Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

[Scion7]

. . . "I wrote chamber music, too!!"

Two Meditations for Violin & Piano, unpub
String Qt in c, 1900, arr. str orch as In the Far West, 1912;
Sonata, vc, pf, 1900 - early draft, rev. 1940;
Pibroch, for Harp and Cello, 1917;
Sonata for Viola & Piano, 1919;
Elegiac Poem for vc (or vn) & Piano, 1900;
Fanfare for 4 Trumpets, 1921;
Sonata for Cello solo in g, 1924;
Salve Regina, string trio, 1924;
Sonata for Violin & Piano #1, 1929;
Sonata for Violin & Piano #2, 1930;
Pagan Poem, for Flute & Piano, 1930;
String Quartet 'In a Chinese Mirror', 1933;
Sonata for Violin & Piano in C (No.3), 1940;
Cello Sonata in b, 1940;
Cello Sonata in f#, 1944;
Sonata for Cello & Piano, 1945

       <-- performed on Gustav Holtz's viola, if that is important to you 

      Piano Music
Grand Galop for Piano; unpub
Allegro in g for Piano; unpub
Polonaise for Piano; unpub
Piano Album-Rhapsody, Meditation, Fantasie;
Twelve Piano pieces;
Melody in Eb for Piano;
Two Albums for Piano-Silhouettes, Miniatures;
Two Piano pieces-Reverie in Eb, Barcarolle in f;

[Scion7]

btw, the Pagan Poem for flute and piano (1930) is one of the most successful pieces of its type - lovely, mystic . . .

[cilgwyn]

Yes, I agree about the Tempest although I like the Charles Groves version too. Back to Bantock, my favourite works are the Hebridean and Celtic symphonies. Do you know Omar Khayyam?

There's an interesting and entertaining Bantock discography here:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/bantock/bantdisc.htm

I did say I would reply,and it's taken a while (apologies,I've been offline since my,horrid old pc broke down.....thank goodness,in a way,I might add!!)  but I must admit I just can't get anywhere much with Bantock's Omar Khayyam! I have tried!!! The recording I have is the Radio 3 recording,courtesy of the Art Music Forum. I see it's being released by Lyrita as part of a 4cd set. Wow! I could almost buy it for the cover art!! Bad news you've got to wait until July,vandermolen!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Granville-Bantock-Complete-Omar-Khayy%C3%A1m/dp/B01E8UMOFQ/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1461160510&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=bantock+omar+khayyam

[cilgwyn]

That's a lovely cd of chamber music by Bantock and Holbrooke Scion7. I've got it and I like the Holbrooke too. I seem to be in a minority who actually like allot of Holbrooke's music! If anyone else here does,this is,imo,the most enyoyable version of 'The Grasshopper',in it's various guises I also like the other  EM cd with Bantock's Sonata No 3,the Cyril Scott Sonata for Viola and Piano (1953) and the Roger Sacheverell Coke Sonata No1 for Violin and Piano,which,like the Piano music on the Somm cd of Coke,is a fantastic and fascinating find. Both these EM cds are thoroughly recommendable. The booklet notes included with the Bantock Scott Coke cd is particularly fine with some nice photos;one of them showing Bantock.Holbrooke and Scott,looking very dapper indeed,in front of Harlech Castle c1919. (Have you seen that one vandermolen?!) And,judging from the booklet notes with the EM & Somm cd and the photos therein,there's a whole movie waiting to be made about Coke. What a story!!

[Maestro267]

Two reasons to resurrect this thread:

1. Has anyone heard the Lyrita recording of Omar Khayyam? Thoughts?

2. We're approaching the 70th anniversary of his death, in October.

[cilgwyn]

. . . "I wrote chamber music, too!!"

Two Meditations for Violin & Piano, unpub
String Qt in c, 1900, arr. str orch as In the Far West, 1912;
Sonata, vc, pf, 1900 - early draft, rev. 1940;
Pibroch, for Harp and Cello, 1917;
Sonata for Viola & Piano, 1919;
Elegiac Poem for vc (or vn) & Piano, 1900;
Fanfare for 4 Trumpets, 1921;
Sonata for Cello solo in g, 1924;
Salve Regina, string trio, 1924;
Sonata for Violin & Piano #1, 1929;
Sonata for Violin & Piano #2, 1930;
Pagan Poem, for Flute & Piano, 1930;
String Quartet 'In a Chinese Mirror', 1933;
Sonata for Violin & Piano in C (No.3), 1940;
Cello Sonata in b, 1940;
Cello Sonata in f#, 1944;
Sonata for Cello & Piano, 1945

       <-- performed on Gustav Holtz's viola, if that is important to you 

      Piano Music
Grand Galop for Piano; unpub
Allegro in g for Piano; unpub
Polonaise for Piano; unpub
Piano Album-Rhapsody, Meditation, Fantasie;
Twelve Piano pieces;
Melody in Eb for Piano;
Two Albums for Piano-Silhouettes, Miniatures;
Two Piano pieces-Reverie in Eb, Barcarolle in f;

I have to say,I think that is a fantastic cd. The booklet is first class too!
I also like the other EM cd with Bantock,Scott and Sacheverell Coke on it. Incidentally,and for anyone who does like Holbrooke,;Cpo are releasing a cd of his Violin Concerto (The grasshopper) in it's orchestral guise (and some other works) at the end of this month. You can see it on the Jpc website now. Nice Cpo choice of artwork (imho) as usual!

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/joseph-holbrooke-violinkonzert-op-59-the-grasshopper/hnum/4100515

[cilgwyn]

Two reasons to resurrect this thread:

1. Has anyone heard the Lyrita recording of Omar Khayyam? Thoughts?

2. We're approaching the 70th anniversary of his death, in October.

I'll repeat this post. I must admit I'm not too keen on this work. (I don't have the cd set;but I do have an off air recording.) But that's just me! Some people regard it as Bantock's greatest work. I prefer his orchestral works. The Pagan Symphony being my favourite. Incidentally,and I know I'm in the minority here.......I actually prefer Holbrooke!! And thank you Cpo for coming up trumps. Two new Holbrooke cd's?!!!
It would be nice if some cd label would record some more Bantock. Perhaps Vernon Handley's magnificent Hyperion recordings have put them off a bit? They feel they couldn't do anything that would be as good? Or maybe it is just funding? There are interesting sounding works that remain unrecorded. I recently enjoyed the two excerpts from his Pilgrims Progress,that were coupled with Vaughan Williams on the Albion label. The sound quality was pretty good for the late nineteen twenties!! I feel this might be an interesting work to record,if the rest is as good?!

[vandermolen]

I have the new Lyrita but have not listened to it properly yet (it is four CDs). I partly wanted it for the orchestral fillers, especially Fifine at the Fair which is a fine score despite its unpromising title. The Celtic, Hebriddean and Pagan symphonies are my favourites by Bantock.

[Mirror Image]

The Celtic, Hebriddean and Pagan symphonies are my favourites by Bantock.

I'm inclined to agree with you here, but, even though it's length keeps it from being anywhere near substantial, I really love the rush I get from The Sea Reivers.

[Maestro267]

My favourite Bantock work rotates frequently between the Hebridean Symphony and Thalaba the Destroyer.

[vandermolen]

My favourite Bantock work rotates frequently between the Hebridean Symphony and Thalaba the Destroyer.

Yes, Thalaba the Destroyer (great title!) is a fine work too.

[SymphonicAddict]

I just listened to A Celtic Symphony. A fine example of nature beauty, beautiful and strong warriors, dances with the sea waves, evocative in her most! This was a splendid experience! I enjoy each second of this wonder

[SymphonicAddict]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqpgjQE1GWQ

Interesting documentary about his life and work

[vandermolen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqpgjQE1GWQ

Interesting documentary about his life and work

Very interesting documentary - thanks for posting it.
I agree that works like the Hebridean Symphony and Celtic Symphony should be far better known. I was very fortunate to hear the latter live in concert a couple of years ago. The fact than Bantock asks for eight harps in the score (I think) makes it difficult to put on, otherwise I'm sure that it would be much better known - as it should be. His Pagan Symphony is another work I like very much. The fact that Sibelius's Third Symphony is dedicated to Bantock tells us something about his stature in the early Twentieth Century. I was fascinated to hear, in the documentary, that he had played chess with Prokofiev when the Russian composer visited Birmingham!

[Scion7]

Interesting. Thanks.

[vandermolen]

It's odd but I prefer the Naxos version of the Hebridean Symphony with Adrian Leaper conducting the Czechoslovak Philharmonic Orchestra to Vernon Handley's polished and award winning recording on Hyperion. Maybe this is because it has a more rough-and-ready feel to it which I think suits the music and I find it more atmospheric. Also I came to know and admire this symphony through an LP where it was performed by the Hull City Youth Orchestra and maybe the Naxos reminds me of that. Adrian Leaper gets very good results with lesser-known orchestras, for example his excellent recording of Walton's First Symphony with the Orchestra of Grand Canary:
[asin]B00005AYEO[/asin]

[cilgwyn]

Very interesting! His Holbrooke Marco Polo recordings have got some drubbings,but I find the performances have an atmosphere and conviction  that in their rough and ready way,seem to missing from the more polished Cpo recordings,which ARE very good by the way!!
Going back to the Bantock! I remember when I heard the Hyperion recording the brass just seem to blaze out. They sounded like muffled raspberries on the Marco Polo recording,by comparison. Subsequently,I disposed of the Marco Polo cd with Father Christmas on the front!!
In hindsight,I think you may be right? Maybe there was more of a feeling for mystery and atmosphere in the earlier recording? It won't break the bank to pick this up secondhand and find out!!
I still prefer the old Hull Youth recordings of Brian's In Memoriam and Festal Dance (with that wacky piano) by the way.

[cilgwyn]

I was thinking .....to pinch your wording......."it's odd but I (think) I prefer this version of the Pagan Symphony to Vernon Handley's more "polished" Hyperion recording. The 'fill-ups' certainly make it for me,anyway! Tintagel,the Northern Ballads 2 & 3. Absolutely excellent choices. They all have that legendary atmosphere. A wonderful,escapist collection of late romanticism. I also like his performances of Rutland Boughton symphonies on the same label. Boughton's Second Symphony is a lovely work,which also shares that legendary quality,evoking a remote,mystic past, The second movement is particularly beautiful. On this basis,I only wish Edward Downes could have recorded more of this repertoire.

[vandermolen]

Very interesting! His Holbrooke Marco Polo recordings have got some drubbings,but I find the performances have an atmosphere and conviction  that in their rough and ready way,seem to missing from the more polished Cpo recordings,which ARE very good by the way!!
Going back to the Bantock! I remember when I heard the Hyperion recording the brass just seem to blaze out. They sounded like muffled raspberries on the Marco Polo recording,by comparison. Subsequently,I disposed of the Marco Polo cd with Father Christmas on the front!!
In hindsight,I think you may be right? Maybe there was more of a feeling for mystery and atmosphere in the earlier recording? It won't break the bank to pick this up secondhand and find out!!
I still prefer the old Hull Youth recordings of Brian's In Memoriam and Festal Dance (with that wacky piano) by the way.

Thanks for the response. I wish the Hull Youth Orchestra version of the Hebridean Symphony was on CD like the Leicestershire Youth Orchestra recordings of Havergal Brian. I think that Leaper's Czechoslovak recording of the Hebridean Symphony conveys a greater sense of discovery than the Hyperion recording, although that is a very fine disc.

[vandermolen]

I was thinking .....to pinch your wording......."it's odd but I (think) I prefer this version of the Pagan Symphony to Vernon Handley's more "polished" Hyperion recording. The 'fill-ups' certainly make it for me,anyway! Tintagel,the Northern Ballads 2 & 3. Absolutely excellent choices. They all have that legendary atmosphere. A wonderful,escapist collection of late romanticism. I also like his performances of Rutland Boughton symphonies on the same label. Boughton's Second Symphony is a lovely work,which also shares that legendary quality,evoking a remote,mystic past, The second movement is particularly beautiful. On this basis,I only wish Edward Downes could have recorded more of this repertoire.

I'm inclined to agree with you. This was one of the rare successes in the BBC Radio Classics series along with Rozhdestvensky's fine recording of Vaughan Williams's 5th Symphony and Sancta Civitas.