There seems to be lots of Bruckner and Mahler threads here. Great symphonies. But in the line of things, do you think Bax is next? I have the Handley box on Chandos and they seem really well played (and good sound) but Bax really changes ideas fast; faster than Mahler I think. Last time I tried to get through a symphony his ideas, phrases were all over the place. Seemed each new few bars had completely unrelated material.
Is Bax a great composer that's going to be the next big thing in symphonic soundscapes in the line of Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler, or is he off to the side for a reason?
No. I'll maybe be convinced if you show me how many Bax symphonies are on concert programs. Bax is a great symphonist, but I don't think he going to catch on. His music is too craggy and violent to become mainstream.
But Bax's chamber music is wonderful, IMO. Well worth exploring.
Quote from: Mark on June 02, 2007, 05:48:50 PM
But Bax's chamber music is wonderful, IMO. Well worth exploring.
On Naxos?
No, I think Bax is too "difficult" to ever become a repetory staple.
I've been curious about Bax for some time. Anyone have a favorite symphony/recording?
Quote from: Kullervo on June 02, 2007, 06:51:29 PM
I've been curious about Bax for some time. Anyone have a favorite symphony/recording?
I would try Symphonies 1 and 2 on Naxos.
12Tone - I think you might subsitute a goodly number of composers for Bax when posing that question - there are so many 'excellent' composers that we discuss on this forum that deserve such consideration, but will likely not become 'GREATS' in the future. I own about a dozen Bax CDs, the Complete Symphonies w/ Handley on Chandos & a lot of his chamber works - all of which I enjoy, but unfortunately he is virtually never programmed in my area - :-\
Quote from: SonicMan on June 02, 2007, 07:17:41 PM
12Tone - I think you might subsitute a goodly number of composers for Bax when posing that question - there are so many 'excellent' composers that we discuss on this forum that deserve such consideration, but will likely not become 'GREATS' in the future. I own about a dozen Bax CDs, the Complete Symphonies w/ Handley on Chandos & a lot of his chamber works - all of which I enjoy, but unfortunately he is virtually never programmed in my area - :-\
British composers in general seem to be undeservedly overlooked.
Quote from: Kullervo on June 02, 2007, 07:33:03 PM
British composers in general seem to be undeservedly overlooked.
Kullervo - agree completely - take a look at this THREAD (http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,4392.0.html) that I started in the 'old' forum - plenty of great English composers discussed w/ plenty of recommendations - again, I rarely see any of these works programmed locally - :-\
Quote from: 12tone. on June 02, 2007, 05:44:00 PM
There seems to be lots of Bruckner and Mahler threads here. Great symphonies. But in the line of things, do you think Bax is next? I have the Handley box on Chandos and they seem really well played (and good sound) but Bax really changes ideas fast; faster than Mahler I think. Last time I tried to get through a symphony his ideas, phrases were all over the place. Seemed each new few bars had completely unrelated material.
Is Bax a great composer that's going to be the next big thing in symphonic soundscapes in the line of Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler, or is he off to the side for a reason?
He is off to the side for a reason.
Quote from: Kullervo on June 02, 2007, 06:51:29 PM
I've been curious about Bax for some time. Anyone have a favorite symphony/recording?
Symphony No. 6 on Naxos. Symphony No. 3 is probably the best known: it was recorded by Barbirolli back in the mono era. My favorite of his tone poems is
Tintagel. The Lyrita CD with Boult conducting would give you a nice selection of his tone poems.
Chandos reduced in price many of the Bax recordings, so get on it my friend.
Quote from: Catison on June 02, 2007, 05:47:09 PM
No. I'll maybe be convinced if you show me how many Bax symphonies are on concert programs. Bax is a great symphonist, but I don't think he going to catch on. His music is too craggy and violent to become mainstream.
Craggier and more violent than
Le sacre du printemps? This I've got to hear! ;D
Quote from: Daverz on June 02, 2007, 06:12:57 PM
No, I think Bax is too "difficult" to ever become a repetory staple.
I seem to recall they said similar things about Mahler...
All Bax needs is for a world-class conductor to champion him, as Bernstein did Mahler and Mackerras did Janácek.
Bax has Handley as his champion. Is he not 'world-class'? ???
Quote from: Mark on June 05, 2007, 02:00:10 PM
Bax has Handley as his champion. Is he not 'world-class'? ???
Handley? No way, he is your typical journeyman kapellmeister in every sense of the word. David Lloyd-Jones, on the other hand is a world-class conductor.
Quote from: SonicMan on June 02, 2007, 07:17:41 PM
12Tone - I think you might subsitute a goodly number of composers for Bax when posing that question - there are so many 'excellent' composers that we discuss on this forum that deserve such consideration, but will likely not become 'GREATS' in the future. I own about a dozen Bax CDs, the Complete Symphonies w/ Handley on Chandos & a lot of his chamber works - all of which I enjoy, but unfortunately he is virtually never programmed in my area - :-\
I saw that set on Chandos,
SonicMan. Would you mind describing the performance? :)
Bax, the next 'thing' in music? Why not?
Quote from: Harry on June 02, 2007, 11:30:49 PM
Yes! :)
Bax has been one of my "ultimates" for over 40 years.
I've been rediscovering Bax since I bought the Handley box set. Exceptional music. I think I wasn't wowed enough with the previous recordings. The Thomson recordings sounded too remote (bad acoustics?) and Lloyd-Jones take on it so fast it just makes a joke of the music. But Handley brings great sound quality AND performances to the table.
I haven't listened to the interview disc yet, but I can tell you that the music is superb, and I'm a Bax fan now. :)
This is my favourite Bax CD - although of largely unknown works - well worth investigating as it is at budget price. As for the symphonies I'd recommend No 2 and 5 on a single Lyrita CD - great performances by Myer Fredman and Raymond Leppard.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 06, 2009, 02:15:11 PM
As for the symphonies I'd recommend No 2 and 5 on a single Lyrita CD - great performances by Myer Fredman and Raymond Leppard.
That disc - particularly no 5 - was my wakeup call to the greatness of Bax despite having heard various discs through the years.
Quote from: 12tone. on June 02, 2007, 05:44:00 PM
There seems to be lots of Bruckner and Mahler threads here. Great symphonies. But in the line of things, do you think Bax is next? I have the Handley box on Chandos and they seem really well played (and good sound) but Bax really changes ideas fast; faster than Mahler I think. Last time I tried to get through a symphony his ideas, phrases were all over the place. Seemed each new few bars had completely unrelated material.
Is Bax a great composer that's going to be the next big thing in symphonic soundscapes in the line of Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler, or is he off to the side for a reason?
Bruckner -> Mahler -> Shostakovich
Quote from: erato on August 06, 2009, 09:28:20 PM
That disc - particularly no 5 - was my wakeup call to the greatness of Bax despite having heard various discs through the years.
Me too - on a Lyrita LP. I was actually lucky enough to hear the work live - at the Proms many years ago. The Albert Hall was sadly but predictably half-empty :(
The next big thing? Pretty doubtful. But darn if he isn't an intriguing and delightful composer! Anyone with a hankering for lush, challenging Late Romanticism needs to explore his work. Oh, and woodwind players, too, since winds play a central role in his unique style of orchestrating.
A good place to start, which includes some of his most accessible "greatest hits" like the unforgettable
Tingtagel:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41B74RF5AHL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
Quote from: DavidW on August 06, 2009, 01:36:01 PM
I've been rediscovering Bax since I bought the Handley box set. Exceptional music. I think I wasn't wowed enough with the previous recordings. The Thomson recordings sounded too remote (bad acoustics?) and Lloyd-Jones take on it so fast it just makes a joke of the music. But Handley brings great sound quality AND performances to the table.
I have both the Handley and the Lloyd-Jones cycles and find the latter an excellent alternative to the former. Both were/are skilled, dedicated Baxians.
Quote from: Grazioso on August 07, 2009, 03:47:55 AM
The next big thing? Pretty doubtful. But darn if he isn't an intriguing and delightful composer! Anyone with a hankering for lush, challenging Late Romanticism needs to explore his work. Oh, and woodwind players, too, since winds play a central role in his unique style of orchestrating.
A good place to start, which includes some of his most accessible "greatest hits" like the unforgettable Tingtagel:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41B74RF5AHL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
I have both the Handley and the Lloyd-Jones cycles and find the latter an excellent alternative to the former. Both were/are skilled, dedicated Baxians.
Yes, that's a really good intro. to Bax too.
I don't know if Bax is the "next big thing", but his music certainly deserves to be heard more often, and I certainly hope this will happen.
But his music is somewhat elusive,particularly his symphonies, and does not reveal its secrets on first hearing .
I've heard the Thomson set of the symphonies, but not the more recent Handley one ,both on Chandos, and have the classic Barbirolli/Halle orch. recording on EMI coupled with music by John Ireland .
The colorful tone poem "Tintagel" is a work which I think would please audiences if they got to hear it.
But Bax is only one of many lesser-known but estimable composers who might become the"next big thing", such as Myaskovsky, Stenhammar, Berwald, Bliss, Schmidt, Fibich, Koechlin, etc.