The British Composers Thread

[Hector]

R3 has started to advertise Foulds' 'War Requiem,' unperformed since its first performance, today.

Sunday, be there or be...

[Mark]

R3 has started to advertise Foulds' 'War Requiem,' unperformed since its first performance, today.

Sunday, be there or be...

Thanks for the reminder.

[vandermolen]

The "Independent" (UK) had a big article about Foulds yesterday (Wednesday). I'm looking forward to the concert.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Found the Foulds article. Thanks for the hint! (The writer, Jessica Duchen, has also written an excellent book on Korngold, btw)

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article3136021.ece

[Grazioso]

Here's one:



A mid-Victorian woman symphonist (odd in itself) who actually got her works performed and applauded in her lifetime. Good stuff.

[karlhenning]

Oh, it would have been applauded, surely. The Victorians were nothing if not polite 

[Hector]

Found the Foulds article. Thanks for the hint! (The writer, Jessica Duchen, has also written an excellent book on Korngold, btw)

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article3136021.ece

Sorry, it is a 'World Requiem' and not a 'War Requiem.'

My error.

[karlhenning]

'World Requiem', death of the world?

Bummer.

[Hector]

'World Requiem', death of the world?

Bummer.

And for him, it was.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

A World War deserves a World Requiem.

[JoshLilly]

Oh, it would have been applauded, surely. The Victorians were nothing if not polite 

Actually, I have the Alice Mary Smith CD, and I really like the music. I applaud it on its own merits, not because I'm polite - which I'm not anyway! I've got a number - hundreds - of CDs that get one or two listens and hit a shelf to practically collect dust, but this is not among them.

[Grazioso]

Oh, it would have been applauded, surely. The Victorians were nothing if not polite 

I was of course using "applauded" in the broader, figurative sense of "receiving praise," though I'm sure the audiences did indeed clap politely, too It's some really good music. She's a composer I'd very much like to hear more of.

[Hector]

A World War deserves a World Requiem.

Absolutely.

We'll all know whether Foulds was up to the task on Sunday, or some of us will!

[drogulus]

     Thank you. And may the British Composers thread continue to prosper. _0:)

      Edit: My, this post looks funny sitting here all by its lonesome. 

[Mark]

     Thank you. And may the British Composers thread continue to prosper. _0:)

And thank you.

I wasn't sure how much folks would use this thread when I began it, but it does appear to have become a home for we Anglo-composer-philes.

[Thom]

I wonder what you (we!) 'Anglo-composer-philes' (if i may quote Mark)  think of Havergal Brial. I am asking because at the moment I am listening to his 3d symphony, which pleases me greatly. I don't feel much about his Gothic, but the 3d is impressive, on a large scale (almost one hour) and with a huge orchestra, but that may be Brian's trademark more or less, judging from his Gothic Symphony.

[Montpellier]

I wonder what you (we!) 'Anglo-composer-philes' (if i may quote Mark)  think of Havergal Brial. I am asking because at the moment I am listening to his 3d symphony, which pleases me greatly. I don't feel much about his Gothic, but the 3d is impressive, on a large scale (almost one hour) and with a huge orchestra, but that may be Brian's trademark more or less, judging from his Gothic Symphony.

If you meant 'Brian' I see that Naxos has recently released his 2nd Symphony.  Listening to the extracts tempts me to buy it.  Can't go wrong at that price.   

[Thom]

If you meant 'Brian'   

Yes I did, slip of the pen, sorry.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

As a confirmed Brianite I'd like to recommend the twofer from EMI, with symphonies 7, 8, 9 and 31. Great performances, glorious sound. You can't go wrong with those. And Lyrita will be re-issuing 6 and 16 in the near future - another CD to watch out for.

@ XXXPawn: what is it you don't like about the Gothic? The first three, purely instrumental, movements are surely in the same league as the Third?!

@ Anancho: I personally don't care much for the Naxos Second (the Finale comes off best, I think), but I do care about the Second. I heard a radio performance under Sir Charles Mackerras which was much more persuasive and much better played... But as a means of getting to know the work at all, and at that price, I woudn't say no to the Naxos either!

[Montpellier]

You're probably right - the extracts are rarely of serious listening quality and I couldn't be bothered to connect the PC to the amp.  But it's something I might explore.   I'll try to borrow it in view of what you say.   
I have a radio recording of the Gothic from around 1980, on tapes and I transferred it to CD (the orchestra wasn't noted but I suspect it's the BBCSO + a few choirs and extras).  It does have something that the Marco Polo doesn't - at least, the sound doesn't feel so constricted.