Well, well, CPO have done it again :)
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Josef-Holbrooke-Symphonische-Werke/hnum/9595472
A cd scheduled for release in late April of four orchestral works by Joseph Holbrooke-the Tone Poems "Ulalume" and "The Viking" together with the Overture "Amontillado" and the Variations on 'Three Blind Mice'.
Holbrooke is the almost completely forgotten member of that group of British composers who came to prominence at the beginning of the 20th century and were part of the so-called British Musical Renaissance. His contemporaries were Vaughan Williams(b.1872), Holst(b.1874), Rootham(b.1875), Brian(b.1876), Dunhill(b.1877), Boughton(b.1878), Bridge(b.1879), Ireland(b.1879), Scott(b.1879), Bainton(b.1880), Foulds(b.1880), Bax(b.1883), Dyson(b.1883) and Bowen(b.1889). Each of these composers has-to a greater or lesser extent-has had a revival of interest in recent years while others have long been recognised as master composers.
For a brief period before the outbreak of the First World War Holbrooke was lauded as one of the most talented of the lot. Arthur Nikisch, the great conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, called Holbrooke a genius and the esteemed critic Ernest Newman rated him more highly than Richard Strauss. Holbrooke was nicknamed 'the English Wagner'. His Tone Poems-many inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe-were regularly featured in concert programmes conducted by people like Beecham, Nikisch and Hans Richter.
After 1918 his music faded from the concert hall although his operas were still performed for a short time. Holbrooke's working-class origins(a background he shared with Havergal Brian) and his aggressive, eccentric and intemperate nature made him, increasingly an outsider in British musical circles and by his death he was almost completely ignored or forgotten.
Marco Polo issued a couple(?) of Holbrooke discs almost twenty years ago now(I have the Leaper collection of tone poems which includes 'Ulalume' and 'The Raven'), Hyperion recorded the (frankly not very impressive) Piano Concerto No.1 and Cameo Classics are promising some sort of Holbrooke cycle but it is fascinating that CPO seems to have jumped in first :)
More on a potentially very interesting composer-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/holbrooke/index.htm
Could he just be a British Langgaard? ;D
Quote from: Dundonnell on April 07, 2009, 06:50:52 AM
Hyperion recorded the (frankly not very impressive) Piano Concerto No.1
Thank you for this comment. Since this is the only Holbrooke I have, and it is probably the weakest of the concerti in the series that I own, I was about to totally dismiss this composer. Maybe I will explore more now.
I remember being impressed by the 4 Futurist Dances for piano on hearing them many years ago. I didn't find them at all "forgettable", although I'm surprised to read that Rob Barnett reckons they were "lampooning" composers such as Ornstein or Schenberg.
Hav just ordered this. We shall see:
Quote from: vandermolen on June 27, 2009, 11:27:18 AM
Hav just ordered this. We shall see:
Why can't we just start with playing one of the Marco Polo releases - that's been lingering on our shelves for fifteen years at least? I only own one of the two and will give it a spin first, before ordering yet another cd. :-[
I mean the one with Adrian Leaper conducting half of Bratislava's orchestral players (the Bratislava RSO, still "Czecho-Slovak" in 1992) and Slovak Philharmonic Choir in
Ulalume as well, but coupled with the
Bronwen Overture,
The Bells Prelude, The Raven, Byron. (http://a367.yahoofs.com/shopping/3070168/simg_t_ol11177f93uf.jpg)
A `British Langgaard'? :o I would be very interested to hear his eight symphonies (1907, 1907, 1925, 1928, 1928, 1929, 1930s) though.
Quote from: vandermolen on June 27, 2009, 11:27:18 AM
Hav just ordered this. We shall see:
One things for sure,even if you don't like the music,the Cpo cd has a great cover design. It has a mysterious,gothic look about it,which somehow fits in very well with Holbrooke's muse. Although,it makes me think more of Lovecraft than Poe.
Actually,bringing up Lovecraft,makes me wish Holbrooke had been as inspired by HPL. Tone poems & Concert overtures with titles like Dagon, Cthulhu & The Dunwich Horror,could have been fun! Or at least the titles would! ;D In fact,it just crossed my mind. Has any composer ever been inspired by Lovecraft? Does anyone here know? I'm sure someone has! I know John Ireland found inspiration in my fellow countryman,Arthur Machen,who was inspired by Poe;and come to think of it,Lovecraft was inspired by Machen,and to bring things more up to date,Stephen King was inspired by (or found inspiration in) Lovecraft!
About a week,or two ago,I had some job to do & to help me to concentrate on my work ;D,I put on my nice Sennheiser cordless headphones! :) To cut a long story :o short :),I chose to put on the recent Holbrooke orchestral cds from Cpo & Dutton (The Pit & the Pendulum,etc). I quite enjoyed the content of the cds;I think Holbrooke had a flair for colourful orchestration & and an,at times,gothick-y atmosphere;but I have had reservations about whether his ideas really add up. To quote Calum MacDonald,in his,December 2010 IRR Review,of the Dutton cd:
"
It's not that his ideas lack character-he is no mere clone of late Romantic betters-but that their effect is somehow inconsequential. Theme follows theme,follows episode,follows gesture,and from moment to moment the music is often impressive,but I have no strong sense of where it is going,or whether any element is more important than any other."Anyway,this time around,being busy,I put the Cpo cd on repeat. Interestingly,instead of driving me up the wall or boring me to tears,or,on a more positive level,leading me to the same conclusions as before; ie interesting,maybe quite good fun,but........where's that Stanley Bate?!!! Listening over and over again seemed to help. After a while the good bits,did seem to outweigh the not so good. To my suprise & relief (the off button was downstairs! :o) somewhere beneath all that splurge of,at times,melodramatically gothic diarrhoea,there did appear to be some kind of structure;albeit a tad ramshackle at times (the Variations),but there WAS something holding it all together,after all,and,my g*d;after hearing the cd about half a dozen times,in a row,I actually replaced it with the Dutton cd!
This,subsequently,led to a week long 'Holbrooke-Fest!',which took in the Dutton Violin Sonata No 3,the 'Ballet cd' (also Dutton),the Marco Polo orchestral cds,the new Naxos instrumental cd & off air recordings of 'The Bells' & excerpts from his opera,Bronwen! The latter,particularly excited me. Moving,passionate,exiting & dramatic in turns;it was probably the pick of the entire bunch! In fact,the worst thing about it was that it was only excerpts,very well performed ones at that;but as soon as you were really getting into any of it,the music would fade & you found yourself thrust,unceremoniously,into the next scene!
BOOOOOH! :( :o :)
Worst thing about this post. Having to check the spelling of 'diarrhoea'! :( :o (No jokes,please!!!)Google brought up some pretty revolting results! :( :o
Hope I've got it right,now! :(
Springrite (& Dundonnell) mention the Piano Concerto No 1'The Song of Gwyn ap Nudd'. Despite it's evocative title,I must say,this is the worst Holbrooke I've ever heard. It just sounds like an overblown & meandering Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninoff rip off,and that's being polite!!! Maybe,the Second Piano Concerto 'L'Orient' is better? (I b***** hope so!!!)
His trio records on Tzadik and Incus are likely to provoke surprise and delight amongst you.
They certainly do! :)
And come to think of it,if I include some posts about the Joseph Holbrooke (jazz) trio,I might even get some replies! ;D
I think there was a clarinet and piano piece on a Chandos disc somewhere?
A few months ago I bought the EM cd of Holbrooke's 'Violin Sonata No 2' "The Grasshopper" and Bantock's massive 1919 'Sonata for Viola and piano' "Colleen",performed on Gustav Holst's viola! Two lovely romantic works. Indeed,the Em recording of the Holbrooke is the first time I have really enjoyed this work in it's various forms. The one on the EM cd is of the 1917 version;and is apparently,the "Authorised Original Version". I was not particularly impressed by the off-air recording of the orchestral version,which rumour has it;Cpo will actually release one day (next year?!). I actually switched it off part way,and I didn't go back! The Em performance is a different kettle of fish. Suddenly this previously,seemingly pleasant but ultimately somewhat banal work,has a romantic ardour and lyricism which is really quite appealing. The Bantock I might add,is even better. Indeed,I bought this cd after listening to another of their cd's. This one features their wonderful recording of Bantock's beautiful Sonata No 3 (1940),the underrated Cyril Scott 'Sonata for Viola and Piano' (1953) who was always at his best,really,in instrumental and chamber music. Also included on the cd is,in many ways,probably the best piece of music on the cd (if you want to make comparisons?) the 'Sonata No 1 in D minor for Violin and Piano',by the wonderful Roger Sacheverell Coke (1912-1972),whose life story would surely make splendid movie material! ! I was particularly impressed by the Sonata on the EM cd and the fantastic Somm recording of his ambitious and glorious,'24 Preludes' Op 33 (1938) 34 (1941) and 'Variations and Finale' (1939). More please,Somm!! Oh,and for anyone who is wondering;he doesn't sound a bit like,another supposed "English Rachmaninov",York Bowen!! Coke's music is,imho,made of sterner stuff!
The Booklets with these cds are all beautifully produced and,indeed,are a model of their kind. The cds featuring,and wholly devoted to the music of Sacheverell Coke,have some wonderful photographs. The ones of Sacheverell Coke are particularly poignant.
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/0761203763627_zpsck3upvsb.jpg)
A new Joseph Holbrooke cd,out now,in Germany! It won't be on sale in the UK yet;but it can be ordered from Jpc now (I'm going to wait!).
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/joseph-holbrooke-violinkonzert-op-59-the-grasshopper/hnum/4100515
Another cd of Holbrooke's orchestral music is to follow. This will include his third symphony "Ships",Orchestral Variations on "The Girl I left Behind Me" and the tone poem "The Birds of Rhiannon." This will be the third cd in Cpo's cycle.
Quote from: Christo on June 27, 2009, 10:58:37 PM
Why can't we just start with playing one of the Marco Polo releases - that's been lingering on our shelves for fifteen years at least? I only own one of the two and will give it a spin first, before ordering yet another cd. :-[
I mean the one with Adrian Leaper conducting half of Bratislava's orchestral players (the Bratislava RSO, still "Czecho-Slovak" in 1992) and Slovak Philharmonic Choir in Ulalume as well, but coupled with the Bronwen Overture, The Bells Prelude, The Raven, Byron.
(http://a367.yahoofs.com/shopping/3070168/simg_t_ol11177f93uf.jpg)
A `British Langgaard'? :o I would be very interested to hear his eight symphonies (1907, 1907, 1925, 1928, 1928, 1929, 1930s) though.
Just read this. How true! ::)
The trouble is I've got practically every single Holbrooke cd! ::) And they don't linger on the shelf for too long!!
At least it's still there! Any cd here that doesn't get played much ends up in a charity shop. It's all a question of room. It's the cd's or me?!! :( I remember my late mother telling me."You can't wear cd's!"
Now that's an idea!! I'd be like a walking cd rack. I could just unhook the one I wanted. When I leave the house I could wear them under my coat!
Hey,maybe I could patent it?!! A wearable cd rack!! I could make lots of money and buy even more cds?!!
:(
Quote from: cilgwyn on September 24, 2016, 05:25:32 AM
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/0761203763627_zpsck3upvsb.jpg)
A new Joseph Holbrooke cd,out now,in Germany! It won't be on sale in the UK yet;but it can be ordered from Jpc now (I'm going to wait!).
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/joseph-holbrooke-violinkonzert-op-59-the-grasshopper/hnum/4100515
Another cd of Holbrooke's orchestral music is to follow. This will include his third symphony "Ships",Orchestral Variations on "The Girl I left Behind Me" and the tone poem "The Birds of Rhiannon." This will be the third cd in Cpo's cycle.
MY Holbrooke cd is in the post. Looking forward to my Holbrooke fix!
Look forward to hearing your views. I have 'The Raven' on a Marco Polo CD I think. He is one of the only composers whose chamber music I prefer to the orchestral. I think that it was used as background music to a Naxos audio book and it impressed me.
Out of interest.vandermolen. What was the audio book you listened to? Was it Edgar Allan Poe!!! I find it quite amusing to see the heated debate going at the Art Music Forum in the thread " The Bells-Holbrooke vs Rachmaninov"! And in the red corner........!!! ;D (Of course,he left after the revolution,didn't he?!) Music can add allot to a reading or play. I recall listening to a Radio 4 dramatisation some years ago and realising to my delight that it was from Bax's Fifth symphony. In that instance,I can't remember what the play was;but I remember thinking it was a great choice. I'm surprised Bax's symphonies aren't used more. They would be perfect for a romantic drama or landscape.
Quote from: cilgwyn on December 12, 2016, 12:04:56 PM
Out of interest.vandermolen. What was the audio book you listened to? Was it Edgar Allan Poe!!! I find it quite amusing to see the heated debate going at the Art Music Forum in the thread " The Bells-Holbrooke vs Rachmaninov"! And in the red corner........!!! ;D (Of course,he left after the revolution,didn't he?!) Music can add allot to a reading or play. I recall listening to a Radio 4 dramatisation some years ago and realising to my delight that it was from Bax's Fifth symphony. In that instance,I can't remember what the play was;but I remember thinking it was a great choice. I'm surprised Bax's symphonies aren't used more. They would be perfect for a romantic drama or landscape.
Hello cilgwyn. I have a feeling that it might have been used in The Lady of the Camellias by Alexander Dumas (fils) but I may be wrong. In the old TV series 'The Great War' from the 1960s they certainly used 'Tintagel' by Bax as well as Sinfonia Antartica by Vaughan Williams. I recall a great TV series from my youth called 'Stalin, the Red Tsar' in which a lot of Miaskovsky (Symphony 17 for example) was used as background music. I was watching a YouTube video on the Apollo 8 moon mission a couple of days ago and noticing the moving accompanying music. I emailed my appreciation to the composer in the USA and she very kindly agreed to send me a CD of it!
Quote from: cilgwyn on December 12, 2016, 08:41:56 AM
MY Holbrooke cd is in the post. Looking forward to my Holbrooke fix!
It arrived today! I like the " Grasshopper" concerto in it's various guises;and I don't usually like Violin Concertos. The Korngold,Moeran,Khatchaturian are exceptions;and I must give the Bax & Dyson another spin. Oh,I like Bach's too!! Perhaps I DO quite like Violin Concertos?! Elgar's no!!! ::) Anyway,I must admit;the main interest for me,in some ways (I must admit!) was a chance to listen to a presumably really good performance of his Poem for Orchestra No 1 "The Raven" in really top hole Cpo recording quality and compare it with the Marco Polo;which like most people,has been my only point of contact with this tone poem.
Haven't finished listening to it,yet!!
Quote from: cilgwyn on December 13, 2016, 06:07:34 AM
It arrived today! I like the " Grasshopper" concerto in it's various guises;and I don't usually like Violin Concertos. The Korngold,Moeran,Khatchaturian are exceptions;and I must give the Bax & Dyson another spin. Oh,I like Bach's too!! Perhaps I DO quite like Violin Concertos?! Elgar's no!!! ::) Anyway,I must admit;the main interest for me,in some ways (I must admit!) was a chance to listen to a presumably really good performance of his Poem for Orchestra No 1 "The Raven" in really top hole Cpo recording quality and compare it with the Marco Polo;which like most people,has been my only point of contact with this tone poem.
Haven't finished listening to it,yet!!
I largely agree with you in relation to violin concertos and prefer the one by Bliss to Elgar's. Respighi's Concerto Gregoriano is a beautiful work. When I first heard it on the radio I thought it must be by Finzi! Pettersson's Violin Concerto 2 is the greatest of all in my opinion. Shostakovich No.1 is also terrific and Williamson's VC.
Pettersson's the greatest one of them all?!! I haven't heard that! Oh dear,would that mean my ending up with every symphony and orchestral work he composed?!! It's happened before and Pettersson was prolific,wasn't he? The one reason I have always resisted Myaskovsky (is that with an 'i' or 'y'? Come on,you're the expert!! ;D )Incidentally,I'm sure that there was an emi Lp of the Fifth or Eleventh symphony in the library when I was a youngster. I may even have borrowed it once? Did I imagine this?!! I know emi did issue (at least I seem to recall they did?) some Melodiya recordings on their label. I had their Spartacus ballet,on three Lps,for a while. A bit uneven that score,but there are good bits!! Incidentally,the same goes for Malcolm Williamson! I was trying to think of another British opera I might add to my collection a while back. On a whim I bought the Lyrita set of Tippett's Midsummer Marriage. I thought I might find it 'interesting'! On the contrary,I was hooked! I ended up with all the major orchestral works and a few other things as well!!!
Anyway,back to Holbrooke! I do actually enjoy some of his music. In fact I have done ever since I heard the first of those Marco Polo cds. I even wrote a fan letter to Gwydion Brooke (his son & the famous bassoonist,as you know) and got a very nice letter and a free Holbrooke Lp,to my complete surprise,in return! I've still got them somewhere! That said,I do find his output uneven;and I have to be in the right mood. My favourite piece so far is the Dylan Prelude,and I would love to hear that with a really good orchestra (ie not the Plovdiv. Sorry chaps! ;D). That said,I find even the weaker pieces a bit like a curates egg. There are bits that seem a bit thin,and then there is some felicity of orchestration that catches my ear and I'll keep listening. From what I've heard to date,I'm inclined to agree with the critic in the late lamented IRR Magazine,that construction was not one of his good points. A gift for colourful orchestration and a succession of dramatic flourishes and show stopping climaxes does not necessarily a good composer make;and colourful as his orchestration is,Holbrooke does have a tendency to garrulousness. On the plus side;I also agree with that aforementioned critic,that Holbrooke had a stronge sense for atmosphere;and it's that feel for atmosphere,and a very gothic one at that,which does appeal to me. As to whether his chamber music is actually preferable or better? I think it probably is,really! Like Scott,chamber and instrumental forms seemed to focus his mind. Indeed I listened to Holbrooke's Violin Sonata No 3 in F 'Orientale' (1926) on the Dutton label yesterday (see below) and what a lovely piece it is.......and short! On the contrary. Not a moment too long! It is lyrical music with an astringent edge to it,and I actually feel confident enough to say I think it's very good. I also like the other music on the cd (more please along similar lines,Dutton and EM records,please!). I think the Grasshopper Concerto also sounds better in this form,really. I like the version on the EM label best (and it's couplings). It sounds very nice in it's orchestral guise,though;and I think that leaping 'grasshopper' motif is one of Holbrooke's best (of what I've been able to hear so far). One more point. Holbrooke lived in Wales for a while;which obviously makes him a little more interesting for me. The Cauldron of Annwn cycle is based on legends from the Mabinogion (via Howard de Walden!!) and I've always been fascinated by Welsh myths and legends. Finally (another point!) whatever one might think of his music,Holbrooke was undoubtedly a very eccentric figure with a most colourful lifestyle filled with all sorts of interesting people. He would make a very entertaining subject for a biography,if someone has the time,one day. If it was well written,it might even be a little more interesting than his music!
(https://i.imgur.com/1079zVa.jpg)
And the other one!
(https://i.imgur.com/DNLvOSH.jpg)
This one is very good too ( can't resist adding it! ::) ;D)
(https://i.imgur.com/xp5ohBt.jpg)
And finally,the orchestral version!
(https://i.imgur.com/leANtgC.jpg)
Sounds very interesting. The only problem is Petersson was very prolfic,and I can see another landslide of cds through the letterbox!! ???
I just put this on now. I like this cd,but Rutland Boughton hasn't got a thread,and it's a bit late so I'm posting this here for now! I like quite allot of Rutland Boughton,for some wierd reason. In fact,the only music by him that I didn't think much of were his String quartets. I do like this one. I think it is nice,well crafted music. Just right for this time of night,too. Sometimes I even wish that he'd stuck more to orchestral music. I like The Immortal Hour and The Queen of Cornwall (even more,after I'd listened to it a few times) and his Bethlehem,is lovely! The trouble is they tend to be let down by the librettos. It's the music that makes them worth listening to. Although,I do like the subject matter,and I hope to hear one of his Arthurian music-dramas one day. Although,at present,it looks unlikely I ever will!! Holbrooke is often bracketed with Boughton,and vice versa,so I've got an excuse (not a very good one,really?! ;D) to put this here for the time being (I think so,moderator?!! ::)) :
(https://i.imgur.com/NsSMT9T.jpg)
I will post some thoughts on the recent Holbrooke cd from Cpo,soon!
Love the Flute Concerto. Definitely Pan piping away there in the woods! (It's Emily Beynon,actually!) The Concerto then! Hyperion were bang on with that photo. I love woods!! :)
Quote from: cilgwyn on December 14, 2016, 04:50:14 AM
Pettersson's the greatest one of them all?!! I haven't heard that! Oh dear,would that mean my ending up with every symphony and orchestral work he composed?!! It's happened before and Pettersson was prolific,wasn't he? The one reason I have always resisted Myaskovsky (is that with an 'i' or 'y'? Come on,you're the expert!! ;D )Incidentally,I'm sure that there was an emi Lp of the Fifth or Eleventh symphony in the library when I was a youngster. I may even have borrowed it once? Did I imagine this?!! I know emi did issue (at least I seem to recall they did?) some Melodiya recordings on their label. I had their Spartacus ballet,on three Lps,for a while. A bit uneven that score,but there are good bits!! Incidentally,the same goes for Malcolm Williamson! I was trying to think of another British opera I might add to my collection a while back. On a whim I bought the Lyrita set of Tippett's Midsummer Marriage. I thought I might find it 'interesting'! On the contrary,I was hooked! I ended up with all the major orchestral works and a few other things as well!!!
Anyway,back to Holbrooke! I do actually enjoy some of his music. In fact I have done ever since I heard the first of those Marco Polo cds. I even wrote a fan letter to Gwydion Brooke (his son & the famous bassoonist,as you know) and got a very nice letter and a free Holbrooke Lp,to my complete surprise,in return! I've still got them somewhere! That said,I do find his output uneven;and I have to be in the right mood. My favourite piece so far is the Dylan Prelude,and I would love to hear that with a really good orchestra (ie not the Plovdiv. Sorry chaps! ;D). That said,I find even the weaker pieces a bit like a curates egg. There are bits that seem a bit thin,and then there is some felicity of orchestration that catches my ear and I'll keep listening. From what I've heard to date,I'm inclined to agree with the critic in the late lamented IRR Magazine,that construction was not one of his good points. A gift for colourful orchestration and a succession of dramatic flourishes and show stopping climaxes does not necessarily a good composer make;and colourful as his orchestration is,Holbrooke does have a tendency to garrulousness. On the plus side;I also agree with that aforementioned critic,that Holbrooke had a stronge sense for atmosphere;and it's that feel for atmosphere,and a very gothic one at that,which does appeal to me. As to whether his chamber music is actually preferable or better? I think it probably is,really! Like Scott,chamber and instrumental forms seemed to focus his mind. Indeed I listened to Holbrooke's Violin Sonata No 3 in F 'Orientale' (1926) on the Dutton label yesterday (see below) and what a lovely piece it is.......and short! On the contrary. Not a moment too long! It is lyrical music with an astringent edge to it,and I actually feel confident enough to say I think it's very good. I also like the other music on the cd (more please along similar lines,Dutton and EM records,please!). I think the Grasshopper Concerto also sounds better in this form,really. I like the version on the EM label best (and it's couplings). It sounds very nice in it's orchestral guise,though;and I think that leaping 'grasshopper' motif is one of Holbrooke's best (of what I've been able to hear so far). One more point. Holbrooke lived in Wales for a while;which obviously makes him a little more interesting for me. The Cauldron of Annwn cycle is based on legends from the Mabinogion (via Howard de Walden!!) and I've always been fascinated by Welsh myths and legends. Finally (another point!) whatever one might think of his music,Holbrooke was undoubtedly a very eccentric figure with a most colourful lifestyle filled with all sorts of interesting people. He would make a very entertaining subject for a biography,if someone has the time,one day. If it was well written,it might even be a little more interesting than his music!
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/51Brgufd3hL_zpsodoi1rkx.jpg)
And the other one!
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/71qrQBIUxGL._SL1036__zpsywcznvlp.jpg)
This one is very good too ( can't resist adding it! ::) ;D)
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/51IflgBdKLL_zps1a33qpi2.jpg)
I prefer Miaskovsky but the official website spells it Myaskovsky - there is no right answer, however I'm very flattered that you consider me an 'expert' others might say that 'CD nutter' is more accurate.
Oh yes, those great old EMI/ Melodiya LPs. I had Symphony 22 with some orchestral works by the conductor Svetlanov. Symphony 11 was certainly released on an EMI/Melodiya LP. It was coupled with Symphony 5 on an Olympia CD.
Yes,I only wish I'd bought more of them while I had the chance. The Melodiya cds haven't quite got that same quality about them. No frisson of getting things over enemy lines! The artwork is often inferior.....although,not always. I like their The Tale of Tsar Saltan set.....but no libretto! (When are we going to get a really good modern stereo recording of that?!!) And no wierd smelling glue!! Come on now Melodiya......the glue needs to knock you back when you open the set!! ??? ;D Also,the great thing about old Lp Melodiya was the repertoire. The new Melodiya seem very reluctant to veer away from the more well known composers,with a few notable exceptions!! :(
No Holbrooke (or Boughton) on this post,but it makes the thread look longer!! ;D
Quote from: cilgwyn on January 25, 2017, 02:55:52 PM
Yes,I only wish I'd bought more of them while I had the chance. The Melodiya cds haven't quite got that same quality about them. No frisson of getting things over enemy lines! The artwork is often inferior.....although,not always. I like their The Tale of Tsar Saltan set.....but no libretto! (When are we going to get a really good modern stereo recording of that?!!) And no wierd smelling glue!! Come on now Melodiya......the glue needs to knock you back when you open the set!! ??? ;D Also,the great thing about old Lp Melodiya was the repertoire. The new Melodiya seem very reluctant to veer away from the more well known composers,with a few notable exceptions!! :(
No Holbrooke (or Boughton) on this post,but it makes the thread look longer!! ;D
Those EMI/Melodiya LPs did not stay for long in the catalogue and I regret not getting the one with Miaskovsky's 11th Symphony on (with Two Pieces for String Orchestra I think - an adaptation of the two movements of Symphony 19 for band - one of the movements is beautiful). I agree with your comments. One exception to the CDs with less interesting covers I think is the extraordinary one below (if it appears); 'Oak Tree Splintered by Lightning'. Allegory on the Artist's Wife's Death.' 1842 by M. Vorobiev:
[asin]B00NWZIOGM[/asin]
Yes, back to Holbrooke! Miaskovsky's 'Silence' does have resonances of Holbrooke.
Another great CD image 'Peasant lighting cigarette':
[asin]B000B669G2[/asin]
Yes,great artwork. The top one is particularly striking. The Peasant lighting cigarette. I like cds of Russian music with that sort of artwork or photographs,instead of a prima donna conductor! (Herbert von Karjan being the most ridiculous example!) I remember my Melodiya Lp of Balakirev's First had that cyrillic (have I got that right?) script on the front. Beautifully ornate. It looked wonderful. I had an operetta set too;a Kalman operetta,in Russian,but performed with great gusto,that had the same ornate script on the front. I rather liked the way the box sets were constructed. The glue. Well,I don't miss it that much,but it was part of the experience!! ??? ;D Cpo's recent releases of (or fairly recent) examples of Kabalevsky and Khatchaturian's Second have been particularly good.
This is nice ,too. A bit different,I know. No peasant with lit fag in foreground!! ??? ;D I wouldn't mind acquiring the earlier release without the Helios logo.
(http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r688/dinasman/91uS5zikQiL._SL1500__zpscjpdptqw.jpg)
The Boughton cd I was plugging last night was rather let down by the longest item.The Concerto for String Orchestra. You really need a decent tune in a piece lasting 31:58! I enjoyed the other music,though!
And since this is a Holbrooke thread;this is one that I enjoy,now and again. It seems to have had little attention,even from the few people who like this composer. I also like the more astringent Holbrooke you get in some of these works. I like the shadowy,gothic atmosphere of some of these pieces. Living in Wales I am also interested to see this on the back of the jewel case."This recording is supported by a Research Award from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama". And in Welsh,"COLEG BRENHINOL CERDD A DRAMA CYMRU". (Their capital letters). His Welsh connections make him of some interest to me,as does the fact that his hugely ambitious operatic trilogy revolves around stories derived from the Mabinogion which I have read. I've always been interested in Welsh mytholgy and folklore and I think Holbrooke does get some of the darkly romantic atmosphere of those old stories in his best work. The playing on this cd is very good,as is the,as usual,excellent Cpo engineering.
(https://i.imgur.com/UNDeHw0.jpg)
Quote from: cilgwyn on June 25, 2012, 09:20:53 AM
One things for sure,even if you don't like the music,the Cpo cd has a great cover design. It has a mysterious,gothic look about it,which somehow fits in very well with Holbrooke's muse. Although,it makes me think more of Lovecraft than Poe.
Actually,bringing up Lovecraft,makes me wish Holbrooke had been as inspired by HPL. Tone poems & Concert overtures with titles like Dagon, Cthulhu & The Dunwich Horror,could have been fun! Or at least the titles would! ;D In fact,it just crossed my mind. Has any composer ever been inspired by Lovecraft? Does anyone here know? I'm sure someone has! I know John Ireland found inspiration in my fellow countryman,Arthur Machen,who was inspired by Poe;and come to think of it,Lovecraft was inspired by Machen,and to bring things more up to date,Stephen King was inspired by (or found inspiration in) Lovecraft!
About a week,or two ago,I had some job to do & to help me to concentrate on my work ;D,I put on my nice Sennheiser cordless headphones! :) To cut a long story :o short :),I chose to put on the recent Holbrooke orchestral cds from Cpo & Dutton (The Pit & the Pendulum,etc). I quite enjoyed the content of the cds;I think Holbrooke had a flair for colourful orchestration & and an,at times,gothick-y atmosphere;but I have had reservations about whether his ideas really add up. To quote Calum MacDonald,in his,December 2010 IRR Review,of the Dutton cd:
"It's not that his ideas lack character-he is no mere clone of late Romantic betters-but that their effect is somehow inconsequential. Theme follows theme,follows episode,follows gesture,and from moment to moment the music is often impressive,but I have no strong sense of where it is going,or whether any element is more important than any other."
Anyway,this time around,being busy,I put the Cpo cd on repeat. Interestingly,instead of driving me up the wall or boring me to tears,or,on a more positive level,leading me to the same conclusions as before; ie interesting,maybe quite good fun,but........where's that Stanley Bate?!!! Listening over and over again seemed to help. After a while the good bits,did seem to outweigh the not so good. To my suprise & relief (the off button was downstairs! :o) somewhere beneath all that splurge of,at times,melodramatically gothic diarrhoea,there did appear to be some kind of structure;albeit a tad ramshackle at times (the Variations),but there WAS something holding it all together,after all,and,my g*d;after hearing the cd about half a dozen times,in a row,I actually replaced it with the Dutton cd!
This,subsequently,led to a week long 'Holbrooke-Fest!',which took in the Dutton Violin Sonata No 3,the 'Ballet cd' (also Dutton),the Marco Polo orchestral cds,the new Naxos instrumental cd & off air recordings of 'The Bells' & excerpts from his opera,Bronwen! The latter,particularly excited me. Moving,passionate,exiting & dramatic in turns;it was probably the pick of the entire bunch! In fact,the worst thing about it was that it was only excerpts,very well performed ones at that;but as soon as you were really getting into any of it,the music would fade & you found yourself thrust,unceremoniously,into the next scene!
BOOOOOH! :( :o :)
Worst thing about this post. Having to check the spelling of 'diarrhoea'! :( :o (No jokes,please!!!)Google brought up some pretty revolting results! :( :o
Hope I've got it right,now! :(
Springrite (& Dundonnell) mention the Piano Concerto No 1'The Song of Gwyn ap Nudd'. Despite it's evocative title,I must say,this is the worst Holbrooke I've ever heard. It just sounds like an overblown & meandering Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninoff rip off,and that's being polite!!! Maybe,the Second Piano Concerto 'L'Orient' is better? (I b***** hope so!!!)
Just spotted this long winded post! ::) ;D A thought just occurred to me. A number of composers have been inspired by Edgar Allan Poe;and John Ireland by Welsh boy,Arthur Machen. But have any composers been inspired by HP Lovecraft,a writer I do enjoy?!!
After reading a quite enthusiastic review (not Musicweb) I decided to give this another spin. I didn't realise Holbrooke had taken a leaf out of Elgar's book. (Okay,I didn't read the booklet!) Each Variation being a musical sketch of a close friend or acquaintance. The Variation 14, HB Allegro marchia depicting Havergal Brian! Although Havergal Brian was later replaced by DG (Dan Godfrey)! I'm beginning to enjoy this now after a few listens. Holbrooke's variations are hardly a match for Elgar's;but maybe they aren't meant to be? This is more like well crafted light music. I find Holbrooke's scoring colourful and I like parts of it very much. I also find the ,so called,"Grasshopper" Violin Concerto growing on me,too. I find that leaping motif quite delightful. It really draws me in,and Holbrooke's scoring is at it's best here. I particularly like the lovely slow movement.
The cd finishes off with one of his Poe (Edgar Allan! ;D) inspired compositions. This is a very Gothic sounding piece. You can practically hear the rustling curtain and the Raven tapping on the window pane,croaking,"Nevermore"!
(http://i.imgur.com/EFKKtrY.jpg)
A composer who re-worked several of his ideas into other pieces.
His bio is an interesting read - a bit of a cantankerous old chap!
This is not a complete list of works-still gathering info:
Chamber works
===============================================
6 pieces for Violin & Piano, Op.3
2 Poems for Violin & Piano, Op.5 (1896)
Adagio and Rondo for clarinet and piano, Op.6b 1894
5 pieces for mandolin, violin & piano, Op.8 (1900)
Miniature Characteristic Suite, op.33b, wind quintet, 1897
Sextet 'Israfel', op.33a, piano, wind/str insts, 1901
9 pieces for Violin & Piano, Op.12
piano Qt No.2 'Byron', d, op.31, 1902
Str Sextet 'Henry Vaughan', D, op.43, 1902
Fantasie-Sonate, op.19, cello, piano, 1904
String Quartet No.1, Op.17b 1904
Trio for Violin, Horn & Piano, Op.25/28 1904
piano quintet 'Diabolique', op.44, 1904
piano Qt No.1, op.21, 1905
6 pieces for Violin/Cello & Piano, Op.23
Sextet for Piano/Strings Op33a 'Israel' 1901
Violin Sonata Nr.1, Op.6a (1906)
Sextet 'In Memoriam', op.46, str qt, db, piano, 1905
quintet 'Apollo', op.51b, 4 clarinet, piano, 1907
Cl quintet no.2 'Ligeia' ('Fate'), g, op.27, 1910
Trio for oboe, clarinet & piano, Op.57 'Fairyland' 1911
Nocturne 'Fairyland', op.57, ob, clarinet/viola, piano, 1912
String Qt Nr.2, Op.58a 'War Impressions' 1915
Serenade for oboe d'amore, clarinet, basset horn, 2 saxhorns, viola, 5 saxophones and harp, Op.61b. 1916
Str Qt no.3 'Pickwick Club', op.68, 1916
Folksong Suite No.1 for String Qt., Op.71 1916
Folksong Suite No.2 for String Qt., Op.72 1916
Violin Sonata No.2, Op.59a 'Romantic' 1917
Celtic Suite, op.72, violin, piano, 1917
Violin Sonata no.3 'Orientale', op.83, 1926
Phryne, op.89b, clarinet, piano, 1930s
Arietta, for harp and flute, Op.120b (1930s)
Irene, nonet for two violins, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, Op.129
bassoon quintet 'Eleonora', op.134, 1940s
Octet, op.135, oboe, english horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, db, horn, early 1940s
Orchestral
========================================================
The Raven, sym. poem, after E.A. Poe, op.25, 1900
Three Blind Mice Variations, op.37, 1900
The Viking, sym. poem, after H.W. Longfellow: The Skeleton in Armour, op.32, 1901
Queen Mab (W. Shakespeare), op.45, chorus ad lib, orch, 1902
The Bells (Poe), sym. poem, op.50, chorus, orch, 1903
Ulalume, sym. poem, op.35, 1903 [after Poe]
Byron (J. Keats), sym. poem, op.39, chorus ad lib, orch, 1904
Les hommages, suite, op.40, 1904
Auld Lang Syne Variations, op.60, 1906
Sym. no.1 'Homage to E.A. Poe – a Dramatic Choral Sym.' (Poe), op.51, chorus, orch, 1907
Sym. no.2 'Apollo and the Seaman – an Illuminated Sym.' (F.H. Trench), op.48, chorus, orch, 1907
piano Conc. no.1 'The Song of Gwyn-ap-Nudd', after T.E. Ellis, f, op.52, 1908
ViolinConc. 'The Grasshopper' ('The Lyrical'), F, op.59, 1909, rev. 1916, 1928
The Birds of Rhiannon, op.87, 1920
Fantasy 'The Wild Fowl', op.56b, 1920s
Sym. no.3 'Ships', e, op.90, 1925
Sax Conc. B, op.88, 1927
piano Conc. no.2 'L'orient', op.100, 1928
Sym. no.5 'Wild Wales', op.106, brass band, 1930s
Amontillado, dramatic ov., op.123, 1935
cello Conc. 'The Cambrian', E, op.103, 1936
Double Conc. 'Tamerlane', after Poe, op.119, cl/sax/vn, bassoon/vc, small orch, 1939
Quadruple Conc., op.133, fl, clarinet, eng hn, bassoon, orch, late 1940s
Symphony No.6 in G major, Old England, Op.107 [see under Military band]
Symphony No.7 in D major, Al Aaraaf, for strings, Op.109 (1929)
Symphony No.8 in B flat, Dance Symphony, Op.112
Symphony [No.9], Milton, Op.131
Organ
=======================
Grand Prelude & Fuge, Op.63 1917
Suite No.1 in Bb, Op.111
Suite No.2, Op.122
Suite No.3, Op.128a
Nocturne, Op.116c
Piano music
============================
2 fantasie-sonatas
8 nocturnes
4 Cambrian Ballades
Ballet
==========================
Coromanthe, op.61, late 1910s
The Moth and the Flame, op.62, late 1910s
The Masque of the Red Death, op.65, 1913
Pandora, 1919
Aucassin and Nicolette, op.115, 1935
I've been quite happy with 90% of the Marco Polo releases,
and this one does not disappoint.
[asin]B000024OEE[/asin] (https://s1.postimg.org/5ej0j7a3hb/Back.jpg)
A Holbrooke fan ,here. There don't seem to be many of us! I like quite allot of his music for some reason. Incidentally,Cpo will be releasing a third cd in their Holbrooke cd,before long. It will include his Symphony No 3 "Ships",among other orchestral works. I'm not sure quite when it will be released,though!
Bumpity bump.
Finding this CD extremely enjoyable, with some very melodic String Quartets and a very decent Clarinet quintet too. Worth a listen.
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/26/24/0765387712426_600.jpg)
Quote from: Papy Oli on August 07, 2020, 02:59:22 AM
Bumpity bump.
Finding this CD extremely enjoyable, with some very melodic String Quartets and a very decent Clarinet quintet too. Worth a listen.
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/26/24/0765387712426_600.jpg)
You have answered my question I put to you on the "Listening now" thread, Olivier. I am beginning to wonder if Jeffrey and yourself have had a secret bet who can empty my wallet first!
Quote from: Irons on August 07, 2020, 07:24:31 AM
You have answered my question I put to you on the "Listening now" thread, Olivier. I am beginning to wonder if Jeffrey and yourself have had a secret bet who can empty my wallet first!
See it as a valuable service being err...repaid :P
Quote from: Irons on August 07, 2020, 07:24:31 AM
You have answered my question I put to you on the "Listening now" thread, Olivier. I am beginning to wonder if Jeffrey and yourself have had a secret bet who can empty my wallet first!
You'll be grateful in the end Lol ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on August 10, 2020, 12:22:42 AM
You'll be grateful in the end Lol ;D
Now let me see: Miaskovsky, Bate, Eller, Hadley, Sainton, Alwyn (VC), Wordsworth (Symphonies), Goossens (1st Symphony), Bantock (cello), Arnell and deep breath Chisholm. Enough I say! :o
Quote from: Irons on August 10, 2020, 06:06:14 AM
Now let me see: Miaskovsky, Bate, Eller, Hadley, Sainton, Alwyn (VC), Wordsworth (Symphonies), Goossens (1st Symphony), Bantock (cello), Arnell and deep breath Chisholm. Enough I say! :o
At first glance, that list is missing Benjamin, Joubert, Hurlstone, Sauguet, Ethel Smyth and Lilburn....
:P
Quote from: Irons on August 10, 2020, 06:06:14 AM
Now let me see: Miaskovsky, Bate, Eller, Hadley, Sainton, Alwyn (VC), Wordsworth (Symphonies), Goossens (1st Symphony), Bantock (cello), Arnell and deep breath Chisholm. Enough I say! :o
You forgot Goossens's 2nd Symphony! :o :o
I'm not too familiar with Holbrooke's music, but I really enjoy his Piano Concerto no. 1 The Song of Gwyn ap Nudd:
[asin]B00004I9T2[/asin]
Anyone who loves late-romantic PCs is bound to enjoy this work. It's lush, dramatic, and tuneful. I found it much more engaging than the accompanying Haydn Wood concerto on this disc.
Quote from: Scion7 on October 29, 2017, 05:36:46 PM
I've been quite happy with 90% of the Marco Polo releases,
and this one does not disappoint.
[asin]B000024OEE[/asin] (https://s1.postimg.org/5ej0j7a3hb/Back.jpg)
I have listened to the above yesterday and today. I have found the Sextet and the Symphonic quintet particularly entertaining (top marks for the Andante of the latter, very moving).
Another one for you, Lol !! 0:)
Quote from: Papy Oli on August 27, 2020, 03:06:54 AM
I have listened to the above yesterday and today. I have found the Sextet and the Symphonic quintet particularly entertaining (top marks for the Andante of the latter, very moving).
Another one for you, Lol !! 0:)
:D
Coincidentally I listened to his Violin Sonata No.3 "Orientale" early this week. I have no idea where the title comes from as there is nothing remotely oriental about it. More jazz, modern not traditional, a really good violin sonata. So yes, Olivier, I'm tempted.
Quote from: Irons on August 27, 2020, 08:14:18 AM
:D
Coincidentally I listened to his Violin Sonata No.3 "Orientale" early this week. I have no idea where the title comes from as there is nothing remotely oriental about it. More jazz, modern not traditional, a really good violin sonata. So yes, Olivier, I'm tempted.
I could only find the Violin sonata No.1 & 2 on Qobuz, nothing on YT. I've queued the two for later. thank you.
Bogey Beasts, Op.89a was a 1923 collaboration between Holbrooke and his friend the artist/ poet Sidney Sime (1867-1941) dealing with fantastical, imaginary creatures (with more than a hint of satire). Here is an excellent illustrated recitation-performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtsWxggYVw4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtsWxggYVw4)
and here is the piano score (Holbrooke subsequently made a shorter orchestral suite):
https://imslp.org/wiki/Bogey_Beasts,_Op.89a_(Holbrooke,_Joseph) (https://imslp.org/wiki/Bogey_Beasts,_Op.89a_(Holbrooke,_Joseph))
:)
Some Holbrooke items:
Annabel Lee, Op.41b:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFzQ5bxqCuE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFzQ5bxqCuE)
Apollo and the Seaman, Op.51 (extract) - does anybody know anything more about this recording? It is from Section VI (The Rebuke) and begins at the Maestoso con moto seven bars before figure 73, ending at figure 78 (pages 128-133 in the full score, pages 55-58 in the piano reduction):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ut-QJBx5U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ut-QJBx5U)
Three Dramatic Songs, Op.69:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZJIbZHC4Vw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZJIbZHC4Vw)
:)
Your wish is granted!
PART 1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eZp3YbJ-Tc
PARET 2 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjWS227_7pw
As part of my fixation for British 20th Century Music I have just about every commercial disc of Holbrooke there is. By I have yet to have a "lightbulb" moment with any of it. I quite like it but most of the time I think the orchestration is too dense (Bantock without the jokes), over-thought and ultimately unmemorable. I watched the link to the composer who was intrigued to reconstruct Apollo & the Seaman because of the references to that work in the orchestration book by Cecil Forsyth. That was genuinely very interesting but ultimately you're not a good composer/orchestrator because you include saxophone parts in 1908!
Quote from: Roasted Swan on April 24, 2021, 07:42:18 AM
As part of my fixation for British 20th Century Music I have just about every commercial disc of Holbrooke there is. By I have yet to have a "lightbulb" moment with any of it. I quite like it but most of the time I think the orchestration is too dense (Bantock without the jokes), over-thought and ultimately unmemorable. I watched the link to the composer who was intrigued to reconstruct Apollo & the Seaman because of the references to that work in the orchestration book by Cecil Forsyth. That was genuinely very interesting but ultimately you're not a good composer/orchestrator because you include saxophone parts in 1908!
I rather agree with you about Holbrooke. I liked your 'Bantock without the jokes' comment. I've always thought that Robert Simpson's music (much admired here) was like 'Nielsen without the tunes'. I have enjoyed some of the chamber music more than the orchestral music, like the Piano Quartet:
(//)
Interested about the Welsh connection in Holbrooke's music. He doesn't seem (from what I can tell) to have had any Welsh ancestry himself but seems to have drawn on Welsh mythology extensively as inspiration for his music - Gwyn ap Nudd, the Mabinogi etc.
He could be said to have the same relationship with Wales as Bax did with Ireland in that sense.
Anyone know any more about why Wales inspired him?
Quote from: Figaro on August 11, 2022, 12:45:41 PM
Interested about the Welsh connection in Holbrooke's music. He doesn't seem (from what I can tell) to have had any Welsh ancestry himself but seems to have drawn on Welsh mythology extensively as inspiration for his music - Gwyn ap Nudd, the Mabinogi etc.
He could be said to have the same relationship with Wales as Bax did with Ireland in that sense.
Anyone know any more about why Wales inspired him?
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/nov03/Holbrook_wales.htm
Quote from: Scion7 on November 12, 2022, 10:42:22 PMhttp://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/nov03/Holbrook_wales.htm
I think that Holbrooke was just caught up with the whole Celtic vibe, as were Bantock and Boughton. Listening again to my Holbrooke discs I'm again impressed by Howard Griffiths' three volumes on CPO which now comprise:
The Raven, Op.25
The Viking, Op.32
Ulalume, Op.35
Three Blind Mice Variations, Op.37 No.1
The Girl I left Behind Me Variations, Op.37 No.2
Grasshopper Violin Concerto, Op.59
Auld Lang Syne Variations, Op.60
The Birds of Rhiannon, Op.87
Symphony No.3, Ships, Op.90
Amontillado, Op.123All these performances are very strong indeed and Griffiths never ceases to bring character and finesse to this often very quirky music. These discs should definitely be supplemented with two excellent CDs from Dutton under George Vass which offer:
Pandora
Saxophone Concerto, Op.88
Symphony No.4, Op.95
Cello Concerto, Cambrian, Op.103
Aucussin and Nicolette, Op.115
The Pit and the Pendulum, Op.126Once again, Vass has a great feel for Holbrooke's idiosyncratic idiom.
Major omissions from the commercial catalogue remain
Queen Mab,
The Bells,
Apollo and the Seaman,
A Dramatic Choral Symphony and Piano Concerto No.2,
L'Orient.
The Hyperion recording of Piano Concerto No.1
Gywn ap Nudd is not very striking and for completists only (unfortunately I fall into that particular bank-busting category).
I spent months on end constructing the Wikipedia entry on Holbrooke and an accompanying catalogue of his works - he was both quixotic and damned chaotic...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Holbrooke
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Joseph_Holbrooke
::)
Although there isn't a hope in Hell of the massive trilogy The Cauldron of Annwn being revived and recorded complete, here are substantial excerpts from the final opera Bronwen, Op.75 (1915-28)...
https://www.mediafire.com/file/hef8iz5qymqwoor/Holbrooke_-_Bronwen%252C_Op.75_%25281915-20%2529_-_excerpts.wma/file
:)