 - they are all good!

[calyptorhynchus]

Funny thing is, I have listened to most of Moeran's work, inc hard to find pieces like the piano works and the folk-song settings, and the Two Violin Sonata

[http://www.moeran.net/Audio/Sonata_for_Two_Violins.html]

But I've never heard The Overture to a Masque.

I better download it.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Here's the Handley:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JudvDOjCqss

[Mirror Image]

Moeran is a bit hard for me to get into. I own all of Handley's recordings on Chandos. Could any of you guys who really enjoy his music point out some characteristics of his music that make him unique?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I'm going to bed, as it is already late here (2am).


A few things about Moeran. He's a Delian, and a Sibelian, (though not as strongly, in my opinion). His harmonies resemble those of Delius, but with a twist - Moeran is much more melancholy and bittersweet. And there is no eroticism in his music. His music has gusto, pain, ebullience, and a strong sense of landscape (which connects him to both Delius and RVW). There is also the influence of folksong in his work (more Irish than English).


And now - sleep!

[Mirror Image]

I'm going to bed, as it is already late here (2am).


A few things about Moeran. He's a Delian, and a Sibelian, (though not as strongly, in my opinion). His harmonies resemble those of Delius, but with a twist - Moeran is much more melchancoly and bittersweet. And there is no eroticism in his music. His music has gusto, pain, ebullience, and a strong sense of landscape (which connects him to both Delius and RVW). There is also the influence of folksong in his work (more Irish than English).


And now - sleep!

Thanks, Johan! Goodnight my fellow Delian!

[calyptorhynchus]

Moeran is a bit hard for me to get into. I own all of Handley's recordings on Chandos. Could any of you guys who really enjoy his music point out some characteristics of his music that make him unique?

What I like about him him is his consistently high quality, almost everyting he wrote is worth listening to, and what make it worth listening to is the very strong sense you get of musical movement: at the end of a Moeran piece you really get a sense of a musical journey, an emotional narrative, not just a whole lot of notes that happened one after the other.

[Mirror Image]

What I like about him him is his consistently high quality, almost everyting he wrote is worth listening to, and what make it worth listening to is the very strong sense you get of musical movement: at the end of a Moeran piece you really get a sense of a musical journey, an emotional narrative, not just a whole lot of notes that happened one after the other.

Which is exactly how I felt about Brenton Broadstock's symphonies, but do not feel from Moeran's music. Strange stuff.

[calyptorhynchus]

And I had the opposite reaction!

[Mirror Image]

And I had the opposite reaction!

I know that's why I brought it up. But, seriously, I'm going to listen to some of Moeran's music tomorrow.

[Mirror Image]

Any works I should try first? How about the Violin Concerto? I have Little's performance with A. Davis that was just released a few weeks ago.

[vandermolen]

Any works I should try first? How about the Violin Concerto? I have Little's performance with A. Davis that was just released a few weeks ago.

Agree with Johan about the appeal of Moeran. There is an underlying sadness and nostalgic regret in much of the music, which I find appealing as is the synthesis of Bax, Walton, Sibelius and Delius.

Personally I prefer the Cello Concerto but it is perhaps less immediately approachable. I think that the new Naxos CD is a good place to start. The Symphony is wonderful as is the Sinfonietta (coupled together on Naxos and Lyrita). CD below is nice.
[asin]B00013BOF6[/asin]

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

That's certainly a 'nice' CD! "Lonely Waters" is among Moeran's most haunting pieces and gets a wonderful performance.


Btw, I have now listened to the whole Naxos CD. It's good. The outstanding works are, in my opinion, the Overture and the Second Rhapsody. The unnumbered, concertante Rhapsody in F sharp major is a very curious thing, in which Moeran foreshadows the peroration of the "Overture for a Masque", whilst at the same time 'channeling' Ravel in Spanish-cum-Valse mode...

[Mirror Image]

Thanks, Jeffrey. I'll check out the Cello Concerto at some point.

[calyptorhynchus]

Yep, the Overture is vintage Moeran