Sir Arnold Bax

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

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Grazioso

Don't know if this has been linked here yet:

Vernon Handley rehearsing "The Garden of Fand"

http://www.youtube.com/v/KxL5kkkhEwQ
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

cilgwyn

We want Bryden Thomson!!!!!!

Grazioso

Quote from: cilgwyn on August 03, 2011, 08:12:55 AM
We want Bryden Thomson!!!!!!

Another Bax advocate no longer with us :(
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

cilgwyn

#443
Indeed! Gone before his time,alas. Actually, I was alluding to the fact that his Bax cycle has a few admirers here. A light hearted post,that's all! Regarding this video. You don't get much chance to watch Bax being conducted,do you? I don't suppose the BBC will be televising the upcoming Prom of Bax 2? I hope I'm wrong. Even VW hasn't had the video treatment much.Although I noticed that a dvd of Boult conducting his Symphony No 8 & Job has come out. If it get's good reviews I might get that! Some more dvd's of off the beaten track repertory of composers like Bax,would be very interesting indeed. Maybe it will happen one day!
Of course they wouldn't make much dosh would they?
 

vandermolen

I am really looking forward to attending the Prom concert featuring Bax's Second Symphony on 16th of August.  This is my second Prom this year after the momentous 'Gothic Symphony' - what a year!
"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).

cilgwyn

#445
Yes,it won't be long now. Hopefully,the critics won't moan too much. My cassette deck will be at the ready for the live show! A cd burn will follow*. I wonder how it will compare with some of the available performances? Litton's got a good track record with the critics,but he's not known for conducting Bax,as far as I know? Still with recordings of Ives and Walton on his cv,this should be very interesting!!!!!

NB This post prompted me to buy the Dutton cd of Goossens performance which is
     currently on offer. The sound isn't very good,apparently,but it should be useful.

*not from THE tape I hasten to add.
     

vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on August 03, 2011, 01:47:30 PM
Yes,it won't be long now. Hopefully,the critics won't moan too much. My cassette deck will be at the ready for the live show! A cd burn will follow*. I wonder how it will compare with some of the available performances? Litton's got a good track record with the critics,but he's not known for conducting Bax,as far as I know? Still with recordings of Ives and Walton on his cv,this should be very interesting!!!!!

NB This post prompted me to buy the Dutton cd of Goossens performance which is
     currently on offer. The sound isn't very good,apparently,but it should be useful.

*not from THE tape I hasten to add.
   

The Goossens is a fine performance and you get the excellent premiere recording of Tintagel thrown in too.
"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).

cilgwyn

Good. It seems an appropriate purchase! My ears have been 'trained' through listening to my collection of early acoustic and electrical recordings,and various 'off air' tapes & downloads,so I should be able to listen through the poor sound quality alluded to in the Musicweb review.
This will go well with my Dutton cd of Harriet Cohen playing Winter Legends,which I must try and locate (it's in a box somewhere).

Grazioso

Quote from: cilgwyn on August 03, 2011, 01:17:34 PM
Indeed! Gone before his time,alas. Actually, I was alluding to the fact that his Bax cycle has a few admirers here. A light hearted post,that's all! Regarding this video. You don't get much chance to watch Bax being conducted,do you? I don't

I know :) and no, you don't get much depth from the video, but still, any video about Bax is most welcome. A woefully under-appreciated composer, but then again, we've had three symphony cycles and many other works made available in great recordings in recent years, so all is not lost.

Quote
suppose the BBC will be televising the upcoming Prom of Bax 2? I hope I'm wrong. Even VW hasn't had the video treatment much.Although I noticed that a dvd of Boult conducting his Symphony No 8 & Job has come out. If it get's good reviews I might get that! Some more dvd's of off the beaten track repertory of composers like Bax,would be very interesting indeed. Maybe it will happen one day!
Of course they wouldn't make much dosh would they?


Bax on TV or DVD...what a cool thing that would be! Especially Symphony No. 2, one of my favorites.
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

cilgwyn

And I know I'm probably in a minority here,but I'd be the first in the 'queue' for a dvd of Winter Legends,especially with Margaret Fingerhut. I'd love to hear her have another go at the score in a less 'boomy' acoustic.
Although Ashley Wass will do! Or someone just as good.
I LOVE the score!

Grazioso

Anyone read any of Bax's literary works? Worth seeking out?
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

cilgwyn

A very interesting question. Anyone here READ Bax?!!!

Dundonnell

Quote from: snyprrr on May 10, 2011, 08:35:01 PM
Is there a Bax work that sounds like Faure?

His Variations on the name 'Gabriel Faure' for string orchestra and harp  :)

Dundonnell

#453
I certainly don't think anybody could claim that Bax had not been treated pretty well in recent times by the record companies. I have just counted 31 cds on my shelves of Bax orchestral and choral music plus almost another 10 LPs....I am not even a great Bax fan :D  Symphonic cycles by Thomson, Handley, Lloyd-Jones plus the Lyrita symphonies.
All manner of pieces orchestrated, realised or completed by Graham Parlett.


...but where is the Rhapsody for viola and orchestra??

Dundonnell

#454
Quote from: Grazioso on August 03, 2011, 06:51:43 AM
Don't know if this has been linked here yet:

Vernon Handley rehearsing "The Garden of Fand"

http://www.youtube.com/v/KxL5kkkhEwQ

Interesting video. Nice to see Handley again when in good health. It's so sad that he suffered such serious health problems over the years.

Reminds one too just how much a disciple of Sir Adrian Boult he was.

vandermolen

Very nice clip of Handley rehearsing Bax - he seems to have a very nice way with the orchestra - no Fritz Reiner type 'Reign of Terror' there.
"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).

Mirror Image

#456
I've been getting back into Bax again and I have to say I'm glad I am, because his music is so gorgeous and yet it can be very passionate and fiery as well. I'm making my way through the orchestral series on Chandos (w/ Thomson or Handley conducting), then I'm going to go through the symphonies again, but this time with Thomson instead of Handley.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on August 09, 2011, 06:33:21 PM
I've been getting back into Bax again and I have to say I'm glad I am, because his music is so gorgeous and yet it can be very passionate and fiery as well. I'm making my way through the orchestral series on Chandos (w/ Thomson or Handley conducting), then I'm going to go through the symphonies again, but this time with Thomson instead of Handley.

The CD with Christmas Eve and Nympholept etc on is my favourite in that series.
"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).

Lethevich

Quote from: vandermolen on August 09, 2011, 11:45:54 PM
The CD with Christmas Eve and Nympholept etc on is my favourite in that series.

Yes! The best :3
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on August 09, 2011, 11:45:54 PM
The CD with Christmas Eve and Nympholept etc on is my favourite in that series.

Yes, it's excellent, Jeffery.