A British Composer Poll

[Dundonnell]

According to the anonymous contributor to the Wikipedia entrance on Simpson's String Quartet No. 9 - written in 1982 in response to a request by the Delme String Quartet for a work to mark the dual occasion of the 20th anniversary of their quartet and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Haydn - variations, nos. 26 and 27 (out of the 32) "are sunny and warmly reflective". 

The full article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._9_(Simpson)

One needs perhaps magnifying sunglasses to detect the sunny side of Simpson, but there it is. 

Well, there you go indeed

I think that I need to go back and listen to Symphony No.9(my favourite Simpson symphony packed full of granitic grandeur) and remember to do so with my sunglasses firmly in place

[Lethevich]

The full article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._9_(Simpson)

Bloody hell - that amount of individual articles on seperate works for such an obscure composer is rare on WP. I hadn't thought of looking him up on it prior to this... Thanks for the link, I will have fun reading through it.

[Christo]

Well, there you go indeed

I think that I need to go back and listen to Symphony No.9(my favourite Simpson symphony packed full of granitic grandeur) and remember to do so with my sunglasses firmly in place

You could use these ones, with built-in MP3 player:
       


BTW: Simpson's Ninth is my favourite too, a truly impressive symphony. But I could never find anything similar among the other symphonies (I perhaps only really tried with nos. 1, 3, 8, 10). I'm afraid I asked you before, but lost the answer: where would you advise to go after the Ninth?

[Dundonnell]

Ah, that is a difficult question since I love all Simpson's symphonies

However, No.2, scored for a relatively small orchestra(as in early Beethoven), has the most wonderful slow movement with a theme and thirteen variations in the form of a palindrome.

No.3 is the first Simpson symphony I ever heard(in the old Horenstein recording on Unicorn) and still impresses deeply.

No.4 is a really big symphony(46 minutes long) and, again, has a masterly slow movement although I do regret that Simpson revised it from Adagio to Andante. I remember recording the premiere in 1972 and being bowled over by the adagio; the revision to my mind takes away something of the movement's powerful beauty.

Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are each striking works, akin in some ways to the symphonies of Vagn Holmboe(whose music I know you admire!).

Hope that helps a little!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

One needs perhaps magnifying sunglasses to detect the sunny side of Simpson, but there it is. 

Nice one!

[Christo]

Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are each striking works, akin in some ways to the symphonies of Vagn Holmboe(whose music I know you admire!).

Oops, in that case, I really overlooked something! Many thanks for your answer! BTW, I also started with Horenstein's version of the Third, long ago, but missed all other ones untill I couldn't escape the special attention paid to Hyperion's release of the Ninth, in its time.

So, there it is: have to play all the symphonies by Aho and Simpson, this Autumn...  That won't leave much time to tour you around the country in case you'll pay the two Johans and all others here a visit ... 

[Dundonnell]

 

[Dundonnell]

One should-of course-also note that Robert Simpson was a very keen amateur astronomer and, indeed, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. Several of the Hyperion CDs of his symphonies have cover pictures of the heavens, star systems etc.

[Hector]

Ah, that is a difficult question since I love all Simpson's symphonies

However, No.2, scored for a relatively small orchestra(as in early Beethoven), has the most wonderful slow movement with a theme and thirteen variations in the form of a palindrome.

No.3 is the first Simpson symphony I ever heard(in the old Horenstein recording on Unicorn) and still impresses deeply.

No.4 is a really big symphony(46 minutes long) and, again, has a masterly slow movement although I do regret that Simpson revised it from Adagio to Andante. I remember recording the premiere in 1972 and being bowled over by the adagio; the revision to my mind takes away something of the movement's powerful beauty.

Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are each striking works, akin in some ways to the symphonies of Vagn Holmboe(whose music I know you admire!).

Hope that helps a little!

That's the problem recommending Simpson symphonies in that you end up recommending all of them except, in your case, the 11th which I will recommend and the 4th for newcomers.

I think that he knocks spots off Holmboe.

[karlhenning]

I think that he knocks spots off Holmboe.

Well, considering the wonderful chamber music of Holmboe's that I've heard, this is extravagant praise!

[Hector]

Simpson? Sunny??

I am a huge admirer of Robert Simpson! His eleven symphonies and his string quartets are-in my opinion-major contributions to 20th century music!

But...although there are celestial allusions to be made I am not sure that 'sunny' is a word I would use

I did say " on occasions"!

I'm with you on his standing.

[Mirror Image]

I voted for RVW, because his music means more to me than any composer in this poll, but I also love the music of the following English composers:

Frederick Delius
Gerald Finzi
Edmund Rubbra
Arnold Bax
Havergal Brian
William Alwyn
Benjamin Britten
John Ireland
Edward Elgar
William Walton
Malcolm Arnold
George Butterworth
Frank Bridge
Ernest Moeran
Hubert Parry
Granville Bantock
George Dyson
Herbert Howells

[Elgarian]

Never seen this poll before. Weird how so many people gave the wrong answer.

[Mirror Image]

Never seen this poll before. Weird how so many people gave the wrong answer.

Good one.

Interestly enough, I enjoy Elgar a lot, but I'm more moved by RVW's music and apparently so are many members of this forum, hence his winning this poll by a substantial margin.

[Elgarian]

Interestly enough, I enjoy Elgar a lot, but I'm more moved by RVW's music and apparently so are many members of this forum, hence his winning this poll by a substantial margin.

Yes, but nearly all those votes are from two years ago. The folks here are much better educated now.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, but nearly all those votes are from two years ago. The folks here are much better educated now.

Hmmm...interesting. I guess people have snapped out of it by now. 

That said, I'm obviously a huge RVW fan and not because I think the other composers are bad. I just prefer his musical style, which to me, was Romantic and yet very Modern at the same time.

By the way, Elgar's "Cello Concerto," both of his symphonies, "Enigma Variations," "Violin Concerto," "In the South," among others are some of the most stirring works in all of English music. I love Elgar, so don't let my love for RVW confuse you. I'm well aware of Elgar's compositional prowess.

[Elgarian]

Hmmm...interesting. I guess people have snapped out of it by now. 

That said, I'm obviously a huge RVW fan and not because I think the other composers are bad. I just prefer his musical style, which to me, was Romantic and yet very Modern at the same time.

Yes indeed. As you know, I'm something of a fan of his music myself.

Now if this were a poll about who was the best cyclist, well, then we'd see some changes, by golly!

[Elgarian]

don't let my love for RVW confuse you.

I'm determined to steer a straight course through any possible confusion on the matter.

[71 dB]

Never seen this poll before. Weird how so many people gave the wrong answer.

Six voters have given the right answer. Better than nothing. 

[mc ukrneal]

Six voters have given the right answer. Better than nothing. 

7! Although, it was a near thing with Holst...

I am actually quite surprised for the massive number of votes for RVW. He's ok I guess, but he fails to move me in any way, with the exception of the English Folk Song Suite (which I like a lot).  I'm not sure what people see in most of his music, as it never clicks with me despite repeated (and periodic) attempts. I have only one disc of his (with the aforementioned Folk Song Suite). I feel like I should like him (especially as I like the one piece for sure), but it just never seems to come off...