A British Composer Poll

[Grazioso]

No Arnold, Bax, or Walton in the poll?

[71 dB]

To make it easy on my brain, I'll think of him [Handel] as the best baroque composer after Bach.

That he is, British or not. 

[mn dave]

Came out in the US yesterday.

[mn dave]

That he is, British or not. 

No. Purcell is beating him.

[71 dB]

No. Purcell is beating him.

Purcell is not that good.

Telemann < Purcell < Buxtehude < Handel < J. S. Bach

[mn dave]

Purcell is not that good.

Them's fightin' words.

But luckily for you, I am a pacifist.  0:)

[karlhenning]

Telemann < Purcell < Buxtehude < Handel < J. S. Bach

Way to think inside the box, Poju!

Way to keep it a small box, too!

[Teresa]

Apart from my vote here for RVW, who's a class apart imo, my personal list would probably also include:

Frederick Delius
Havergal Brian
Frank Bridge
Arthur Bliss
Edmund Rubbra
Eugene Goossens
Ernest John Moeran
William Alwyn
Lennox Berkeley
Alan Rawsthorne
Michael Tippett
Malcolm Arnold
Richard Arnell
Alun Hoddinott

(Btw, interesting to learn that Gerald Finzi is in this shortlist, and Frederick Delius, William Walton, Michael Tippett, to mention a few names of better-known composers, aren't.)

Christo those are all excellent choices, I almost wrote in Malcolm Arnold but I picked Holst instead.  Both are favorites of mine.  Here is what I have by both composers.

ARNOLD, MALCOLM (1921-2006)
  Beckus the Dandipratt, Op. 5 (1943)
  Commonwealth Christmas Overture (1957)
  The Fair Field, Op. 110 (1972)
    Arnold, London Philharmonic Orchestra [CD] Reference Recordings RR-48CD
  Four English Dances, Set I, Op. 27 (1950)
  Four English Dances, Set II, Op. 33 (1951)
  Four Irish Dances, Op. 126 (1986)
  Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59 (1957)
    Arnold, London Philharmonic Orchestra [CD-R] Lyrita Recorded Edition DL-11
  Four Cornish Dances, Op. 91 (1966)
    Arnold, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra [LP] EMI ASD 2878
  The Padstow Lifeboat: March for Orchestra, Op. 94 (1967)
    Junkin, Dallas Wind Symphony [SACD] Reference Recordings RR-906SACD
  Peterloo Overture, Op. 97 (1968)
    Arnold, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra [LP] EMI ASD 2878
  The Smoke, Op. 21 (1948)
  A Sussex Overture, Op. 31 (1951)
    Arnold, London Philharmonic Orchestra [CD] Reference Recordings RR-48CD
  Symphony No. 4, Op. 71 (1960)
    Arnold, London Philharmonic [CD-R] Lyrita Recorded Edition DL-18
   Symphony No. 5, Op. 74 (1961)
    Arnold, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra [LP] EMI ASD 2878
  Tam O'Shanter, Op. 51 (1955)
    Gibson, New Symphony of London [LP] RCA Living Stereo / Classic LSC-2225

HOLST, GUSTAV (1874-1934)
  Beni Mora - Oriental Suite, Op. 29
    Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra [CD-R] Lyrita Recorded Edition DL-11
  Brook Green Suite (1933)
    Del Mar, Bournemouth Sinfonietta [LP] EMI ASD 3953
  A Fugal Overture, Op. 40, No. 1
    Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra [CD-R] Lyrita Recorded Edition DL-11
  Hammersmith, Prelude and Scherzo (1930)
    Dunn, Dallas Wind Symphony [LP] Reference Recordings RR-39
  Japanese Suite (1915)
    Boult, London Symphony Orchestra [LP] Lyrita Recorded Edition SRCS.50
  Lyric Movement for Viola and small orchestra (1933)
    Pooley, Elder, Halle Orchestra [SACD] Hyperion SACDA67270
  A Moorside Suite (1928)
    Dunn, Dallas Wind Symphony [LP] Reference Recordings RR-39
  The Planets, Op. 32 (1916)
    Elder, Halle Orchestra and Choir [SACD] Hyperion SACDA67270
    Mehta, Los Angeles Philharmonic [LP] Decca / Speakers Corner SXL 6529
  A Somerset Rhapsody (1907)
    Del Mar, Bournemouth Sinfonietta [LP] EMI ASD 3953
  Suite No. 1 in E Flat for Military Band, Op. 28 No. 1 (1909)
  Suite No. 2 in F for Military Band, Op. 28 No. 2 (1911)
    Dunn, Dallas Wind Symphony [LP] Reference Recordings RR-39

[Sergeant Rock]

Havergal Brian

[drogulus]

     This would be my first choice for starting an essential Holst collection:

   

     Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda
Purcell Singers/Osian Ellis (harp)/Imogen Holst
     Savitri
Janet Baker (mezzo), Robert Tear (tenor), Thomas Hemsley (baritone)/Purcell Singers/English Chamber Orchestra/Imogen Holst
     Seven Partsongs
Purcell Singers/English Chamber Orchestra/Imogen Holst
     The Evening Watch
Purcell Singers/Imogen Holst
     Fugal Concerto
     St Paul's Suite
St Paul Chamber Orchestra/Christopher Hogwood
     Ballet Music: The Perfect Fool
     Egdon Heath
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult
     The Hymn of Jesus
BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Sir Adrian Boult
     Moorside Suite
Grimethorpe Colliery Band/Elgar Howarth

DECCA 470 191 2

[bwv 1080]

Ferneyhough, Tallis, Tippett and Walton

[eyeresist]

The best British composers have redoubtably British names, like Holst, Bax, Delius, Elgar, Finzi, Rubbra....


Sorry, just couldn't resist

[Josquin des Prez]

Telemann < Purcell < Buxtehude < Handel < J. S. Bach

No arguments here, for a change.

[Lilas Pastia]

Vaughan-Williams is to 20th Century what Mahler was. And Elgar was to the 19th-early 20th what Dvorak was. With of course many differences. IOW VW was more protean and visionary, Elgar more 'practical' and immediately accessible. But of course that's all BS  . Both are among the greatest composers who ever lived, and all other Britons are slightly or largely less important. Among those - still of very high stature - I'd rate these worthy of anyone who hasn't explored the byways already:.

- Arnold
- Holst
- Delius
- Bax

They will certainly enrich one's appreciation of classical music, barring any 'nationalistic' characteristic (that's for fools). Each can be counted a genius and a composer of the first rank, not just a 'british' one.

Most others already cited are fully worthy of the exposure they get here. I'd probably rank them at the same level as the 'very good' French ones such as Magnard, Lekeu, Roussel, Honegger, Milhaud, etc. Among those worthies I'd mention:

- Alwyyn
- Bliss
- Tippett

Britten's place is still undecided IMO, with some quite unappealing characteristics, an opera composer who wrote no symphonies, few concertos (none of them really 'popular') and a lot of slightly difficult music besides. I'm still working my way through his music, and after more than 30 years, I have to admit it's a difficult progress.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'm a great fan of Britten. But I don't find him much of the "big tune" variety of composer. All the more amazing then that I can sit spellbound while he pours on the subtlety and variety and not feel as though I've been 'cheated' out of a romping good time.

And with Britten subtlety is the name of the game. Everything sounds as if it's hanging by mere threads with contrasts changing all the time and smoky moodiness hovering over the musical line.

It's his signature sound and the more the subtlety is slighted the less successful the music becomes.

Just listened to the cello sonata last night and even in this relatively small-scaled form the fine intricacies never fail to amaze. 

[eyeresist]

Can you recommend a good one-stop intro CD to Britten?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Can you recommend a good one-stop intro CD to Britten?

Eyeresist,

If you're into opera I'd highly recommend Billy Budd in Britten's own Decca recording. As moody as it gets.

Mostly what I have of Britten is vocal so if you're not into opera or classical music with vocals I'm a bit hard pressed to offer suggestions. His cello suites are excellent - and criminally overlooked. His violin concerto is quite nice but it is extrovert Britten without the subtle voicing he's capable of conjuring.

Otherwise a good single-disc option might be this delightful King's College Disc:

[Teresa]

Can you recommend a good one-stop intro CD to Britten?

My favorite orchestral Britten compositions:
  Gloriana: Courtly Dances (1953)
    Previn, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra [CD-R] Telarc
  Mont Juic: A Suite of Catalan Dances (with Lennox Berkeley, 1936)
    Berkeley, London Philharmonic Orchestra [LP] Lyrita Recorded Edition SRCS.50
  Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 (1939)   
    Runnicles, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra [SACD] Telarc DSD SACD-60677
  Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945)
    Felix Slatkin, Concert Arts Symphony [LP] Capitol FDS / Cisco Music SP 8373

As you can see they are all from four different recordings one on SACD, two on LP and one I downloaded from eMusic.com.  You might be able to get two or three of these on a single CD? 

I recommend them all, don't be put off by the title of "A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" it is quite a wonderful piece for young and old alike.  It is perhaps the best introduction of all.  Enjoy.

[val]

Since I consider Händel as being German, my top british favorite composers would be:

Purcell

Gibbons

Byrd

Britten

[eyeresist]

Mostly what I have of Britten is vocal so if you're not into opera or classical music with vocals I'm a bit hard pressed to offer suggestions.

Oh dear - thanks anyway!  Oh, but I'm interested in the story of 'Turn of the Screw', so might that opera be musically somewhat accessible? Please tell me it's not all recitative.

My core interest is major orchestral works. I've heard the Young Person's Guide, of course, and the Sinfonia da Requiem (Barbirolli live, BBC), which I confess didn't make much of an impression. I've heard one lack-lustre recording of the piano concerto, and will have to get another at some point.



To respond to what Lilas Pastia said a few posts ago, I don't think I could say Elgar is analoguous to Dvorak (being a fan of both). To me, Elgar's major orchestral works (esp. the concertos, the second symphony) sound more closely related to Mahler and that swollen, super-emotional Late Romantic family in general. I'm still not an aficionado of RVW, but his stuff seems cooler than the Romantics, and he wasn't a tunesmith to match Dvorak, Elgar or Mahler. (But I'll be getting the new issue of symphonies 4, 5 & 6 conducted by Berglund and Gibson, thanks to the RVW thread here!)

Could you elaborate more on your pairing of Mahler and Vaughan Williams?