The British Composers Thread

[Mark]

I figured that, as we had a thread similar to this on the old forum (it was restricted to the 20th century, but I'm throwing this one wide open), we ought to have one here. So feel free to discuss works and recordings by and of:

Alwyn
Arne
Arnold
Bainton
Bantock
Bax
Bliss
Boughton
Bridge
Britten
Byrd
Clark
Delius
Dunstable
Elgar
Field (we'll admit this one)
Finzi
Handel (we'll admit this one, too)
Gurney
Harty
Holst
Howells
Ireland
Litolff
MacMillan
Moeran
Mundy
Nyman (yes, he counts )
Parry
Purcell
Quilter
Rawsthorne
Rodney Bennett
Rubbra
Somervell
Stanford
Sullivan
Tallis
Tavener (the long-haired one)
Taverner (the long-dead one)
Tippett
Tye
Vaughan Williams
Walton

... and Warlock (to name but a few from my own shelves*).




* Yes, I'm well aware this list isn't exhaustive.

[karlhenning]

Will this encompass expatriate Britons, such as Ivan Moody?

[Mark]

Will this encompass expatriate Britons, such as Ivan Moody?

If he's British and composes serious music, then he's in.

[Lethevich]

...So, Vaughan Williams: best 20th century British composer?

(Whoo, this could start an argument )

[Mark]

...So, Vaughan Williams: best 20th century British composer?

(Whoo, this could start an argument )

I'll see your Vaughan Williams (whose work I adore) and raise you Britten.

[karlhenning]

...So, Vaughan Williams: best 20th century British composer?

(Whoo, this could start an argument )

Not really . . . but he's got his own Veranda  

[karlhenning]

If he's British and composes serious music, then he's in.

Beauty!

[Mark]

Not really . . . but he's got his own Veranda  

I'm aware some British composers already have dedicated and well-served threads. That's cool. I just saw how I (and others) started messing up the Moeran thread with talk of other British composers, so it made sense to create this generic thread and make it as wide-reaching as possible.


And before anyone says anything, I know I missed off Dowland.

[Lethevich]

I'll see your Vaughan Williams (whose work I adore) and raise you Britten.

Ahh it's hard An obviously veerrry scientific way to do it :

Symphonies:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 5/5

Orchestral:
- Britten: 3.5/5
- RVW: 4/5

Concerti:
- Britten: 3.5/5
- RVW: 3.5/5

Opera:
- Britten: 5/5
- RVW: 2/5

String quartets:
- Britten: 4/5
- RVW: 2.5/5

Misc. chamber:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 2/5

Choral:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 5/5

Songs:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 4/5

Total:
- Britten: 28/40
- RVW: 28/40

...Damn...

[Don]

Ahh it's hard An obviously veerrry scientific way to do it :

Symphonies:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 5/5

Orchestral:
- Britten: 3.5/5
- RVW: 4/5

Concerti:
- Britten: 3.5/5
- RVW: 3.5/5

Opera:
- Britten: 5/5
- RVW: 2/5

String quartets:
- Britten: 4/5
- RVW: 2.5/5

Misc. chamber:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 2/5

Choral:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 5/5

Songs:
- Britten: 3/5
- RVW: 4/5

Total:
- Britten: 28/40
- RVW: 28/40

...Damn...

There wouldn't be any "Damn" if didn't count chamber music twice.

[Lethevich]

There wouldn't be any "Damn" if didn't count chamber music twice.

Well, technically I counted orchestral three times

[marvinbrown]

I figured that, as we had a thread similar to this on the old forum (it was restricted to the 20th century, but I'm throwing this one wide open), we ought to have one here. So feel free to discuss works and recordings by and of Alwyn, Arne, Arnold, Bainton, Bantock, Bax, Bliss, Boughton, Bridge, Britten, Byrd, Clark, Delius, Dunstable, Elgar, Field (we'll admit this one) Finzi, Handel (we'll admit this one, too), Gurney, Harty, Holst, Howells, Ireland, Litolff, MacMillan, Moeran, Mundy, Nyman (yes, he counts ), Parry, Purcell, Quilter, Rawsthorne, Rodney Bennett, Rubbra, Somervell, Stanford, Sullivan, Tallis, Tavener (the long-haired one), Taverner (the long-dead one), Tippett, Tye, Vaughan Williams, Walton and Warlock ... to name but a few from my own shelves*.


* Yes, I'm well aware this list isn't exhaustive.

  Mark, I am so ashamed of myself.  Reading this thread made me think hard about my collection.  I went looking through my CDs and there are only two English Composers in my whole Collection  : Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance and a handfull of works by Handel (We'll have to admit Handel  otherwise I'd have nothing to report). Then I thought OK maybe its not that bad, lets see what English speaking composers I have in my collection (English, American, Irish, Australian etc.) the net result: Elgar and Handel  . You know I have even neglected Britten's operas !

  I think this issue needs to be addressed during future purchases  !!

 
  marvin

[bhodges]

You know I have even neglected Britten's operas !

[look of horror] 

Emergency, emergency!  Must address right away!

   

--Bruce

[Lethevich]

[look of horror] 

Emergency, emergency!  Must address right away!

   

--Bruce

Traditional-costumed staging of Peter Grimes, stat...

[Papy Oli]

I'll join Marvin's shaming line-up ( )  as i only have 3 CDs off the composers' list that Mark made :

- Byrd : Masses for 4/5 voices (listening to those now thanks to this thread) 
- Holst : Planets
- Tallis : Spem in Alium

(gotta love Naxos !  )

I haven't heard anything of the others yet except Elgar's Enigma variations but that wasn't to my taste, so i'll check this thread out regularly for recs 

[Lethevich]

I'll join Marvin's shaming line-up ( )  as i only have 3 CDs off the composers' list that Mark made :

- Byrd : Masses for 4/5 voices (listening to those now thanks to this thread)
- Holst : Planets
- Tallis : Spem in Alium

You picked the strongest era

[71 dB]

...So, Vaughan Williams: best 20th century British composer?

I listened to Vaughan Williams today (Tallis Fantasia etc on Naxos). I don't know what I am missing in his music but I find it boring. Nothing seems to happen. It's all white snow to me.

[Don]

I listened to Vaughan Williams today (Tallis Fantasia etc on Naxos). I don't know what I am missing in his music but I find it boring. Nothing seems to happen. It's all white snow to me.

Isn't all snow white as it comes down?

[Lethevich]

I listened to Vaughan Williams today (Tallis Fantasia etc on Naxos). I don't know what I am missing in his music but I find it boring. Nothing seems to happen. It's all white snow to me.

Yeah, but we need to take into account that you dislike several other composers who people rank even higher than RVW - I guess his style just isn't your kind of thing

The Tallis Fantasia does use its material with economy, but to most it is highly effective. The symphonies are more in line with traditional expectations (the no.1 symphony is a fully choral one - almost to the point of being an oratorio - and somewhat influenced by Elgar), but I don't think it likely that you will enjoy his symphonies very much either. If you were to try any, perhaps the 9th, as even the 6th, which is commonly recommended as another side for people who are used to RVW's "happy" style, could probably be considered as "simplistic" by you. I would consider the orchestration more "to the point" than simplistic, and bursting with melody.

Edit: I guess my point is, don't try too hard to like him, he may be a "blind spot" in your interests, or if you do make an effort to enjoy his music, perhaps make sure that your expectations are ones that he can meet, rather than getting disappointed at him not being something else.

[Peregrine]

I'll go Delius, VW, Britten, Bridge and Butterworth. In that order...