Edgar Bainton

[Albion]

preferable to the contents of a recent Chandos cd of long neglected symphonies by a certain pianistically inclined composer!

Halloween already? Better double-lock the back door.

[Dundonnell]

Actually there were two Baxes

Don't forget Arnold's talented brother, Clifford:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Bax

[Karl Henning]

The choral anthem And I saw a new heaven is fine . . . used to be part of the regular rep at St Paul's here in Boston.

[cilgwyn]

Halloween already? Better double-lock the back door.

I've got my stake,garlic and ear plugs at the ready!
(Which reminds me,I've got a dental appointment tomorrow!)
Thank you for the link Dunndonnell? Two Bax's? (What was he? Mike and Bernie Winters?!!!)

[cilgwyn]

There ARE worse things in life than York B****.
Cher,for example!
But then again,I prefer gypsies,tramps and thieves!

[cilgwyn]

I DO MEAN the song of course!

[vandermolen]

Bainton's eloquent Viola Sonata is featured on the Naxos CD. It is the first recording of a darkly lyrical work written in 1922 and possibly reflecting Bainton's wartime experiences. It is a rather dreamy work but interspersed with militaristic sounding moments, as in the finale. As soon as the work finished I had to play it again. At times it is rather in the spirit of Cesar Franck. I increasingly appreciate this composer, whose self-effacing music conveys a touching human warmth:
[asin]B0085AXSKG[/asin]

[vandermolen]

Bainton's eloquent Viola Sonata is featured on the Naxos CD. It is the first recording of a darkly lyrical work written in 1922 and possibly reflecting Bainton's wartime experiences. It is a rather dreamy work but interspersed with militaristic sounding moments, as in the finale. As soon as the work finished I had to play it again. At times it is rather in the spirit of Cesar Franck. I increasingly appreciate this composer, whose self-effacing music conveys a touching human warmth:
[asin]B0085AXSKG[/asin]

Bumping this up to say that I'm sure that the very fine Bainton sonata would appeal to admirers of Vaughan Williams's late craggy Violin Sonata. Can't recommend the Bainton strongly enough and can't stop playing it.

[Karl Henning]

That Bowen piece is curt!

[cilgwyn]

I've been listening to the Bainton third again. The fact that I often use cordless headphones hasn't helped. There you are listening in another room and the Boughton comes on! As I said,ingrate as I am  ,I do prefer one composer at a time;unless it's one of those old style collections of overtures or ballet music,like you used to get on Lp's. I think Bainton and Veale are quite good enough to stand on their own. At least the Gardner symphony is a decent one;although I still skip to the Veale now! The Clifford is a good one;and the Bainton Second and Clifford seem to go very well together.  Lyrita's decision to couple Brian with Cooke led to my sticking to buying dowloads of 6 & 16. I would have been quite happy with a cd of just the Brian symphonies,myself. I'm not really that keen on what I've heard of Cooke;but I think it is a decent symphony of it's sort,unlike the Boughton!! Anyway,I'm using the program button to isolate the Bainton third from it's annoying neighbour and you'll be pleased to hear that I'm starting to enjoy it now. It's obviously a more complex work than it's predecessor,so it needs more of a listen. Another observation. While on first appearances the main composer comparison that springs to mind is Bax;a good deal of it sounds closer to the sound world of Moeran.  Maybe a sort of fusion of the two;but with a flavour of it's own. The big climaxes certainly make a most glorious sound. A bit like the ones you have in the first movement of Bax's Second symphony. You feel the full power of the orchestra roaring at you. Very exciting!
I think I'll play it again now. Again,using the program button. I can understand why the Rutland Boughton trust wanted to record it,but phew!!

After bashing Boughton's First,I must say I was genuinely disappointed to read in the most recent Rutland Boughton trust Newsletter (available via their website) that funding for new Boughton recordings has virtually dried up. Meanwhile the Faust Fund on the HB website races past the 90% marker!! And there I was hoping I might live to hear one of his Arthurian Music-Dramas!!   As to Nathaniel Dett? I would look him up,but I fear I'll be dipping into my account again! Guess what one of my New Year resolutions is? (was?! ).

Just realised I'm (was!) droning on about Bainton on a Rootham thread. I may try and move this post. Apologies for this!



Okay,this is the right thread,now!!

[cilgwyn]

Just finished Bainton's third after running to stop the cd player just as it got into the first bars of Boughton's First. Yes,magnificent. You've got a convert here!

[vandermolen]

Just finished Bainton's third after running to stop the cd player just as it got into the first bars of Boughton's First. Yes,magnificent. You've got a convert here!

Hello again! Delighted that you like the work. You might like the Viola Sonata on Naxos (see above). It is cheaper that the Nathaniel Dett Oratorio, which you can listen to on You tube anyway.

[cilgwyn]

I listened to it a couple of times,then a gap,with a few other things in between,then a few times again before reporting back. By the time I posted again,the spell had been cast!  The Dett is on Yotube,is it? I've only just really started listening to music on there recently,funnily enough;although I have dipped in before! I think the last video I looked for there was Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan!!

[vandermolen]

I listened to it a couple of times,then a gap,with a few other things in between,then a few times again before reporting back. By the time I posted again,the spell had been cast!  The Dett is on Yotube,is it? I've only just really started listening to music on there recently,funnily enough;although I have dipped in before! I think the last video I looked for there was Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan!!

I've watched Danger Man too on You Tube 
There is lots of good otherwise unavailable music there.
Here is the Dett:
https://youtu.be/2y3nKJt6FHg

[cilgwyn]

Thanks,I'll have a listen to that. A bit late now,though,unfortunately,I fear?!!

[cilgwyn]

Yesterday,I enjoyed listening to a cd-r I made of Bainton conducting his Second symphony. Not exactly hi-fi sound,as one might expect;but if you like this symphony definitely a must hear! A very enjoyable performance,with plenty of atmosphere. I think I actually,marginally,prefer it to the Chandos recording. As I did the Boult CBSO performance of Stanley Bate's third. Again,the sound was not exactly superb,but I felt the performance had more fire and conviction to it than the Dutton recording. Not entirely convinced by the Yates reading,this one really had me in it's grip. They also make great companions. It would be nice if someone could reissue these recordings on cd. I remember reading the review of the Dutton recording of the Bate in IRR (International Record Review) magazine where the reviewer expressed some reservations about the finale. I think he felt that it seemed to take a while to get going;as if the composer had had some problems there (I can't remember his exact words). The old Finale problem in other words. I think he felt it was like one of those old plane propellors that take a while to get going;but once they do it's brrrrrrm all the way!! Boult (at least to my ears) ,being the old trooper he was,makes a more convincing stab at the final movement,steering it with an aplomb that seems to elude Yates. The constricted sound quality also,curiously,adds an edgy quality,a feeling of duress,which really makes this performance for me.  Excellent!

[vandermolen]

Yesterday,I enjoyed listening to a cd-r I made of Bainton conducting his Second symphony. Not exactly hi-fi sound,as one might expect;but if you like this symphony definitely a must hear! A very enjoyable performance,with plenty of atmosphere. I think I actually,marginally,prefer it to the Chandos recording. As I did the Boult CBSO performance of Stanley Bate's third. Again,the sound was not exactly superb,but I felt the performance had more fire and conviction to it than the Dutton recording. Not entirely convinced by the Yates reading,this one really had me in it's grip. They also make great companions. It would be nice if someone could reissue these recordings on cd. I remember reading the review of the Dutton recording of the Bate in IRR (International Record Review) magazine where the reviewer expressed some reservations about the finale. I think he felt that it seemed to take a while to get going;as if the composer had had some problems there (I can't remember his exact words). The old Finale problem in other words. I think he felt it was like one of those old plane propellors that take a while to get going;but once they do it's brrrrrrm all the way!! Boult (at least to my ears) ,being the old trooper he was,makes a more convincing stab at the final movement,steering it with an aplomb that seems to elude Yates. The constricted sound quality also,curiously,adds an edgy quality,a feeling of duress,which really makes this performance for me.  Excellent!

'...the Boult CBSO performance..' WHAT? I must hear this. Where does one find it?

[cilgwyn]

On Youtube! It says CBSO Boult. I looked at one of the reviews on Musicweb,just to try and verify what I was listening to and it said that Boult did conduct the CBSO in a 1966 performance. Oh,and here's the link to Rob Barnett's mention of it on Musicweb (fourth paragraph down). I remember when I was a member of the British Music Society Rob Barnett used to include in his mantra of works by British composers that should be recorded.

Here is the Musicweb review!!!

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/Mar10/Bate_CDLX7239.htm 

The CBSO Boult Bate third is on the James Stuart Channel. Allot of interesting stuff there!

[cilgwyn]

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