William Alwyn

[Scion7]

Swiss Family Robinson   1960  - now, this is a score that works best along with the movie rather than 'standalone' in my opinion - whereas Odd Man Out Suite  works as just a wonderful piece of music.  So does Fallen Idol.

[vandermolen]

Swiss Family Robinson   1960  - now, this is a score that works best along with the movie rather than 'standalone' in my opinion - whereas Odd Man Out Suite  works as just a wonderful piece of music.  So does Fallen Idol.

'Odd Man Out' is a marvellous score - a kind of doomed processional which reminds me of the Road to Calvary sequence from Miklos Rosza's score for 'Ben Hur'.

[Scion7]

This week I've been on an Alwyn review - been a while since I listened to him.  Strong composer - very little that I have heard do I rate less than very good - mostly the film scores that are more bland than his masterful ones.

The Concerto Grosso Nr.3 (1964) is a fine piece of the mature composer. 

[Scion7]

Alwyn with his first wife, Olive Pull

and wife no.2, the composer Doreen Carwithen (aka Mary Alwyn) - significantly younger than Bill.

[Mirror Image]

Alwyn is a composer that had impressed me in the past. I need to revisit his music. What series do you guys prefer: Hickox on Chandos or Lloyd-Jones on Naxos? The reason I'm asking is I own both. I remember the Hickox being my favorite.

[André]

The Lyrita recordings under the composer are a must and a benchmark. Plus, they are gorgeously played and recorded.

[Mirror Image]

The Lyrita recordings under the composer are a must and a benchmark. Plus, they are gorgeously played and recorded.

Well, I don't own those and don't feel I need any more Alwyn at this juncture plus I asked about Hickox and Lloyd-Jones since these are the recordings I own.

[Scion7]

All three are very fine - I can't really choose one over the other.
For authenticity, the ones on Lyrita under the Composer Himself. 

Naxos may have a slightly better sound sonically, but it won't be much as the Chandos sounds really good, too.

[vandermolen]

I have a useful old CD guide at home called 'Third Ear' edited by Alexander Morin whose views I trust and tend to agree with. Here are his recommendations for Alwyn symphonies written before the Naxos cycle appeared:

Symphony 1: Hickox (the best in his series)

Symphony 2: Alwyn (the best in his series of recordings) but the Hickox is very good too - a bit slower and more moulded, concentrated and insightful but not as large-scale and powerful as Alwyn's recording.

Symphony 3: Hickox has a slightly more cohesive hold.

Symphony 4: Hickox is slightly more expansive and gripping than Alwyn.

Symphony 5: both Alwyn and Hickox give fine performances with Hickox a bit weightier and more cogent.

So, on balance Hickox is the No.1 choice and personally I don't think that the Naxos cycle changes this even though I enjoy those recordings too and love the combination of symphonies 2,5 and Lyra Angelica on the first release of that cycle. Frankly all three cycles are excellent but I would go for the Hickox cycle. I would not, however, want to be without Alwyn's own recording of Symphony 2 (my first experience of the composer's music on a Lyrita LP) and the Lyrita CD featuring symphonies 2,3 and 5 on a single CD is a winner. Unlike John I like historical recordings and was delighted to find a historic CD (Dutton/Barbirolli Society) of Barbirolli (the dedicatee of Symphony 1) conducting symphonies 1 and 2 complete with old BBC radio announcements (great photo of Alwyn and his record player on the cover). There is a biography of Alwyn called 'The Innumerable Dance' by Adrian Wright. It was well reviewed although I haven't read it yet. This review is interesting!

http://www.john-robert-brown.com/the-innumerable-dance.htm

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[Mirror Image]

I have a useful old CD guide at home called 'Third Ear' edited by Alexander Morin whose views I trust and tend to agree with. Here are his recommendations for Alwyn symphonies written before the Naxos cycle appeared:

Symphony 1: Hickox (the best in his series)

Symphony 2: Alwyn (the best in his series of recordings) but the Hickox is very good too - a bit slower and more moulded, concentrated and insightful but not as large-scale and powerful as Alwyn's recording.

Symphony 3: Hickox has a slightly more cohesive hold.

Symphony 4: Hickox is slightly more expansive and gripping than Alwyn.

Symphony 5: both Alwyn and Hickox give fine performances with Hickox a bit weightier and more cogent.

So, on balance Hickox is the No.1 choice and personally I don't think that the Naxos cycle changes this even though I enjoy those recordings too and love the combination of symphonies 2,5 and Lyra Angelica on the first release of that cycle. Frankly all three cycles are excellent but I would go for the Hickox cycle. I would not, however, want to be without Alwyn's own recording of Symphony 2 (my first experience of the composer's music on a Lyrita LP) and the Lyrita CD featuring symphonies 2,3 and 5 on a single CD is a winner. Unlike John I like historical recordings and was delighted to find a historic CD (Dutton/Barbirolli Society) of Barbirolli (the dedicatee of Symphony 1) conducting symphonies 1 and 2 complete with old BBC radio announcements (great photo of Alwyn and his record player on the cover). There is a biography of Alwyn called 'The Innumerable Dance' by Adrian Wright. It was well reviewed although I haven't read it yet. This review is interesting!

http://www.john-robert-brown.com/the-innumerable-dance.htm

[asin]B000BRPXNG[/asin]

All three are very fine - I can't really choose one over the other.
For authenticity, the ones on Lyrita under the Composer Himself. 

Naxos may have a slightly better sound sonically, but it won't be much as the Chandos sounds really good, too.

Thanks guys. It looks like I didn't misremember when I said Hickox was my favorite. Two of my favorite Alwyn works are Pastoral Fantasia and Lyrica Angelica.

[Scion7]

Of the many very fine chamber works, the first movement of the Sonatina for Violin and Piano (1933) is sure to bring a smile to anyone that is not sitting around dressed like Genghiz Khan, snorting cocaine (to nick a phrase from another listener) and refusing to listen to anything beyond Stockhausen.

And thankfully Alwyn was not able to get his revisionist, self-destructive mits on the score for this and burn it like he did with so many other early works ...

[vandermolen]

Thanks guys. It looks like I didn't misremember when I said Hickox was my favorite. Two of my favorite Alwyn works are Pastoral Fantasia and Lyrica Angelica.

I assume that you have this great disc John:
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[vandermolen]

Of the many very fine chamber works, the first movement of the Sonatina for Violin and Piano (1933) is sure to bring a smile to anyone that is not sitting around dressed like Genghiz Khan, snorting cocaine and refusing to listen to anything beyond Stockhausen.

And thankfully Alwyn was not able to get his revisionist, self-destructive mits on the score for this and burn it like he did with so many other early works ...

Thanks very much for the recommendation. I've just ordered this for under £2.00:
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[Mirror Image]

I assume that you have this great disc John:
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Yep, that's a great recording indeed, Jeffrey.

[Scion7]

[Scion7]

[vandermolen]

Have discovered how good Alwyn's Violin Concerto is. Not sure why I never listened to it before. Actually I have just read through the thread and note that I had listened to it before ( ) thanks to John's (MI) recommendation but for some reason the Naxos CD has made an even greater impression on me. A beautiful and soulful lyrical work from 1937-39. It was never performed live and was rejected by the BBC (typical!) I think that it is his finest concerto alongside Lyra Angelica. There is a recording on Chandos too (the one I listened to before) but this is a fine CD.
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[Mirror Image]

Have discovered how good Alwyn's Violin Concerto is. Not sure why I never listened to it before. Actually I have just read through the thread and note that I had listened to it before ( ) thanks to John's (MI) recommendation but for some reason the Naxos CD has made an even greater impression on me. A beautiful and soulful lyrical work from 1937-39. It was never performed live and was rejected by the BBC (typical!) I think that it is his finest concerto alongside Lyra Angelica. There is a recording on Chandos too (the one I listened to before) but this is a fine CD.
[asin]B004OZRPIM[/asin]

It's funny you mentioned this recording, Jeffrey, because it's the ONLY one I'm missing from the Lloyd-Jones series. Your enthusiasm has certainly sparked my own interest. Thanks!

[vandermolen]

It's funny you mentioned this recording, Jeffrey, because it's the ONLY one I'm missing from the Lloyd-Jones series. Your enthusiasm has certainly sparked my own interest. Thanks!

I think you'd enjoy it John. The Miss Julie Suite is worthwhile too. One of my most listened to CDs at the moment.

[Mirror Image]

I think you'd enjoy it John. The Miss Julie Suite is worthwhile too. One of my most listened to CDs at the moment.

Great to hear, Jeffrey.