Sir Arnold Bax

[vandermolen]

All of this talk of Bax is making want to dig out my Chandos recordings. I must say that I'm still quite cautious whenever I listen to Bax as his sound-world doesn't draw me in as there doesn't seem to be any kind of access points. I know Bax's music is heavy on atmosphere, but atmosphere alone doesn't really mean that much to me whenever there's no kind of leading melody or standout motif that sets everything in a direction that's easier to follow.

John, I think that Symphony 5 is the most integrated of the seven but the Lyrita performance with Raymond Leppard is, in my view, by far the best.

[Ghost Sonata]

So, did Harriet Cohen really love Bax or was she just playing him? 

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[cilgwyn]

OT
The W.C.Fields portrayal of Micawber is marvellous in that film although the best film adaptation of Dickens is David Lean's 'Great Expectations'.

I agree. David Copperfield is very good,though. The first Ihr 20 mins or so are excellent.... But the last 40 mins or so get a bit sentimental (in the American way!)& I'm not so keen on the actor who plays Copperfield when he's grown up. Worth waiting for the ending,though,with WC Fields again! My father is a big fan of WC Fields. A few years ago I bought a box set of his films for him,thinking I wouldn't like them that much.....now I'm a fan,too! And what this has got to do with Bax,I don't know?! Oh,yes! Bax composed the music for Oliver Twist,which is a pretty good film,too! And I do mean the one with Robert (Ooh Arr Jim me lad!) Newton,not Lionel Bart!!

Ghost Sonata. Yes,quite!!

[cilgwyn]

Ballet music by Bax. I enjoyed this. Especially,From Dusk till Dawn with the clock chimes (not to be confused with a certain George Clooney vehicle! ). I was listening to this late at night. It was very quiet. I suddenly became aware of this chiming. I was immersed in writing,and I thought,'What's that?' When I realised it was the music I just had to look at the cd to see what the track was called. All in all, a lovely ballet with some delightful and very imaginative orchestral effects. And no,there aren't any zombies!! Even better! No George Clooney!!
Nice!

[vandermolen]

This is good:
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Especially for Symphony 2 which is one of the greatest of the cycle, with its sense of looming catastrophe - something which I naturally relate too.

[Mirror Image]

John, I think that Symphony 5 is the most integrated of the seven but the Lyrita performance with Raymond Leppard is, in my view, by far the best.

Thanks, Jeffrey. Bax just completely baffles me, so it's nice to get an idea of where to go and I suppose Symphony No. 5 is as good of a place to start listening again as any.

[Mirror Image]

Sir Mark Elder certainly makes a case for Bax's Spring Fire:

https://www.youtube.com/v/hXXQynuxyds

[cilgwyn]

Thanks, Jeffrey. Bax just completely baffles me, so it's nice to get an idea of where to go and I suppose Symphony No. 5 is as good of a place to start listening again as any.

Have you tried Symphonies 1 or 2. They are more angry,defiant,turbulent than the rest. The First is Bax's responce to the Easter uprising in Ireland. The second movement of the First is one of his most stirring. If the opening bars don't catch your imagination or the second movement of No1,then probably nothing else will! There is less of the Baxian nature musing that might put some people off. I'd go for Thomson,not Naxos if you want to try and understand what grabs us Baxians!

[Sergeant Rock]

And no,there aren't any zombies!! Even better! No George Clooney!!

But unfortunately, no Salma Hayek either 




Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Have you tried Symphonies 1 or 2. They are more angry,defiant,turbulent than the rest. The First is Bax's responce to the Easter uprising in Ireland. The second movement of the First is one of his most stirring. If the opening bars don't catch your imagination or the second movement of No1,then probably nothing else will! There is less of the Baxian nature musing that might put some people off. I'd go for Thomson,not Naxos if you want to try and understand what grabs us Baxians!

1 & 2 are my favorites of the Baxian seven...athough it was Handley who first made me appreciate them after trying many years with Thomson (a conductor whose more indulgent conducting style--compared to Handley-- I usually appreciate).

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Have you tried Symphonies 1 or 2. They are more angry,defiant,turbulent than the rest. The First is Bax's responce to the Easter uprising in Ireland. The second movement of the First is one of his most stirring. If the opening bars don't catch your imagination or the second movement of No1,then probably nothing else will! There is less of the Baxian nature musing that might put some people off. I'd go for Thomson,not Naxos if you want to try and understand what grabs us Baxians!

Thanks, cilgwyn. I own all three recorded cycles of Bax's symphonies (Thomson, Handley, and Lloyd-Jones). I remember enjoying Thomson the most. I'll definitely give Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 a listen soon.

[Karl Henning]

. . . with its sense of looming catastrophe - something which I naturally relate too.

Oh, we in America, now, too  0:)

[vandermolen]

Thanks, cilgwyn. I own all three recorded cycles of Bax's symphonies (Thomson, Handley, and Lloyd-Jones). I remember enjoying Thomson the most. I'll definitely give Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 a listen soon.

You need to hear these Lyritas too John. 
Myer Fredman and Raymond Leppard are unrivalled Baxians as far as I'm concerned.
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[vandermolen]

Oh, we in America, now, too  0:)

And in post-Brexit Britain 

[André]

You need to hear these Lyritas too John. 
Myer Fredman and Raymond Leppard are unrivalled Baxians as far as I'm concerned.
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Great recordings indeed, Jeffrey. IIRC you made me discover them many years ago  .

[Mirror Image]

You need to hear these Lyritas too John. 
Myer Fredman and Raymond Leppard are unrivalled Baxians as far as I'm concerned.
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I'll definitely check them out, Jeffrey. Thanks!

[vandermolen]

Great recordings indeed, Jeffrey. IIRC you made me discover them many years ago  .

[cilgwyn]

Regarding this cd.I loved listening to the talk by Bax where he talks about his influences;Yeats and his love of Irish mythology and the music inspired by it. Also,expressing his consternation at the critics making comparisons with Debussy and Repighi at a time when he hadn't even heard any music by these composers. The whole cd is fascinating from start to finish. I particularly enjoyed Goossens performances of Tintagel and Mediterranean. Also the film scores and May Morning with Harriet Cohen playing,and a lovely 1925 (!) recording of his Mater ora filium. The posh,clipped voices announcing Fanfares are fun and very evocative of the time. You also get Harty's rousing performance of the Overture to a Picaresque Comedy. An excellent collection. One of Symposium's best imho!

[cilgwyn]

I love his chamber music. Wonderful,lyrical,passionate,heartfelt,tuneful,romantic music. This has a nice photo on the front. I like trees!

[cilgwyn]

What happened to the pine trees?!!! I'm afraid I won't be able to resist putting this one on next. Great idea though,putting the Bax & Elgar on one cd. And the more recordings of the Bax the better. And anything that helps flog a cd with Bax on it......within the boundaries of good taste,of course!! Actually,I think the worst thing about is,that it all looks so airbrushed. If they had to have them on the front I think they could have just shown them playing,like normal musicians. They obviously don't need any help from photoshop! Nomination for worst Bax cd cover photo ever? Your call! Their playing is very good,though. Bob Briggs makes an interesting observation about this photo at the end of his very enthusiastic Musicweb review. Indeed.Bax probably would have liked this lot!!



Musicweb review:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Feb08/Elgar_Bax_disc0701.htm