Robert Simpson(1921-1997)

Started by Dundonnell, March 25, 2008, 02:09:14 PM

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vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on March 31, 2018, 03:31:30 AM
That's great,too!! 8)

I agree. I suspect that it was the original LP release, then reissued with the more 'Star Wars' LP cover which you have to be followed by the CD release which I have. I've had to employ my full Sherlock Holmes-type detective skills here to track the sequence of events.
8)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

I like the first two best. For obvious reasons you prefer the one you got;and I can see,why? Another great outer space cover,of course,as you know,and nothing to do with this thread;was that Lp of Sargent's recording of Holst's The Planets. The first Lp that ever,actually,belonged to me. (My grandmother gave it to me,as a present!). And here's the booklet with those PG tips cards,I collected. For those too young to know;PG tips used to put a card inside the box of tea. Some of them had lovely paintings on them. Indeed,the,renowned naturalist painter,Charles Tunnicliffe, contributed some. Incidentally,according to the PG tips booklet,we already have a moon base and went to Mars,around two decades ago (or more!). I really must keep up with the news!! ::) ;D

     

cilgwyn

Robert Simpson's Ninth is on the way here,apparently!

Baron Scarpia


vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on March 31, 2018, 04:32:05 AM
I like the first two best. For obvious reasons you prefer the one you got;and I can see,why? Another great outer space cover,of course,as you know,and nothing to do with this thread;was that Lp of Sargent's recording of Holst's The Planets. The first Lp that ever,actually,belonged to me. (My grandmother gave it to me,as a present!). And here's the booklet with those PG tips cards,I collected. For those too young to know;PG tips used to put a card inside the box of tea. Some of them had lovely paintings on them. Indeed,the,renowned naturalist painter,Charles Tunnicliffe, contributed some. Incidentally,according to the PG tips booklet,we already have a moon base and went to Mars,around two decades ago (or more!). I really must keep up with the news!! ::) ;D

     
I remember that Apollo themed LP sleeve for the Planets very well. My cousin owned it. I rather liked the Decca Eclipse planets with Stonehenge on the front. I missed out on the PG tips cards but it remains my favourite tea.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

I'm sure you had better thing to do than collect PG Tips card! It's strange,and pertinent,to think that an illustrator of Tunnicliffe's stature designed some of them! Another age! And remember the ad,with those chimps carrying the piano down the stairs?! Very funny! The last one died,fairly,recently! RIP,to Choppers!! :( I remember being taken to see Guy the gorilla,too! I think my parents realised their mistake,later,and took Guy back to the zoo?!! :( ;D ;D

I liked the Sargent recording with Stonehenge on it,too. What with,Night of the Demon,theories about ancient astronomy,and the fact that those old prehistoric stones,are always a bit spooky and mysterious;it does seem appropriate.

vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on April 01, 2018, 05:31:25 AM
I'm sure you had better thing to do than collect PG Tips card! It's strange,and pertinent,to think that an illustrator of Tunnicliffe's stature designed some of them! Another age! And remember the ad,with those chimps carrying the piano down the stairs?! Very funny! The last one died,fairly,recently! RIP,to Choppers!! :( I remember being taken to see Guy the gorilla,too! I think my parents realised their mistake,later,and took Guy back to the zoo?!! :( ;D ;D

I liked the Sargent recording with Stonehenge on it,too. What with,Night of the Demon,theories about ancient astronomy,and the fact that those old prehistoric stones,are always a bit spooky and mysterious;it does seem appropriate.
Night of the Demon is, along with Dead of Night one of my favourite films (great scores by Clifton Parker and Georges Auric as well). My father loved taking me to London Zoo so Guy the Gorilla was another old friend.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

Funnily,enough,I've had a paperback of the Collected Ghost Stories of EF Benson,for a few years,now. I only recently got around to reading it. I think the Foreword's put me off. (Why down play the merit of a book you want to flog?!!) I  had enjoyed one,or two,in anthologies,before. But I thought they might be a little formulaic. How wrong I was! One of them,The Bus Conductor,is one of the stories told in Dead of Night ("Room for one more!"). I see that his ghost stories are rated very highly by many.....and rightly,so! A little more lurid than MR James;but that's what makes them fun. And nice and short! "The Face",is one of the creepiest supernatural stories,I have read. After I finished it the wind blew the bathroom door shut upstairs. It was late at night,and I,literally,shot out of my seat!! ??? ;D Great fun! ::) ;D!  Algernon Blackwood is another favourite! Yes,great films. The 1966 episode of The Avengers,"Too many Christmas trees",often rated as the best ever episode,features Mervyn Johns,as one of the guest stars. Patrick Macnee (John Steed) has a recurring dream,which leads him to a country house filled with assorted guests! The menacing atmosphere,plot line and the inclusion of Mervyn John,a knowing,and clever nod to the celebrated British chiller. One to watch,if you think later episodes got too whimsical for their own good! I admit,I'm a fan;but the b& w episodes (as opposed to the colour,ones) with Diana Rigg,were the best.

And back to Robert Simpson!! ::) ;D  Hopefully,some of those Robert Simpson cd's will be sliding through my letterbox,before long?!

vandermolen

#288
Quote from: cilgwyn on April 02, 2018, 05:04:03 AM
Funnily,enough,I've had a paperback of the Collected Ghost Stories of EF Benson,for a few years,now. I only recently got around to reading it. I think the Foreword's put me off. (Why down play the merit of a book you want to flog?!!) I  had enjoyed one,or two,in anthologies,before. But I thought they might be a little formulaic. How wrong I was! One of them,The Bus Conductor,is one of the stories told in Dead of Night ("Room for one more!"). I see that his ghost stories are rated very highly by many.....and rightly,so! A little more lurid than MR James;but that's what makes them fun. And nice and short! "The Face",is one of the creepiest supernatural stories,I have read. After I finished it the wind blew the bathroom door shut upstairs. It was late at night,and I,literally,shot out of my seat!! ??? ;D Great fun! ::) ;D!  Algernon Blackwood is another favourite! Yes,great films. The 1966 episode of The Avengers,"Too many Christmas trees",often rated as the best ever episode,features Mervyn Johns,as one of the guest stars. Patrick Macnee (John Steed) has a recurring dream,which leads him to a country house filled with assorted guests! The menacing atmosphere,plot line and the inclusion of Mervyn John,a knowing,and clever nod to the celebrated British chiller. One to watch,if you think later episodes got too whimsical for their own good! I admit,I'm a fan;but the b& w episodes (as opposed to the colour,ones) with Diana Rigg,were the best.

And back to Robert Simpson!! ::) ;D  Hopefully,some of those Robert Simpson cd's will be sliding through my letterbox,before long?!
How interesting thanks. I must lookout that episode of The Avengers which sounds fun and the EF Benson ghost stories. I always thought that Michael Redgrave over-acted  but he is very good as the deranged ventriloquist in Dead of Night. Back to the Avengers - I recently enjoyed the episode featuring a very young John Cleese and Bernard Cribbins who both come to a sticky end. There are two entertainingly murderous clowns, one played by the veteran comedian Jimmy Jewell and the other by the son of the British composer Francis Chagrin! Your bathroom door episode reminded me of the time I was watching the film 'Mosquito Squadron' on TV and just as planes were attacking the Nazi stronghold a flame shot out of the back of the TV and the screen went blank.
Back to Simpson -I shall be playing the Hyperion version of Symphony 1 later which I discovered whilst having a CD sort out (of sorts).
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

"Too many Christmas Trees" is regularly cited as the best ever episode of the Avengers! The black and white photography is top notch,with allot of very striking images. The shots of the country house,that Steed has seen in his dream,when they arrive. The house filled with an array of costumed,characters. A mock execution,with guillotine. A sinister Father Christmas. This was before the series got more whimsical,and tongue in cheek;and the mix of menace and humour was just right!  I'm a bit of a fan,I must admit;but I sometimes wish I'd stayed like that. If you enjoyed Dead of Night,you should enjoy this one? It's obviously inspired by the movie. The presence of Mervyn John is obviously no coincidence. And in a,sort of reverse role. The episode with the clowns is one of my favourites. This was when the humour had got more to the fore. Jimmy Jewell is brilliant in his part (I liked him in Nearest and Dearest,too!). I had no idea that Francis Chagrin's son was one of the clowns!!!! You're story about your tv and Mosquito Squadron,is very funny! Tv's were certainly more entertaining then,in some ways,with all those hot valves! I can remember sitting watching the tv with my parents,and someone saying,"I think there's smoke coming out of the back?!" As,you do!!! ??? ;D

I have been listening to the Robert Simpson symphonies that arrived. I do like the third symphony,actually. I like the way it opens,with those "spacey" sounds at the beginning. I too,can remember not liking the second movement as much. Listening to it now,it does seem like the only logical step,after all the pounding energy in the preceding movement.
After a rather embarassing mix-up;which you can read about in the "What are you listening to now" thread,at the Art Music Forum ::);I have been listening to the cd of symphonies 2 & 4. These strike me as tougher nuts to crack! I think,post that Lyrita Fricker symphony set;I am in a more receptive mind towards Simpson's muse than I was,last time around! I do like those "outer space" shots on the front of the jewel cases,too. They really do look nice in my collection! Or just propped up,while I listen!! ;D

vandermolen

#290
I will download 'Too Many Christmas Trees' on Amazon Video. I listened to Vernon Handley's recording of Simpson's First Symphony yesterday with much pleasure although I turned off No.8 after a few minutes. I read the other day that Boult's recording of Symphony 1 is superior in every way other than recording but I have enjoyed both versions enormously. I will have another listen to Symphony No.9 soon.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

amw

Quote from: Baron Scarpia on March 30, 2018, 07:05:37 PM
I have the Simpson symphony cycle from Hyperion. Never listened to any of it. Where should a person start? Probably would respond well to something with a bit of wit.

No.2 for wit and accessibility, or No.7 for emotional and psychological power

cilgwyn



Playing here,now. Robert Simpson's Second symphony. I've been listening to this cd (and it is the right one this time,I have checked! ;D) since last night. I seem to be hooked on "Nielsen without the tunes",and wondering how long I can resist the urge to collect the remaining cd's in the series. I like the way he builds up his ideas. There is an unfolding logic. None of that feeling of aimlessness you get in some lesser symphonies. I love the quieter moments,too. They really curl into the corners of your mind and hold your attention (well,they do mine!). They never seem to be just put there,because it's a symphony,and you put quiet bits there! To be honest,I can't really understand why I wasn't won over by these symphonies the first time around? I really like what I'm hearing. Oh,and I don't find them particularly cold,either. In fact,I feel a warmth to their Beethovenian,fiery spirit! ;D  Oh,and I've got to say,I love this cover image! :)


vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on April 08, 2018, 02:23:34 AM

Playing here,now. Robert Simpson's Second symphony. I've been listening to this cd (and it is the right one this time,I have checked! ;D) since last night. I seem to be hooked on "Nielsen without the tunes",and wondering how long I can resist the urge to collect the remaining cd's in the series. I like the way he builds up his ideas. There is an unfolding logic. None of that feeling of aimlessness you get in some lesser symphonies. I love the quieter moments,too. They really curl into the corners of your mind and hold your attention (well,they do mine!). They never seem to be just put there,because it's a symphony,and you put quiet bits there! To be honest,I can't really understand why I wasn't won over by these symphonies the first time around? I really like what I'm hearing. Oh,and I don't find them particularly cold,either. In fact,I feel a warmth to their Beethovenian,fiery spirit! ;D  Oh,and I've got to say,I love this cover image! :)



Well, I must try 2 next I think on your recommendation. I think that 3 is my favourite now rather than 1.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

I like them both,now!! :o ;D  I've had the cd on since late,last night. I can't really see anything "wrong" with them,now. In fact,I suddenly find them very absorbing......to my surprise! :o I will put on the cd of 3 & 5 in a little while. Reading what Rob Barnett has written here about the eighth may well explain why you would react so negatively to that one. Perhaps Simpson's own "schemes" were the best?!! And presumably,they would be? I'll  be interested to hear that one!

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/Sept06/Simpson_symphonies_CDS441917.htm

vandermolen

Quote from: cilgwyn on April 08, 2018, 03:30:16 AM
I like them both,now!! :o ;D  I've had the cd on since late,last night. I can't really see anything "wrong" with them,now. In fact,I suddenly find them very absorbing......to my surprise! :o I will put on the cd of 3 & 5 in a little while. Reading what Rob Barnett has written here about the eighth may well explain why you would react so negatively to that one. Perhaps Simpson's own "schemes" were the best?!! And presumably,they would be? I'll  be interested to hear that one!

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/Sept06/Simpson_symphonies_CDS441917.htm
Thanks cilgwyn. It sounds like I should listen right through No.8 before making a final judgment!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

cilgwyn

It is a great cover photo! I could almost want the cd for that.........even if I hated the music!!
I just listened to the Fifth. I love the stillness,right at the end,after all that violence.
It's strange how I'm responding to these symphonies so positively,now? What's happening to me?!!! ??? :o :( ;D


cilgwyn

I'm listening to his Ninth,now. While one can admire the structure and architecture of this symphony,and the growling,blazing brass is something! Yet,I think I preferred the earlier symphonies,I heard. I seem to remember it breaks into a faster section after a prolonged,thunderous climax;so maybe?........!!! :-\

cilgwyn

Yes,my memory served me correctly,it does!! It's very cleverly constructed,isn't it? But I still think I prefer 2,3,4 & 5?! There's less variety here. Not that,I don't like it! :-\ ;D

cilgwyn

The symphony reaches a thunderous climax. I like the low brass notes and the stillness that follows. So,maybe I do now!! :-\ :)