William Wordsworth(1908-1988)-no, not the poet!

[Christo]

It was a bit late last night (having listened to Alan Bush's Second Symphony through twice) by the time I got round to Wordsworth's Second Symphony, but my attention was held throughout and I enjoyed this more than I recall having done so before. It is a sombre, searching and eloquent score which, I suspect, needs repeated listening to give up its secrets. Rubbra was certainly the other composer who came to mind at times. I will certainly be returning to Wordsworth's Second Symphony.

Oh please, no!!! 

I've always been able to completely ignore Wordsworth and not - I repeat: NOT - order for the Lyrita cd. You're not going to tell I was wrong all the time? And how can I play Wordsworth at all, given the fact that I bought three wonderful Lyrita cd's with Rubbra symphonies last month - and didn't even find time to play these?

Why? Don't you have any mercy with a poor working father of two little kids?   

[Dundonnell]

Oh please, no!!! 

I've always been able to completely ignore Wordsworth and not - I repeat: NOT - order for the Lyrita cd. You're not going to tell I was wrong all the time? And how can I play Wordsworth at all, given the fact that I bought three wonderful Lyrita cd's with Rubbra symphonies last month - and didn't even find time to play these?

Why? Don't you have any mercy with a poor working father of two little kids?   

Yes, I am going to tell you that you were wrong all the time

Since joining this forum I have (a) listened to a lot of my cds which had been stacked neatly on my shelves but had not been listened to for a long time
and (b) bought a lot of new cds.......all because of the recommendations of enthusiastic members here

The least I can do is to repay the compliment

[Christo]

Well. I succumbed - and at least the Second is a fine symphony indeed:   

                 

[Dundonnell]

And Congratulations on your 1000th Post

[Christo]

And Congratulations on your 1000th Post

I missed it.  And that after at least 200 recent postings without much substance, just in order to get to the Magic Number.  0:)

Well, playing Wordsworth again, I start liking him more and more. 

[Irons]

Well. I succumbed - and at least the Second is a fine symphony indeed:   

                 

So did I and it is. Listening, one word came to mind "epic". Not your typical British symphony. Although I agree with Dundonnell and Jeffrey in that there are similarities with Rubbra. Not British, or Germanic either but I would say more Russian. I haven't reread my post on the 5th String Quartet but I think I mentioned Shostakovich in relation to that work and I had the same thoughts with this symphony. I was expecting, especially after reading the CD notes, of the work being somewhat disjointed but I didn't find this one bit. The symphony sounded magnificent through my system - I own large speakers, Wordsworth uses percussion sparingly but with great effect. A wonderful symphony by "an unjustly neglected" composer (if there is one composer that fits that phrase then it is William Wordsworth!) 

[vandermolen]

So did I and it is. Listening, one word came to mind "epic". Not your typical British symphony. Although I agree with Dundonnell and Jeffrey in that there are similarities with Rubbra. Not British, or Germanic either but I would say more Russian. I haven't reread my post on the 5th String Quartet but I think I mentioned Shostakovich in relation to that work and I had the same thoughts with this symphony. I was expecting, especially after reading the CD notes, of the work being somewhat disjointed but I didn't find this one bit. The symphony sounded magnificent through my system - I own large speakers, Wordsworth uses percussion sparingly but with great effect. A wonderful symphony by "an unjustly neglected" composer (if there is one composer that fits that phrase then it is William Wordsworth!)

Very interested to hear your views, with which I very much agree.

[kyjo]

Recently made a very favorable first acquaintance with Wordsworth's Fourth Symphony from this new Toccata release:

[asin]B07C5SJSNH[/asin]

I had previously tried a bit of Wordsworth's 2nd Symphony on Lyrita, which seemed like a worthy work but a bit too "grey" for my taste. The 4th appealed to me quite a bit more. Wordsworth's ideas and orchestration are sometimes starkly (late-) Sibelian and other time more individual and colorful (note the prominent use of xylophone). I found the threatening, march-like section that occupies the center of the one-movement work to be particularly gripping and memorable.

[vandermolen]

Recently made a very favorable first acquaintance with Wordsworth's Fourth Symphony from this new Toccata release:

[asin]B07C5SJSNH[/asin]

I had previously tried a bit of Wordsworth's 2nd Symphony on Lyrita, which seemed like a worthy work but a bit too "grey" for my taste. The 4th appealed to me quite a bit more. Wordsworth's ideas and orchestration are sometimes starkly (late-) Sibelian and other time more individual and colorful (note the prominent use of xylophone). I found the threatening, march-like section that occupies the center of the one-movement work to be particularly gripping and memorable.

Interesting Kyle. I must look out for No.4. I didn't like No.2 at first but it has grown on me over the years.

[SymphonicAddict]

The symphonies 3 and 5 delighted me recently. Just hear the 1st movement from the 5th: mindblowing, quiet, intriguing, the composer with his own voice. As poetic as the works of his most famous relative. 1 y 2 were turgid (though not necessarily too bad), with no direction to these ears, above all the 1st, and in mono audio, didn't help much either. 4 was pretty good (remember the 'Arabesque-like' main theme), No. 8 so-so, maybe too solemn and with few action, just didn't catch me. If you are gonna start listening to them, 3 and 5 are the suggested choices.

[relm1]

I finally heard Wordsworth's Symphony No. 7 "Cosmos", a work I've longed to hear for decades.  Thanks to https://toccataclassics.com/product/william-wordsworth-orchestral-music-volume-four/, I finally heard it.  A very fine album!  It reminded me of the score to the 1960 Canadian documentary, Universe, which was a precursor to Stanley Kubrick's 2001 from a few years later.  The narrator would voice HAL in 2001 (and 2010) and it featured the same special effects artist, Douglas Trumbull who would also helm Star Trek The Motion Picture as well!

Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gIN4hGOdI

[vandermolen]

I finally heard Wordsworth's Symphony No. 7 "Cosmos", a work I've longed to hear for decades.  Thanks to https://toccataclassics.com/product/william-wordsworth-orchestral-music-volume-four/, I finally heard it.  A very fine album!  It reminded me of the score to the 1960 Canadian documentary, Universe, which was a precursor to Stanley Kubrick's 2001 from a few years later.  The narrator would voice HAL in 2001 (and 2010) and it featured the same special effects artist, Douglas Trumbull who would also helm Star Trek The Motion Picture as well!

Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gIN4hGOdI

Ah yes! Douglas Rain who died a while back. Still waiting for the 'Cosmos' Symphony to arrive.

[Mountain Goat]

This morning I deliberately set out to listen to something I hadn't heard in a while, so dusted this off:



I bought it a few years ago and listened to it once or maybe twice, didn't make a huge impression on me at the time though remember quite liking it. Unfortunately it then got lost in the pile and I forgot about it until today. This time I enjoyed it a lot more than I remember, especially the 5th. It will probably need a few more listens to fully give up its secrets, so I will certainly be returning to it! It also made me want to hear more Wordsworth, so have put the other Lyrita CD with symphonies 2 & 3 on my wish list.

[vandermolen]

This morning I deliberately set out to listen to something I hadn't heard in a while, so dusted this off:



I bought it a few years ago and listened to it once or maybe twice, didn't make a huge impression on me at the time though remember quite liking it. Unfortunately it then got lost in the pile and I forgot about it until today. This time I enjoyed it a lot more than I remember, especially the 5th. It will probably need a few more listens to fully give up its secrets, so I will certainly be returning to it! It also made me want to hear more Wordsworth, so have put the other Lyrita CD with symphonies 2 & 3 on my wish list.

No.2 is a fine work as is No.7 'Cosmos'.

[kyjo]

I'm not always impressed by Wordsworth (I tried his Cello Concerto recently and found it quite dour), but I think his Fourth Symphony (1953) is a rather magnificent work:



https://youtu.be/VhzG7judqU4

In one movement lasting 23 minutes (but in multiple well-defined sections), it's a rigorously crafted and dramatically compelling work which simply sweeps the listener up in its concise narrative. In particular, the central march-like section (in 5/4 time!) is thrilling in its driving inevitability. The final section takes the character of a Scottish jig and blows it up to truly symphonic proportions. This is "serious" music that doesn't succumb to Romantic pastoralism on one hand, but neither does it go down the path of over-intellectual or confrontational writing. Just really satisfying stuff!

[Irons]

I'm not always impressed by Wordsworth (I tried his Cello Concerto recently and found it quite dour), but I think his Fourth Symphony (1953) is a rather magnificent work:



https://youtu.be/VhzG7judqU4

In one movement lasting 23 minutes (but in multiple well-defined sections), it's a rigorously crafted and dramatically compelling work which simply sweeps the listener up in its concise narrative. In particular, the central march-like section (in 5/4 time!) is thrilling in its driving inevitability. The final section takes the character of a Scottish jig and blows it up to truly symphonic proportions. This is "serious" music that doesn't succumb to Romantic pastoralism on one hand, but neither does it go down the path of over-intellectual or confrontational writing. Just really satisfying stuff!

I agree he is a composer that doesn't always hit the spot. I have symphonies 1,2,3 & 5 but not 4. I will seek to give it a listen.

Not for the first time I am guilty of banging on about a piece with a most unpromising title - Three Wordsworth Songs for High Voice and String Quartet in three movements: Westminster Bridge, Daffodils and On Calais Beach I am struck by the understated emotion of the work.