Frank Bridge

[Mirror Image]

It's important to stock up when you plan to take a hiatus.

Yes! After I had bought these Bridge recordings, I decided that enough was enough for awhile, which resulted in my post on the "Recordings You Are Considering" thread.

[Mirror Image]

I know: I should take it to the Grammar Grumble ; )

. . . but you want who here.

Made the correction. Sorry about the bad grammar. I have forgotten a lot of the rules.

[DavidW]

I know: I should take it to the Grammar Grumble ; )

. . . but you want who here.

Oh it's fun to make grammar errors just to imagine you can can hear Cato's teeth clench!  It's only fair since everyone else is physicist sniping:

http://xkcd.com/356/

Sorry carry on with your Bridge.

[karlhenning]

Cato's dentition is safe, he's very Zen about the grammar chaos all around ; )

[Scarpia]

My familiarity with Bridge rests mainly on chamber music, which is sometimes claimed to be the best of his output.  Is his orchestral music on a similarly high level?

[Nothing Cato provoking here, I hope]

[karlhenning]

Oration (essentially a cello concerto) is top-notch.

[Lethevich]

My familiarity with Bridge rests mainly on chamber music, which is sometimes claimed to be the best of his output.  Is his orchestral music on a similarly high level?

His best orchestral works are music of a very high level. As you can see from the Chandos series, though, there are demonstrably lesser works - mainly confined to the last volume. But outside of that extensive edition, you're unlikely to run into anything mediocre. Many of Bridge's best pieces offer a curious and delicious mid-point between Delius, Elgar, Britten and Bliss. By and large, the first four volumes of the Chandos series contain gold.

Edit: as Karl mentions, Oration is a major piece in the literature. Aside from Elgar I can't think of anything that can surpass it - even Britten, Moeran and Bax are merely equal to it.

[Mirror Image]

Edit: as Karl mentions, Oration is a major piece in the literature. Aside from Elgar I can't think of anything that can surpass it - even Britten, Moeran and Bax are merely equal to it.

What about the Finzi Cello Concerto? I think this is one of the finest examples of cello and orchestra writing of the 20th Century. Such angst, heart-on-sleeve, unabashed lyricism in this work. Not to derail this thread, of course, but I just had to mention it.

[Lethevich]

What about the Finzi Cello Concerto? I think this is one of the finest examples of cello and orchestra writing of the 20th Century. Such angst, heart-on-sleeve, unabashed lyricism in this work. Not to derail this thread, of course, but I just had to mention it.

I had forgotten about that one: its omission as a major work was definitely an accident, not a slight. I don't find myself listening to it very often, though - must correct this sometime.

[Scarpia]

I had forgotten about that one: its omission as a major work was definitely an accident, not a slight. I don't find myself listening to it very often, though - must correct this sometime.

There is too much music in the world to listen to anything very often without slighting something else.   

[Mirror Image]

I had forgotten about that one: its omission as a major work was definitely an accident, not a slight. I don't find myself listening to it very often, though - must correct this sometime.

It don't find myself listening to it much either because it's too painful to hear, especially knowing the circumstances that went into writing it.

[Guido]

So glad to see so much Finzi Cello Concerto love. This was the piece that made me love music.

[offbeat]

just heard this on you tube - real mood piece

[offbeat]

My link did not work = wonders of technology = anyway recommend There is a willow aslant a brook from Frank Bridge
real mood piece 

[Karl Henning]

just heard this on you tube - real mood piece

http://www.youtube.com/v/CajKTPr6p1w

[vandermolen]

I like that work too. Bridge was an excellent and misunderstood composer I think. I love Oration, Enter Spring and The Sea.

[snyprrr]

Piano Trio No.2, Masterpiece

Yet another work by a pre-WWI era Composer rocked by the war. Things would never be the same. By 1920, everything was turning to jazz or the 'stern' stuff. Elgar, Bridge, Saint-Saens,... many Composers' greatest works came out 1914-19. The Death of Romanticism

[vandermolen]

Piano Trio No.2, Masterpiece

Yet another work by a pre-WWI era Composer rocked by the war. Things would never be the same. By 1920, everything was turning to jazz or the 'stern' stuff. Elgar, Bridge, Saint-Saens,... many Composers' greatest works came out 1914-19. The Death of Romanticism

Must give that a listen to today (if I can find the CD  ).

[vandermolen]

Piano Trio No.2, Masterpiece

Listening to it now (Dartington Trio) - wonderful work.

[snyprrr]

Listening to it now (Dartington Trio) - wonderful work.

Oo, that Hyperion sound, too! That is such a good disc!