Sir William Walton

Started by tjguitar, April 16, 2007, 09:15:49 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 7 Guests are viewing this topic.

Roasted Swan

Quote from: Irons on May 26, 2019, 11:36:45 PM
Chung is next on my list. Yesterday was the turn of Ida Haendel who shows the Walton violin concerto in the best possible light. Not as languorous as some in the first movement but she and Berglund are brilliant at the sudden changes of mood and tempo during the concerto as a whole. I am coming around to the thought this is a finer violin concerto then I gave credit for. More suited to Haendel then the coupling I think.



Haendel's is one of the great performances and Berglund/Bournemouth as good in this as they were in the Cello Concerto.  Shame those forces never made a commercial recording of either of the Symphonies .... perhaps there's an off-air version?  Gritty Berglund in Sibelian-mode would seem a shoe-in for Symphony 1.......

vandermolen

Quote from: Irons on May 26, 2019, 11:36:45 PM
Chung is next on my list. Yesterday was the turn of Ida Haendel who shows the Walton violin concerto in the best possible light. Not as languorous as some in the first movement but she and Berglund are brilliant at the sudden changes of mood and tempo during the concerto as a whole. I am coming around to the thought this is a finer violin concerto then I gave credit for. More suited to Haendel then the coupling I think.


The combination of Haendel and Berglund is excellent. Haedel's recordings of Pettersson's VC2 and Shostakovich VC1 are both favourites of mine.
"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).

Irons

#322
Have either of you heard Haendel/Berglund in the EMI Sibelius recording? Although receiving rave reviews I was initially  underwhelmed. I also felt the same with the slow-paced Elgar concerto (with Boult) but over time I have grown to appreciate the special qualities and understanding that Haendel brings to this work. I must return to the Sibelius.

I thought exactly the same hearing Berglund's committed direction in the Walton - Why no 1st Symphony?! 
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 May 27, 2019, 11:17:40 PM
Have either of you heard Haendel/Berglund in the EMI Sibelius recording? Although receiving rave reviews I was initially  underwhelmed. I also felt the same with the slow-paced Elgar concerto (with Boult) but over time I have grown to appreciate the special qualities and understanding that Haendel brings to this work. I must return to the Sibelius.

I thought exactly the same hearing Berglund's committed direction in the Walton - Why no 1st Symphony?!
No Lol but I just discovered it going very cheaply second-hand on Amazon, coupled with Symphony 7 and the Karelia Suite and Overture on the old HMV Classics label - so I have snapped it up!  ::)
"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).

Roasted Swan

Quote from: Irons on May 27, 2019, 11:17:40 PM
Have either of you heard Haendel/Berglund in the EMI Sibelius recording? Although receiving rave reviews I was initially  underwhelmed. I also felt the same with the slow-paced Elgar concerto (with Boult) but over time I have grown to appreciate the special qualities and understanding that Haendel brings to this work. I must return to the Sibelius.

I thought exactly the same hearing Berglund's committed direction in the Walton - Why no 1st Symphony?!

In bargain hunting mode just last week I picked up that Haendel/Sibelius on an odd EMI Sibelius compilation disc (with Barbirolli's Karelia and Beecham's 7th Symphony).  I'll listen to it today and get back to you.  there is another Haendel/Elgar concerto - live with John Pritchard and the BBC SO.  I must admit I do struggle with her very weighty approach there even though technically she is so fine.  But for sure one of the great players.

Another live recording of hers which always gets very good reviews is this

[asin]B002E9Y5NS[/asin]

a very generous coupling.  I've never managed to track down a reasonably priced copy so it stays on my stalked-discs list!

Roasted Swan

Quote from: vandermolen on May 27, 2019, 11:34:15 PM
No Lol but I just discovered it going very cheaply second-hand on Amazon, coupled with Symphony 7 and the Karelia Suite and Overture on the old HMV Classics label - so I have snapped it up!  ::)

Oops - didn't see this post when I mentioned the exact same disc below!

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on May 27, 2019, 11:47:31 PM
Oops - didn't see this post when I mentioned the exact same disc below!

Great minds etc
8)
"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).

Irons

I would be most interested in your comments on the Sibelius concerto. To avoid any confusion this is it.

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 May 28, 2019, 07:06:35 AM
I would be most interested in your comments on the Sibelius concerto. To avoid any confusion this is it.



Certainly, as soon as it turns up.
"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).

Roasted Swan

Quote from: Irons on May 28, 2019, 07:06:35 AM
I would be most interested in your comments on the Sibelius concerto. To avoid any confusion this is it.



Listened this morning to the Haendel/Sibelius.  I enjoyed it a lot.  NOT the most firey/dramatic version and certainly the Berglund/BSO accompaniment is 'toned down' from their cycle of Sibelius symphonies which remains one of my very favourite.  Tempi are steady but by no means slow.  Personally I do prefer a more impassioned approach perhaps because that's what I am most used to......

André

IMO Haendel's Sibelius is best heard in the Supraphon release under Ancerl.

PerfectWagnerite

#331
Quote from: kyjo on May 26, 2019, 08:53:14 AM
We should! Janine Jansen is an incredible violinist.

Not sure who is going to read your email though, the only one it seems like you can contact is her publicist.

Interestingly seems like the only non-British orchestra that has recorded the work is the Philadelphia Orchestra with Ormandy/Francescatti.

Irons

Quote from: Roasted Swan on May 28, 2019, 09:22:52 AM
Listened this morning to the Haendel/Sibelius.  I enjoyed it a lot.  NOT the most firey/dramatic version and certainly the Berglund/BSO accompaniment is 'toned down' from their cycle of Sibelius symphonies which remains one of my very favourite.  Tempi are steady but by no means slow.  Personally I do prefer a more impassioned approach perhaps because that's what I am most used to......

I am a big fan of the Bournemouth SO but I think on this occasion they had an off-day. Not only 'toned down' I also found the accompaniment earth bound. Only fair to point out I don't like Berglund's Sibelius as much as you but I realise I am in the minority there. For comparison purposes I also listened to Szeryng with the LSO directed by Roschdestwensky. Haendel has a lighter tone which is fine but comparing the Bournemouth SO and the LSO on this occasion there is only one winner and it isn't from the south coast.

I have a few of Haendel's Supraphon recordings but was unaware she recorded the Sibelius for them.
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

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on May 28, 2019, 11:55:03 AM
Interestingly seems like the only non-British orchestra that has recorded the work is the Philadelphia Orchestra with Ormandy/Francescatti.

Bell/Zinman/Baltimore
Ehnes/Tovey/Vancouver
Bowes/Swensen/Malmo Opera Orchestra
Judd/Rosand/Florida

for starters......



Daverz

#334
Quote from: Roasted Swan on May 28, 2019, 01:32:56 PM
Bell/Zinman/Baltimore
Ehnes/Tovey/Vancouver
Bowes/Swensen/Malmo Opera Orchestra
Judd/Rosand/Florida

for starters......

I'm reminded of the set out of New Haven:

[asin]B00O43D92U[/asin]

EDIT: here they are at Presto: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=walton+new+haven

vandermolen

Quote from: Daverz on May 29, 2019, 03:12:33 AM
I'm reminded of the set out of New Haven:

[asin]B00O43D92U[/asin]
Both fine performances IMO.
"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).

Irons

What a good idea to couple each symphony with a string concerto.

I did wonder what happened to William Boughton. He made some good recordings of English music for Nimbus in the mid-1980's.
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 May 29, 2019, 01:55:39 PM
What a good idea to couple each symphony with a string concerto.

I did wonder what happened to William Boughton. He made some good recordings of English music for Nimbus in the mid-1980's.

Here's his website. He looks quite perky.
I hadn't realised he was the conductor on the recent Lyrita release of John Joubert's Symphony 3:
https://williamboughton.com
"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).

Irons

Quote from: vandermolen on May 29, 2019, 11:35:32 PM
Here's his website. He looks quite perky.
I hadn't realised he was the conductor on the recent Lyrita release of John Joubert's Symphony 3:
https://williamboughton.com

Thanks for link, Jeffrey. Good to see he has built a career in the US which explains why he disappeared from the scene over here.
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.

Daverz

Quote from: vandermolen on May 29, 2019, 04:07:58 AM
Both fine performances IMO.

The New Haven Symphony is very good as is the Nimbus engineering.