Sir Arnold Bax

Started by tjguitar, April 15, 2007, 06:12:44 PM

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Irons

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 08, 2021, 07:08:39 AM
No such thing as a perfect performance of anything!  And 'best' is wholly subjective anyway.  For me Fingerhut/Waas are "better" especially when LP vs. CD and general engineering are factored in as well.

You misquoted me, perfect and most perfect are not the same thing. I was alluding to a degree of perfection which I thought you was too.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Roasted Swan

I was just trawling the web looking for an article written in the Picture Post in the early 1940's about Bax becoming Master of the King's Music and moving to the White Horse in Storrington.  I didn't find that article online but I did find a rather interesting series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm when he was based in South Africa.  Under the title "Men and Music" it is basically a series of his own reminiscences of musicians he had close dealings with.  One lecture/essay is on Bax - here's the full list from the pdf you can download;

William Walton ............................................... Page 13
Cyril Scott ......................................................... Page 22
Eugene Goosens ............................................. Page 28
Bela Bartok ...................................................... Page 30
Karol Szymanowski ......................................... Page 45
Donald F Tovey ............................................... Page 49
Florent Schmitt ............................................... Page 55
John Ireland ..................................................... Page 59
Adolf Busch ..................................................... Page 65
Yvonne Arnaud ............................................... Page 68
Tatiana Makushina ........................................ Page 71
Frederic Lamond ............................................. Page 73
Egon Petri ........................................................ Page 74
Alfredo Casella ................................................ Page 75
Arnold Bax ....................................................... Page 82
Paul Hindemith ............................................... Page 92
Kaikhosru Sorabji ............................................ Page 103
Bernard van Dieren ........................................ Page 115
Dmitri Shostakovich ....................................... Page 119
Nikolai Medtner .............................................. Page 123

Here's the link to the pdf

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/pdf/menandmusic.pdf

or the website where you can read these online......

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/index.php

certainly worth dipping into.......

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 23, 2021, 10:51:15 AM
I was just trawling the web looking for an article written in the Picture Post in the early 1940's about Bax becoming Master of the King's Music and moving to the White Horse in Storrington.  I didn't find that article online but I did find a rather interesting series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm when he was based in South Africa.  Under the title "Men and Music" it is basically a series of his own reminiscences of musicians he had close dealings with.  One lecture/essay is on Bax - here's the full list from the pdf you can download;

William Walton ............................................... Page 13
Cyril Scott ......................................................... Page 22
Eugene Goosens ............................................. Page 28
Bela Bartok ...................................................... Page 30
Karol Szymanowski ......................................... Page 45
Donald F Tovey ............................................... Page 49
Florent Schmitt ............................................... Page 55
John Ireland ..................................................... Page 59
Adolf Busch ..................................................... Page 65
Yvonne Arnaud ............................................... Page 68
Tatiana Makushina ........................................ Page 71
Frederic Lamond ............................................. Page 73
Egon Petri ........................................................ Page 74
Alfredo Casella ................................................ Page 75
Arnold Bax ....................................................... Page 82
Paul Hindemith ............................................... Page 92
Kaikhosru Sorabji ............................................ Page 103
Bernard van Dieren ........................................ Page 115
Dmitri Shostakovich ....................................... Page 119
Nikolai Medtner .............................................. Page 123

Here's the link to the pdf

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/pdf/menandmusic.pdf

or the website where you can read these online......

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/index.php

certainly worth dipping into.......
Most interesting and thanks very much for posting this RS. As soon as I break up (literally and metaphorically!) for the school holiday I'm sure that I will enjoy reading the 'pen portraits'. Chisholm's own music deserves attention, especially the cataclysmic 'Pictures from Dante' and the atmospheric Symphony No.2 'Ossian' both of which have given me great pleasure.
"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).

foxandpeng

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 23, 2021, 10:51:15 AM
I was just trawling the web looking for an article written in the Picture Post in the early 1940's about Bax becoming Master of the King's Music and moving to the White Horse in Storrington.  I didn't find that article online but I did find a rather interesting series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm when he was based in South Africa.  Under the title "Men and Music" it is basically a series of his own reminiscences of musicians he had close dealings with.  One lecture/essay is on Bax - here's the full list from the pdf you can download;

William Walton ............................................... Page 13
Cyril Scott ......................................................... Page 22
Eugene Goosens ............................................. Page 28
Bela Bartok ...................................................... Page 30
Karol Szymanowski ......................................... Page 45
Donald F Tovey ............................................... Page 49
Florent Schmitt ............................................... Page 55
John Ireland ..................................................... Page 59
Adolf Busch ..................................................... Page 65
Yvonne Arnaud ............................................... Page 68
Tatiana Makushina ........................................ Page 71
Frederic Lamond ............................................. Page 73
Egon Petri ........................................................ Page 74
Alfredo Casella ................................................ Page 75
Arnold Bax ....................................................... Page 82
Paul Hindemith ............................................... Page 92
Kaikhosru Sorabji ............................................ Page 103
Bernard van Dieren ........................................ Page 115
Dmitri Shostakovich ....................................... Page 119
Nikolai Medtner .............................................. Page 123

Here's the link to the pdf

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/pdf/menandmusic.pdf

or the website where you can read these online......

http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/index.php

certainly worth dipping into.......

Wow. Thanks so much. As a primary streamer, I often miss liner notes, but love to read to better understand. These look amazingly useful.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 23, 2021, 10:51:15 AM
I didn't find that article online but I did find a rather interesting series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm

certainly worth dipping into.......

Indeed. A marvelous find, and fun. I've read the chapters on Bax, Hindemith and Sorabji so far, and will read the rest.

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"

aligreto

Bax: Tintagel [Barbirolli]





Tintagel is an inherently powerful, atmospheric and beguiling work. This version has quite a presence to it: it is powerful, atmospheric and also has a wonderfully descriptive and lyrical quality about it. It is very engaging. One can really feel the pounding of the mighty waves upon the rugged shore. The quality of the orchestral scoring is well portrayed here and it also has the sense of the enchanted about it. It is a dramatic sound painting that is very well told.

Scion7

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 23, 2021, 10:51:15 AM
... series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm

Thanks awfully, old chap!
You know, I haven't given Chisholm a spin in years ... time to correct that.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Irons

Reading the interesting discussion of dedications on the Sibelius thread. Bax came to mind with his dedications. With support from Wiki -
Symphony 1 : John Ireland.
Symphony 2 : Serge Koussevitizky.
Symphony 3 : Henry Wood.
Symphony 4 : Paul Corder.
Symphony 5 : Sibelius.
Symphony 6 : Adrian Boult.
Symphony 7 : People of America.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

vandermolen

Quote from: Irons on October 06, 2021, 02:37:34 AM
Reading the interesting discussion of dedications on the Sibelius thread. Bax came to mind with his dedications. With support from Wiki -
Symphony 1 : John Ireland.
Symphony 2 : Serge Koussevitizky.
Symphony 3 : Henry Wood.
Symphony 4 : Paul Corder.
Symphony 5 : Sibelius.
Symphony 6 : Adrian Boult.
Symphony 7 : People of America.
Interesting lol. Thanks for posting it. Interesting that Sibelius's 3rd Symphony was dedicated to Bantock.
"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).

John Copeland

Quote from: Roasted Swan on June 23, 2021, 10:51:15 AM
I was just trawling the web looking for an article written in the Picture Post in the early 1940's about Bax becoming Master of the King's Music and moving to the White Horse in Storrington.  I didn't find that article online but I did find a rather interesting series of lectures given by the composer Erik Chisholm when he was based in South Africa.  Under the title "Men and Music" it is basically a series of his own reminiscences of musicians he had close dealings with.  One lecture/essay is on Bax - here's the full list from the pdf you can download;

William Walton ............................................... Page 13
Cyril Scott ......................................................... Page 22
Eugene Goosens ............................................. Page 28
Bela Bartok ...................................................... Page 30
Karol Szymanowski ......................................... Page 45
Donald F Tovey ............................................... Page 49
Florent Schmitt ............................................... Page 55
John Ireland ..................................................... Page 59
Adolf Busch ..................................................... Page 65
Yvonne Arnaud ............................................... Page 68
Tatiana Makushina ........................................ Page 71
Frederic Lamond ............................................. Page 73
Egon Petri ........................................................ Page 74
Alfredo Casella ................................................ Page 75
Arnold Bax ....................................................... Page 82
Paul Hindemith ............................................... Page 92
Kaikhosru Sorabji ............................................ Page 103
Bernard van Dieren ........................................ Page 115
Dmitri Shostakovich ....................................... Page 119
Nikolai Medtner .............................................. Page 123

Here's the link to the pdf
http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/pdf/menandmusic.pdf
or the website where you can read these online......
http://www.erikchisholm.com/menandmusic/index.php
certainly worth dipping into.......

Wow, what a fascinating document!  Many thanks for that!   ;D

vandermolen

OT
I've just received this book which I ordered ages ago:
"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).

calyptorhynchus

I've just come across this performance of the 4th Symphony conducted by Maurice Handford for the BBC in the 1960s on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydtTy_U3A2E

Considering its age and the fact it's an off-air recording the quality is very good, and this interpretation is also very good and may become my favourite Bax 4.

'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton

Roasted Swan

I'm guessing that most folk reading this page will know about Bax's poet/alter-ego Dermot O'Byrne. "He" was the literal living embodiment of Bax's enduring Celtic obsession which reached its pinnacle with his publication of a series of books of poetry, plays and stories up until around 1920.  In recent years the contents of these books have become availabe either through new collections of Bax's writings (the gorgeous Ideala from Fand Press is the shining example of this) or indeed the modern trend for facsimile reprints of old editions.  But the old original publications are very very rare.  Off and on over the decades (literally decades) I've kept an eye out in 2nd hand bookshops and the like - including in Ireland (somehow thinking they might be more likely to appear there for no particular reason) with no luck at all.

However, couple of weeks ago at a London auction a lot turned up of all 6 of the main Dermot O'Bryne publications in their original/only editions.  Probably I shouldn't have spent the money I did but I am genuinely so happy to have finally found these.  I know its a niche within a niche but I love these books already.........


vandermolen

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on December 01, 2021, 02:39:13 PM
I've just come across this performance of the 4th Symphony conducted by Maurice Handford for the BBC in the 1960s on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydtTy_U3A2E

Considering its age and the fact it's an off-air recording the quality is very good, and this interpretation is also very good and may become my favourite Bax 4.
Great find! Thanks for posting this - the 4th is one of my favourites.
"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).

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on March 10, 2022, 05:32:54 AM
I'm guessing that most folk reading this page will know about Bax's poet/alter-ego Dermot O'Byrne. "He" was the literal living embodiment of Bax's enduring Celtic obsession which reached its pinnacle with his publication of a series of books of poetry, plays and stories up until around 1920.  In recent years the contents of these books have become availabe either through new collections of Bax's writings (the gorgeous Ideala from Fand Press is the shining example of this) or indeed the modern trend for facsimile reprints of old editions.  But the old original publications are very very rare.  Off and on over the decades (literally decades) I've kept an eye out in 2nd hand bookshops and the like - including in Ireland (somehow thinking they might be more likely to appear there for no particular reason) with no luck at all.

However, couple of weeks ago at a London auction a lot turned up of all 6 of the main Dermot O'Bryne publications in their original/only editions.  Probably I shouldn't have spent the money I did but I am genuinely so happy to have finally found these.  I know its a niche within a niche but I love these books already.........
Another great find, although I have to say that I'm not a great admirer of 'Dermot's' poetry ('twas dark upon the mountains of the heart...') etc
"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).

aligreto

I have just finished listening to Vol. 3 of the Thompson series on Chandos:





I thought that it was an excellent CD and a number of members have also commented on it positively as I made my way through it.


November Woods: A lovely atmospheric work that is filled with tension, drama and wonderful orchestral colour.

The Happy Forest: A similarly themed work to November Woods with similar orchestration but with a different tone and mood. The two made for an interesting comparison and contrast.

The Garden of Fand: This is very fine atmospheric and enchanting music. It is lyrical in nature but is not without its underlying tensions and it is richly and inventively orchestrated. Thomson's presentation is very fine.

Summer Magic: The music is evocative of a balmy summer idyll. The scoring is very effective in creating the requisite atmosphere. The pacing also helps here; it can be intense but nothing is rushed. I like the elements of tension and drama introduced in the score which only enhance the overall atmosphere.

Tintagel: I think that this is a wonderful presentation. It is powerful, atmospheric and it paints a wonderful vista.

Roasted Swan

Quote from: aligreto on March 29, 2022, 03:14:15 AM
I have just finished listening to Vol. 3 of the Thompson series on Chandos:





I thought that it was an excellent CD and a number of members have also commented on it positively as I made my way through it.


November Woods: A lovely atmospheric work that is filled with tension, drama and wonderful orchestral colour.

The Happy Forest: A similarly themed work to November Woods with similar orchestration but with a different tone and mood. The two made for an interesting comparison and contrast.

The Garden of Fand: This is very fine atmospheric and enchanting music. It is lyrical in nature but is not without its underlying tensions and it is richly and inventively orchestrated. Thomson's presentation is very fine.

Summer Magic: The music is evocative of a balmy summer idyll. The scoring is very effective in creating the requisite atmosphere. The pacing also helps here; it can be intense but nothing is rushed. I like the elements of tension and drama introduced in the score which only enhance the overall atmosphere.

Tintagel: I think that this is a wonderful presentation. It is powerful, atmospheric and it paints a wonderful vista.

One of the very best "introduction" discs for Bax I reckon - great music beautifully played and recorded....

Irons

Quote from: aligreto on March 29, 2022, 03:14:15 AM
I have just finished listening to Vol. 3 of the Thompson series on Chandos:





I thought that it was an excellent CD and a number of members have also commented on it positively as I made my way through it.


November Woods: A lovely atmospheric work that is filled with tension, drama and wonderful orchestral colour.

The Happy Forest: A similarly themed work to November Woods with similar orchestration but with a different tone and mood. The two made for an interesting comparison and contrast.

The Garden of Fand: This is very fine atmospheric and enchanting music. It is lyrical in nature but is not without its underlying tensions and it is richly and inventively orchestrated. Thomson's presentation is very fine.

Summer Magic: The music is evocative of a balmy summer idyll. The scoring is very effective in creating the requisite atmosphere. The pacing also helps here; it can be intense but nothing is rushed. I like the elements of tension and drama introduced in the score which only enhance the overall atmosphere.

Tintagel: I think that this is a wonderful presentation. It is powerful, atmospheric and it paints a wonderful vista.

A recording that launched the good ship Chandos into the digital era. Not the first, I recall a Hamilton Harty recording amongst others, but the most important. I am pretty sure the second CD purchase I made in the early 1980's. A copy I still own (see below) and my introduction to British composers with a name that didn't begin with V and E. "November Woods" is my favourite Bax work but only this recording. Other recordings, including Sir Adrian, sound limp and flaccid compared to the tautness and drive of Thomson. 
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Papy Oli

A gorgeous recording indeed.

The Garden of Fand is a personal favourite.
Olivier

aligreto

Quote from: Roasted Swan on March 29, 2022, 05:16:02 AM
One of the very best "introduction" discs for Bax I reckon - great music beautifully played and recorded....

I can certainly endorse that having now heard it!