Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

[Mirror Image]

I can't get enough especially of A Celtic Symphony. It's an authentic tapestry of Celtic sounds and fine filigree of themes and tunes.

Same here. I think it's a marvelous work and I'll definitely be revisiting (probably tomorrow).

There are 2 versions of it, one almost complete on 2 discs in great sound, the other absolutely complete on 4 discs (+other material, all of which is already in the Hyperion box) in quite good sound. Although this may appear like too much of a good thing, the complete Omar is a fascinating work. The treatment of the oriental subject by Bantock is luxuriant, very evocative, with some stunning moments.

The 4-disc Lyrita set is actually cheaper than the 2-cd one on Chandos.

Thanks, Andre. I'll probably spring for the Handley if I do decide to get it. The fidelity on the Lyrita set isn't that great.

[Roasted Swan]

Here's a quote from the Presto website:

"The first edition of Fitzgerald's verse translation of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám" had been on the scene since the mid-nineteenth century. By the end of that century it had achieved fiv e editions and quasi-Shakespearean status. The quatrains are rich in quotations — extracts eventually took up multiple columns in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. The subject matter was also daringly anti-religious and must have had an appeal to the increasingly literate, sceptical, and professional classes. Havergal Brian quotes Ernest Newman on the subject of Bantock's Omar: "...it brings into English secular music, for the first time, the thoughts and feelings of men brought up in the full tide of modern culture and modern humanism."

The work is scored for three soloists, a large chorus and a very large orchestra. The strings are divided into two complete string orchestras, one on either side of the conductor, a device by which Bantock procured a number of new a nd subtle effects. In the first decade of the twentieth century no other secularphilosophical work existed on such a scale.

Omar was widely performed during the first half of the 20th century, but since Bantock's death in 1946, performances have been dependent on anniversaries and external historic events.

This studio recording was the product of 11 years planning by a single BBC producer determined to preserve one of the most astounding choral works ever created. It remains, 37 years later, the only complete recording ever made of the work."

Some very interesting points made there.  I read the final two lines about 11 years of planning and offer (another!) prayer of thanks for the BBC.  For the music collector - and espeically anyone interested in Bantock - I think the BBC/Lyrita recording is an obligatory purchase.  I think I prefer Del Mar's performance in any case regardless of sonic quality.

[vandermolen]

Same here. I think it's a marvelous work and I'll definitely be revisiting (probably tomorrow).

Thanks, Andre. I'll probably spring for the Handley if I do decide to get it. The fidelity on the Lyrita set isn't that great.

Big thumbs up for the Celtic Symphony - which I've seen live  0:)

[aligreto]

Cross posting from the Listening Thread:





Cello Sonata in B minor: This is a terrific work and it was a wonderful discovery for me. The opening movement is marked by passion and intensity. It is exciting and dramatic and the two instrumentalists create a sound world greater than their individual contributing parts. This is a tour de force performance! The second, slow movement is intensely atmospheric. Both the music and its performance have a great presence. Its intensity has great appeal. The animated third movement flits about and it is very engaging. The final movement is atmospheric. It is somewhat dark hued but always very engaging. This is my first time hearing this work and the two instrumentalists here present the work very well indeed.

Cello Sonata in F# minor: I like the conversational tone between the two instruments in the first movement and how it occasionally becomes slightly argumentative. I like the elements of intensity and tension in the music. The tone of the slow movement is considerably more relaxed but the elements of intensity and tension are still there in the music. I really like the music and its tone in the final movement. I find it to be very engaging and somewhat questioning and doubting in nature. There is a rather wonderful cello bravura section towards the conclusion of this really wonderful work.

Cello Sonata in Gm for solo cello: I like this music a lot. I find it to be very engaging. It has a strong voice but it is not assertive. It is a soliloquy that one is interested in hearing. That is aided by a very fine performance. The final movement is wonderfully animated but who does not like an exciting story? I find it to be a wonderful piece that is regrettably all too short.

Hamabdil for cello and harp: This is a very attractive, lyrical and elegiac work. I like the combination of instruments. It works very well here and they are both excellently played.

Pibroch for cello and harp: This is a lament-like work. It is very lyrical, expressive and atmospheric. The cello has a wonderful and plaintive singing voice to it, the quality of the playing is that fine. There is a very Scottish and Celtic flavour to this work. The Irish word for a piper is píobaire so this music must have that connection in its provenance.

Elegiac Poem for cello and piano: This is a short work but it is packed with emotion, lyricism and intensity.



The music here is of a consistently high quality and the performances by Fuller, Dussek and Wakeford are also of a consistently high quality. I was very taken by this CD.

[aligreto]

Cross Posts from the Listening Thread:





A Celtic Symphony: The opening movement is quite atmospheric in tone with some fine string writing. The tempo and intensity are taken up a couple of notches in the second movement. This movement leaves me with the impression of an eerie spectral dance scene by moonlight. Once again the third, slow movement is quite atmospheric. The short fourth movement is another dance-like routine, this time a more animated one. One can hear the strong influence of Scottish folk music in the articulation and accents of the music in the final movement. This music is an interesting listen but I do believe that his tonal palette, in this music, was too restricted by his omission of woodwinds.

The Witch of Atlas: This work is lyrical and well orchestrated but it is a bit too melodramatic and heavily saccharine coated for my taste. There is a touch of welcome tension and drama dotted here and there, however.

The Sea Rivers: This is a short but engaging work with a good sense of atmosphere in it. I like the brass scoring.

A Hebridean Symphony: This is a wonderfully atmospheric work. It is ominous and gloomy sounding for a large part but it is never dull or boring. On the contrary, I find it to be quite engaging and evocative of the stormy maritime scene it was intended to be and also the power of the sea in general. The orchestration is terrific and it is successful in creating great tension and drama where required. There is great brass scoring throughout. The premise of the work, it appears to me, is the calm and serene sea which whips up into a raging storm and then finally subsides into calm and serenity again. It is wonderfully done.

[aligreto]

Cross Posts from the Listening Thread:





Pagan Symphony: This work is very atmospheric and quite dramatic and exciting in places. It is a musical story well presented. I like Bantock's scoring throughout the work with the exception of the solo violin voice in the second movement which comes across to me as being too weak. Otherwise wonderful scoring throughout. The conclusion is big, bold and dramatic.

Fifine at the Fair: There is a really wonderful and enchanting opening to this music. It conjures up a mystical image in my mind's eye. The music swells into an orchestral tutti with occasional concertante offerings but the atmosphere basically remains the same. The tone and atmosphere of the second movement is diametrically opposite to that of the first movement. It is raucous, animated and exuberant evoking the atmosphere of the fair. Firfine's dance is elegant and beguiling, then emotionally intense and then back again. Elvire's theme is an interesting listen with its interesting scoring. I like the interesting conversation at the beginning between the cello and the violin. The music develops into a powerful and atmospheric piece of orchestral writing. The Epilogue ties up and closes out this fine work very well.

Cuchulainn's Lament: A short work with atmospheric and dramatic music that is not melodramatic.
Kishmull's Galley: This is music with a big, expansive vista. I like the orchestration; it is very strong and solid.

[vandermolen]

Cross Posts from the Listening Thread:





A Celtic Symphony: The opening movement is quite atmospheric in tone with some fine string writing. The tempo and intensity are taken up a couple of notches in the second movement. This movement leaves me with the impression of an eerie spectral dance scene by moonlight. Once again the third, slow movement is quite atmospheric. The short fourth movement is another dance-like routine, this time a more animated one. One can hear the strong influence of Scottish folk music in the articulation and accents of the music in the final movement. This music is an interesting listen but I do believe that his tonal palette, in this music, was too restricted by his omission of woodwinds.

The Witch of Atlas: This work is lyrical and well orchestrated but it is a bit too melodramatic and heavily saccharine coated for my taste. There is a touch of welcome tension and drama dotted here and there, however.

The Sea Rivers: This is a short but engaging work with a good sense of atmosphere in it. I like the brass scoring.

A Hebridean Symphony: This is a wonderfully atmospheric work. It is ominous and gloomy sounding for a large part but it is never dull or boring. On the contrary, I find it to be quite engaging and evocative of the stormy maritime scene it was intended to be and also the power of the sea in general. The orchestration is terrific and it is successful in creating great tension and drama where required. There is great brass scoring throughout. The premise of the work, it appears to me, is the calm and serene sea which whips up into a raging storm and then finally subsides into calm and serenity again. It is wonderfully done.

Interesting reviews Fergus. The Hebridean, Celtic and Pagan symphonies are my favourites. I'd also recommend Symphony No.3 on a different CD.

[aligreto]

Interesting reviews Fergus. The Hebridean, Celtic and Pagan symphonies are my favourites. I'd also recommend Symphony No.3 on a different CD.

Thank you for the recommendation, Jeffrey.

[Maestro267]

Great posts, aligreto! I need to dive back into Bantock's repertoire. While we're at it, I'm going to recommend another disc from that Hyperion series, the one with Thalaba the Destroyer on it. More in the "heroic" vein of symphonies/tone poems like Manfred and Il'ya Muromets, but still magnificently orchestrated and recorded.

I've looked occasionally at Omar Khayyam but I'm kinda daunted by it. It's well over 2 and a half hours but it doesn't seem like it's an opera nor an oratorio, with narrative and dramatic momentum. Unless it is and I'm mistaken.

[aligreto]

Great posts, aligreto! I need to dive back into Bantock's repertoire. While we're at it, I'm going to recommend another disc from that Hyperion series, the one with Thalaba the Destroyer on it. More in the "heroic" vein of symphonies/tone poems like Manfred and Il'ya Muromets, but still magnificently orchestrated and recorded.

I've looked occasionally at Omar Khayyam but I'm kinda daunted by it. It's well over 2 and a half hours but it doesn't seem like it's an opera nor an oratorio, with narrative and dramatic momentum. Unless it is and I'm mistaken.

Thank you also for the recommendation.
I do not know Omar Khayyam and I am not sure whether to be intrigued or daunted myself. 

[Biffo]

Great posts, aligreto! I need to dive back into Bantock's repertoire. While we're at it, I'm going to recommend another disc from that Hyperion series, the one with Thalaba the Destroyer on it. More in the "heroic" vein of symphonies/tone poems like Manfred and Il'ya Muromets, but still magnificently orchestrated and recorded.

I've looked occasionally at Omar Khayyam but I'm kinda daunted by it. It's well over 2 and a half hours but it doesn't seem like it's an opera nor an oratorio, with narrative and dramatic momentum. Unless it is and I'm mistaken.

I was intrigued by Omar Khayyam after hearing the excerpts on the Thalaba disc and eventually bought the whole thing. Unfortunately, I have never got to the end of it despite several tries - it just seems interminable. Listen to any section and it sounds ravishing but eventually it palls and begins to sound the same. The work must have its enthusiasts as they persuaded Hyperion to record the work.

[Maestro267]

Maybe the excerpts Hyperion recorded are the best bits.

[Biffo]

Maybe the excerpts Hyperion recorded are the best bits.

Not really, just a couple of short orchestral bits - less than 15 mins in total

[Mirror Image]

I'll have to dig my Bantock Hyperion box set back out. I do rather like some of Bantock's music. I remember being particularly impressed the most with the recording of A Celtic Symphony (plus other works):



I was particularly impressed with the miniature The Sea Reivers, which has a certain Straussian exuberance that I personally can't resist.

[Symphonic Addict]

The Celtic is, by far, the best Bantock I've ever heard. In other of his works there is no that melodic wealth that is present in the aforementioned piece, and they tend to get a little unfocused as they unfold.

[Symphonic Addict]

Recently, I had discovered this enchanting choral work: Sea Wanderers

https://www.youtube.com/v/k0MCeehcbgM

A very fine piece, there are some ecstatic and magical moments that don't leave you indifferent to the music.

[Symphonic Addict]

A live concert with his Pagan Symphony:

https://www.youtube.com/v/-L9t9adqkGc

[Albion]

On the basis that you can't have too much of a good thing, here are three more performances to supplement Handley's Hyperion recording of the "Pagan Symphony" (1923-28). The work was derived largely from the composer's unfinished "The Festival of Pan", which was the intended second part to follow on from "Pan in Arcady" (published in 1915 and performed in 1919). The Handley and Downes performances are generally very good but Bostock and Seal get more Straussian swagger out of this lovely score. Downes is with the BBC PO in 1984, Michael Seal is with the BBC SO in 2016 and Douglas Bostock is with the Argovia PO in 2018. My favourite is the Seal as due prominence is given to the celeste and harp and the final section fizzes. Both Sibelius and Bantock dedicated works to each other - the Finnish composer his 3rd Symphony and Bantock his "Overture to a Greek Tragedy" (which was the only real failure in Handley's otherwise magnificent set, much better is Nicholas Braithwaite's Lyrita version as Handley takes the central allegro at half-speed)...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/vjbslt659x3ue/Bantock+-+Pagan+Symphony+(1923-28)

 

[foxandpeng]

On the basis that you can't have too much of a good thing, here are three more performances to supplement Handley's Hyperion recording of the "Pagan Symphony" (1923-28). The work was derived largely from the composer's unfinished "The Festival of Pan", which was the intended second part to follow on from "Pan in Arcady" (published in 1915 and performed in 1919). The Handley and Downes performances are generally very good but Bostock and Seal get more Straussian swagger out of this lovely score. Downes is with the BBC PO in 1984, Michael Seal is with the BBC SO in 2016 and Douglas Bostock is with the Argovia PO in 2018. My favourite is the Seal as due prominence is given to the celeste and harp and the final section fizzes. Both Sibelius and Bantock dedicated works to each other - the Finnish composer his 3rd Symphony and Bantock his "Overture to a Greek Tragedy" (which was the only real failure in Handley's otherwise magnificent set, much better is Nicholas Braithwaite's Lyrita version as Handley takes the central allegro at half-speed)...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/vjbslt659x3ue/Bantock+-+Pagan+Symphony+(1923-28)

 

Thanks for this

[vandermolen]

On the basis that you can't have too much of a good thing, here are three more performances to supplement Handley's Hyperion recording of the "Pagan Symphony" (1923-28). The work was derived largely from the composer's unfinished "The Festival of Pan", which was the intended second part to follow on from "Pan in Arcady" (published in 1915 and performed in 1919). The Handley and Downes performances are generally very good but Bostock and Seal get more Straussian swagger out of this lovely score. Downes is with the BBC PO in 1984, Michael Seal is with the BBC SO in 2016 and Douglas Bostock is with the Argovia PO in 2018. My favourite is the Seal as due prominence is given to the celeste and harp and the final section fizzes. Both Sibelius and Bantock dedicated works to each other - the Finnish composer his 3rd Symphony and Bantock his "Overture to a Greek Tragedy" (which was the only real failure in Handley's otherwise magnificent set, much better is Nicholas Braithwaite's Lyrita version as Handley takes the central allegro at half-speed)...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/vjbslt659x3ue/Bantock+-+Pagan+Symphony+(1923-28)

 

Most interesting - just ordered the Bostock CD (with an Amazon voucher). Bostock is underrated. There is a fine 'Job' by Vaughan Williams and I admire his ClassicO CD of Bax's 6th Symphony and Tintagel more than most - also there is a fine Novak CD on Alto.