Sir Arnold Bax

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Excellent! Thank you very much.

Edit: After reading this I am really looking forward to that Naxos disc!

[Lethevich]

It may be of interest to some people that I ran into a lengthy review of a Bax release on Amazon.fr of all places. I didn't think that anyone who didn't speak English or Dutch had even heard of a composer like Bax, let alone liked him

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Interesting review, Lethe. The writer prefers Bryden Thomson's Third and Fifth to Vernon Handley's, though Handley excels in the First and Second. He/she also thinks the Seventh is possibly Bax' most beautiful work. The Sixth is not the greatest symphony Bax ever wrote but the most 'puissant', 'tellurique' and 'sombre', and Handley's reading of it is the most startling the writer knows.

[Lethevich]

Indeedie, it was more helpful for me (with a mediocre grasp of French) than almost any of the US/GB Amazon reviews. I am going to leave Thomson for a long time though, I can't imagine what it would be like to familiarise with Bax through that first cycle (which many here presumably did) - it feels sluggish in many ways to me, I think Handley is better at bringing the structure to the fore.

Once I actually like Bax, I can imagine how Thomsons's approach may work well in the 3rd and 5th (and perhaps 7th - I have lumped these together as the more obviously "lush" sounding works) in particular.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

For all (aspiring) Baxians, this is the place to be, Lethe:

http://musicweb.uk.net/bax/index.html

[Dundonnell]

My apologies if this has been posted before but I came across a fascinating interview with Myer Fredman in which he talks about recording the first two Bax symphonies for Lyrita-

http://musicweb.uk.net/bax/Fredman.htm

It is so interesting to read how he learned the two works in ten days before going into the recording studio with the LPO. The article has a lot more fascinating material about recording Havergal Brian's 6th and 16th with a jet-lagged LPO. which reminds one of the incredible adaptability and proficiency of the members of the London orchestras!

[vandermolen]

I just bought Bryden Thomson's old (1983) set of Bax's Tone Poems Vol 1 with the excellent Ulster Orchestra, featuring November Woods, The Happy Forest, The Garden of Fand, The Garden of Fand and Summer Music (first recording). I can't understand why I never bought this CD before (maybe because I had the first three works in other recordings (Boult/Lyrita, Downes/RCA). Anyway, I am delighted with this purchase (for c £2 second-hand on Amazon). November Woods might not be as dark a performance as Boult's but I have listened to it several times now and Thomson's more mellow performance has really grown on me. Also the dreamy central section of The Happy Forest (dear to Jezetha I recall) is taken slowly, investing it with great beauty (Handley's recent recording, good as it is, is rather too fast I think). A great Bax disc, which I am delighted to discover.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Also the dreamy central section of The Happy Forest (dear to Jezetha I recall)...

Yes.

... is taken slowly, investing it with great beauty (Handley's recent recording, good as it is, is rather too fast I think).

Yes.

I still think Sir Edward Downes gave us the best Happy Forest, though.

[vandermolen]

Yes.

Yes.

I still think Sir Edward Downes gave us the best Happy Forest, though.

Yes, he did. Pity it's not on CD. 

[drogulus]

      Some of my impressions from the Handley symphony set:

      I was surprised to hear the 6th symphony reminding me of Mahler in the first movement. Less surprising is the tribute to Delius in the 2nd movement, evident in the shape of the themes as well as the harmony. This really does sound like the strongest of the symphonies. Every one of them sounds strong to me, though. It's taking some time to grasp everything about these works, because they display such virtuosity and technical command that you really have to listen hard and repeatedly.
     
      Like Handley, I'm bowled over by the Epilogue in the 3rd symphony.

     

[jowcol]

I've been waiting to weigh in on Bax, but I must admit I'm a bit intimidated by the scholarship here.  I guess I haven't had the time or resources to collect different versions, but I've had a lot of fun devoring the cycle on Naxos.  He definitely had an impressive approach to the symphony-- not as strong on memorable themes, but what color and invention!

For me, the second is my favorite all around.  I love the first movement of the third, and also the first starts picking up in the second movement.   6 and 5 are very strong. 

I must admit, the 4th or 7th haven't done much for me, but I may not have been listening for the right thing.  That's what happens when you try to gobble up a composer's output in a short amount of time.

For some reason , I adore the Winter Legends-- every bit as much as symponies 2 and 6-- and the Symphonic Variations didn't seem to have the same impact on me.   Does anyone else have a "thing" for Winter Legends?

[vandermolen]

I've been waiting to weigh in on Bax, but I must admit I'm a bit intimidated by the scholarship here.  I guess I haven't had the time or resources to collect different versions, but I've had a lot of fun devoring the cycle on Naxos.  He definitely had an impressive approach to the symphony-- not as strong on memorable themes, but what color and invention!

For me, the second is my favorite all around.  I love the first movement of the third, and also the first starts picking up in the second movement.   6 and 5 are very strong. 

I must admit, the 4th or 7th haven't done much for me, but I may not have been listening for the right thing.  That's what happens when you try to gobble up a composer's output in a short amount of time.

For some reason , I adore the Winter Legends-- every bit as much as symponies 2 and 6-- and the Symphonic Variations didn't seem to have the same impact on me.   Does anyone else have a "thing" for Winter Legends?

Personally I prefer the Symphonic Variations but i must listen again to Winter Legends.  I like all Bax's symphonies. No 5 is a great score, especially in Raymond Leppard's Lyrita recording. I have been listening to No 4 a lot recently..underrated I think.

[tjguitar]

More Bax on the way from Lyrita...




Arnold Bax - The Piano Music

Iris Loveridge, piano

Label: Lyrita
Copyright: 2008 Lyrita Recorded Edition, England
Catalogue number: REAM.3113
UPC/EAN: 5020926311320
Format: CD
Analogue / Digital recording: ADD Mono
Number of discs: 3
Total playing time: 3 hours 44 mins
Price: £ 29.99 (+ postage & packing)

Recording dates: CD 1 Track 1, CD 3 Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, January & May 1959
CD 2 Tracks 2, 7, 9, CD 3 Track 12 November 1959 & January 1960
CD 1 Tracks 7, 8, CD 2 Track 1, CD 3 Tracks 4, 9, 10, 11, 16 July 1960
CD 1 Tracks 3, 4, 10, CD 2 Track 5, CD 3 Tracks 5, 13, 14, 15 January 1961 & October 1962
CD 1 Tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, CD 2 Tracks 3, 4, 6, 8 September 1963
The Music Room, Burnham, Buckinghamshire
Richard Itter, Producer & Engineer

The piano music of Arnold Bax stands a little apart from the rest of modern English music for the medium. This latter usually tends to be spare, wistful, predominantly chordal, small in scale, the equivalent of 'Georgian' poetry. The very distinguished piano music of John Ireland is perhaps the best and most typical, and something of Ireland's spirit, and much of his letter, haunts a good deal of minor English piano music. He is a safer model than the very individual and
Disc 1
1    Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp Minor (1910, rev. 1917 - 21)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    18.43
2    Concert Valse in E-flat (1910)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    6.52
   Two Russian Tone-Pictures (1912)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    
3    Nocturne: May Night in the Ukraine       7.30
4    National Dance: Gopak       5.33
5    Toccata (1913)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    6.02
6    The Princess's Rose Garden (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    7.36
7    In a Vodka Shop (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.44
8    The Maiden with the Daffodil (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    4.16
9    Apple-Blossom-Time (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.44
10    Sleepy-Head (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    5.00
11    A Mountain Mood (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    5.16
Disc 2
1    Winter Waters (1915)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    6.38
2    Dream in Exile (Intermezzo) (1916)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    8.31
3    Nereid (1916)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    4.05
4    On a May Evening (1918)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    6.55
5    A Romance (1918)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    5.25
6    Whirligig (1919)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.32
7    Piano Sonata No. 2 in G (1919, rev. 1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    24.07
8    The Slave Girl (1919)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    4.30
9    What the Minstrel told us (Ballad) (1919)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    9.44
Disc 3
1    Ceremonial Dance (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.36
2    Serpent Dance (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.33
3    Water Music (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    5.12
4    Lullaby (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.51
5    Burlesque (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.10
6    Country-Tune (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    2.13
7    A Hill Tune (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    4.11
8    Mediterranean (1920)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.19
   Piano Sonata No. 3 in G-sharp Minor (1926)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    25.00
9    I Allegro moderato       10.17
10    II Lento moderato       9.30
11    III Allegro       6.13
12    Pæan (Passacaglia) (1928)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    3.18
   Piano Sonata No. 4 in G (1932)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    16.34
13    I Allegro Giusto       5.35
14    II Allegretto quasi andante       5.08
15    III Allegro       5.55
16    O Dame get up and bake your pies (1945)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    2.47



edit:

another Bax reissue on Lyrita that was never mentioned here:


Arnold Bax - Sonata for Cello and Piano • Sonatina • Legend-Sonata etc.
Gordon Jacob - Divertimento for Solo Cello etc.

Florence Hooton, cello
Wilfrid Parry, piano

Label: Lyrita
Copyright: 2008 Lyrita Recorded Edition, England
Catalogue number: REAM.2104
UPC/EAN: 5020926210425
Format: CD
Analogue / Digital recording: ADD Mono
Number of discs: 2
Total playing time: 1 hours 45 mins
Price: £ 14.99 (+ postage & packing)

Recorded July & September 1958 (Bax), July & November 1958 (Jacob), The Music Room, Burnham, Buckinghamshire
Richard Itter, Producer & Engineer

... a striking simplicity of texture, developed in his later years, revealed the essential Englishman in Bax's last works - simple, sensuous and passionate, the Violin Concerto and the Legend-Sonata, not to mention Morning Song, belong in the true English tradition ...
Disc 1
1    Folk-Tale (1918)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    9.20
   Sonata for Cello and Piano (1923)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    34.25
2    I Moderato, Tempo vaccilando       12.31
3    II Poco lento       11.15
4    III Molto vivace ma non troppo       10.39
   Sonatina (1933)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    16.04
5    I Allegro risoluto       4.48
6    II Andante       7.02
7    III Moderato       4.14
Disc 2
   Legend-Sonata (1943)    Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953)    25.53
1    I Allegro risoluto       9.21
2    II Lento espressivo       8.53
3    III Rondo (Allegro)       7.39
   Divertimento for Solo Cello (1955)    Gordon Jacob (1895 - 1984)    12.04
4    I Prelude       1.41
5    II Improvisation       5.04
6    III Minuet & Trio       2.29
7    IV Rondino       2.50
8    Elegy for Cello and Piano (1959)    Gordon Jacob (1895 - 1984)    7.41

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks, tjguitar!

[Hector]

It may be of interest to some people that I ran into a lengthy review of a Bax release on Amazon.fr of all places. I didn't think that anyone who didn't speak English or Dutch had even heard of a composer like Bax, let alone liked him

Which makes me wonder whether this is a French National rather than a Brit plugging his own culture.

Clever references to Thomson et al which I may or may not disagree with.

**** rating, I note!

[Dundonnell]

Surely if there are English-speaking 'nutters'(sorry, cognoscenti) here who appreciate lesser known French composers like Jean Cras or Philippe Gaubert there must be a few French people(at least) who appreciate British composers like Bax?

[vandermolen]

Surely if there are English-speaking 'nutters'(sorry, cognoscenti) here

[Dundonnell]

I was-of course-alluding to the utterly misbegotten perception of our goodselves and others, Jeffrey, held by those who have sadly yet to discover the wonders and magic of the marvellous composers of whom we rave(sorry, speak). Who knows-perhaps even in time you may convert your wife and daughter! (Oh well, maybe not )

[vandermolen]

I was-of course-alluding to the utterly misbegotten perception of our goodselves and others, Jeffrey, held by those who have sadly yet to discover the wonders and magic of the marvellous composers of whom we rave(sorry, speak). Who knows-perhaps even in time you may convert your wife and daughter! (Oh well, maybe not )

No, I doubt very much whether my wife and daughter will ever share my enthusiasm for the music of Bax, Bantock, Miaskovsky, Egge, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Brian, Rootham, Arnell etcetc.

MUST WE LISTEN TO THIS NOISE? remains their habitual response to my music. Hence the gift of a pair of headphones for my birthday 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

No, I doubt very much whether my wife and daughter will ever share my enthusiasm for the music of Bax, Bantock, Miaskovsky, Egge, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Brian, Rootham, Arnell etcetc.

MUST WE LISTEN TO THIS NOISE? remains their habitual response to my music. Hence the gift of a pair of headphones for my birthday 

In nine days' time wife and daughter will be confronting the combined might of the Two Johans - their defences will crumble. Back in Sussex, your wife and you will be fighting over who'll listen to the 'Gothic' first.