6 (or so) great musical discoveries through the GMG Forum.

[vandermolen]

Whilst membership of this forum has, more or less, bankrupted me, it has also introduced me to some great musical discoveries, which I may well never have otherwise come across.

Here are just a few that come to mind:

Hurum: Symphony and other works

Lo Presti: Elegy for a Young American, The Masks and other works

Kleiberg: Bell Reef Symphony

Alan Bush: Symphony 2 'Nottingham'

Ross Edwards: Symphony Da Pacem Domine

Schulhoff: Symphony No 5

There are many more and thanks to all who introduced me to these works and much else besides.

Through other music forums:

Balanchivadze Symphony 1

Ruth Gipps: Symphony No 4 (terrific work)

How about you?

[Cato]

In all seriousness, two of the best musical discoveries I have made through this site are the works of Karl Henning and Luke Ottevanger.

Neither have caused me bankruptcy, although they probably should!   0:)

[CD]

Havergal Brian
Charles Koechlin
The Leonhardt edition
pretty much my entire Early Music collection

[Lethevich]

Bax - Christmas Eve on the Mountain. I found it hard to distinguish his tone poems, but this was strongly advocated by two users - yourself included - and I loved it. Somewhat more thematically interesting than the rest, even more atmospheric as well.

Cooke - Concerto for String Orchestra. I don't claim this to be anything near a masterpiece, but it is highly attuned to my tastes. I was already impressed by his third symphony on another CD, but it was Christo who pushed me to buy this disc despite my cheapness.

Françaix. I just loved this composer's style - pure pleasure. Unoriginal - essentially bits and pieces of Ravel, Stravinsky and others intermingled - but excellent easy-listening music, without being excessively simple or unvaried. The kind of style I could never really get sick of, and I will no doubt find even more value in during the next few years as I gradually tire, untire, and tire again of more heavier or intense music by various other composers.

Langgaard. He was initially on my radar from Sarge mentioning the subtitle of the 10th symphony (Yon Hall of Thunder) and this made me lol enough to make a mental note to check the composer out some time later. I don't love all the symphonies at this time, but I like them all and adore several of them. At his best, tonally, he will remind you of other composers, but at the same time be doing ridiculous things that any other self-respecting late Romantic composers wouldn't include even in a first draught flight of fancy. There are also interesting and weird things to discover in his non-orchestral music, for example the organ cycle Messis and his chamber music.

Medtner. Mainly from Wanderer's repeated postings about him, I think.

Havergal Brian. Massively aided by Jezetha's link-list, as my breakthrough piece was a commercially unavailable one (the 27th symphony).

[hornteacher]

Gurn is totally responsible for my discovery and love of Haydn's String Quartets.

[vandermolen]

Bax - Christmas Eve on the Mountain. I found it hard to distinguish his tone poems, but this was strongly advocated by two users - yourself included - and I loved it. Somewhat more thematically interesting than the rest, even more atmospheric as well.

Cooke - Concerto for String Orchestra. I don't claim this to be anything near a masterpiece, but it is highly attuned to my tastes. I was already impressed by his third symphony on another CD, but it was Christo who pushed me to buy this disc despite my cheapness.

Françaix. I just loved this composer's style - pure pleasure. Unoriginal - essentially bits and pieces of Ravel, Stravinsky and others intermingled - but excellent easy-listening music, without being excessively simple or unvaried. The kind of style I could never really get sick of, and I will no doubt find even more value in during the next few years as I gradually tire, untire, and tire again of more heavier or intense music by various other composers.

Langgaard. He was initially on my radar from Sarge mentioning the subtitle of the 10th symphony (Yon Hall of Thunder) and this made me lol enough to make a mental note to check the composer out some time later. I don't love all the symphonies at this time, but I like them all and adore several of them. At his best, tonally, he will remind you of other composers, but at the same time be doing ridiculous things that any other self-respecting late Romantic composers wouldn't include even in a first draught flight of fancy. There are also interesting and weird things to discover in his non-orchestral music, for example the organ cycle Messis and his chamber music.

Medtner. Mainly from Wanderer's repeated postings about him, I think.

Havergal Brian. Massively aided by Jezetha's link-list, as my breakthrough piece was a commercially unavailable one (the 27th symphony).

Interesting post and, of course, I'm pleased that you liked Christmas Eve on the Mountains by Bax. In fact the original Chandos release with this work on is my favourite Bax CD.

Christo also introduced me to Orthel - another very interesting discovery.

[Guido]

In general I do my own thing when it comes to exploring music and this forum where I want to share things and discuss them once I've made the discoveries.

There have been a few though - mainly from Luke actually. Most notably for me - Schoeck's Elegie which is simply one of the finest and most beautiful vocal works that I know of. Also through him I got to know about Janacek and many many other composers - e.g. Satoh's wonderful works for strings, Adams' orchestral works (most importantly - Harmonielehre) and interesting little gubbins like Glass' Echorus, which I instantly loved (I think it's his best piece!)

[Christo]

Ruth Gipps: Symphony No 4 (terrific work)

I missed the release of Ruth Gipps' Fourth - and cannot find it anywhere. Where should I look, I would love to hear it!

(BTW: greetings! Am back here after some months of reclusion )

Christo also introduced me to Orthel - another very interesting discovery.

Oops. I still own you a copy of his Second, the Piccola Sinfonia (1940). 

[Elgarian]

However long a list I might try to put together, I'd leave something important out. But here are a few that bubble immediately up:

Those discussions we've had in the baroque/Handel vocal music threads have been of enormous importance to me - too many to list. Through those I was able to pursue one exhilarating discovery after another with the help of the contributors to those threads, and the purchases I made as a result almost crippled me financially, for a while.

I can't recall exactly who first tipped me off about Immerseel's Beethoven symphonies. It might have been Gurn, or he may have chipped in later; I can't remember. But whoever it was - thank you.

Then there's the Mozart piano concerto thread, and the ding-dong discussions about which set to buy, while I was still in the process of discovering a love for music that I'd written off as 'not my thing' years ago. I now own 4 box sets of Mozart piano concertos: that would have been unthinkable, 10 years ago. The Sofronitzki box may well turn out to be the single most significant purchase I've made as a direct result of being a member of this forum.

I ought to mention the Jacobs series of Mozart operas, but again I can't remember who started the ball rolling. I'll call a halt there.

[schweitzeralan]

I missed the release of Ruth Gipps' Fourth - and cannot find it anywhere. Where should I look, I would love to hear it!

(BTW: greetings! Am back here after some months of reclusion )
Oops. I still own you a copy of his Second, the Piccola Sinfonia (1940). 

I recently came across the praise for Ruth Gipps 4th Symphony.  I also did not find a recording of this work.  I do have the 2nd.  Fine work. Would very much like to hear the 4th.  An on line bio and criticism of this composer praise the 4th as being a masterpiece.

[Brahmsian]

Mozart String Duos, String Trios & String Quintets (Andy D.)

Beethoven Wind Music (Bill, aka Bogey)

Stravinsky's Big Box (several GMGers, especially Karl H.)

Tchaikovsky Symphonies on Brilliant Classics (Harry)

Vivaldi Violin Concertos - (Harry)

Brahms Brilliant Box (Brian)

Wagner (Andy D., Marvin Brown)

[George]

Gulda - LvB Sonatas Amadeo/Brilliant - Todd

Vegh - Stereo LvB - I forget who

Horowitz/Barbirolli - Rach 3 - Renfield 

Bartok Quartets - Hungarian QT - I forget who 
________________

Mandryka - for many great piano recommendations

[starrynight]

I recently came across the praise for Ruth Gipps 4th Symphony.  I also did not find a recording of this work.  I do have the 2nd.  Fine work. Would very much like to hear the 4th.  An on line bio and criticism of this composer praise the 4th as being a masterpiece.

I also know the 2nd (which I like too) but not the 4th.

[schweitzeralan]

I also know the 2nd (which I like too) but not the 4th.

Is the 4th available?

[Klaatu]

Whilst membership of this forum has, more or less, bankrupted me, it has also introduced me to some great musical discoveries, which I may well never have otherwise come across.

Here are just a few that come to mind:

Hurum: Symphony and other works

Lo Presti: Elegy for a Young American, The Masks and other works

Kleiberg: Bell Reef Symphony

Alan Bush: Symphony 2 'Nottingham'

Ross Edwards: Symphony Da Pacem Domine

Schulhoff: Symphony No 5

There are many more and thanks to all who introduced me to these works and much else besides.

Through other music forums:

Balanchivadze Symphony 1

Ruth Gipps: Symphony No 4 (terrific work)

How about you?

Well, as a newcomer on this Forum I've just "discovered", thanks to your good self, all that lot above!  Can't wait to get 'em!

Can I echo the query about Ruth Gipps' 4th - I enjoyed her 2nd on the Classico label; if the 4th is still available I'd like to hear it.

[Christo]

Cooke - Concerto for String Orchestra. I don't claim this to be anything near a masterpiece, but it is highly attuned to my tastes. I was already impressed by his third symphony on another CD, but it was Christo who pushed me to buy this disc despite my cheapness.

[jowcol]

Orthel's 3rd.

Miaskovsky's 16th.

Also, the cycles of Atterberg, Tubin  (who I need to go back to ) and Holmboe. 

There's a lot more.  I just need to review what I've bought over the last couple of years.

[Holden]

So what have I discovered via the GMG boards .... the list is almost endless.

Performers such as Fiorentino, Levy, Ciani, Renard, to name but a few.

Special performances abound and include: Annie Fischer's LvB cycle, Richter's WTC, The Hollywood SQs Schubert String Quintet, The BATs Schubert Piano Trios, Serkin's Waldstein and Monteux's LvB 7th. There are many more.

I've also explored new (for me) composers whose works I had not bothered with until they were warmly mentioned on these boards. These include Janacek's 'On an Overgrown Path", Shostakovich's 8th and 11th symphonies, Lauridsens choral works, Kasputin, Vorisek, etc....

Thank you to all who have piqued my curiosity and added to my ongoing learning experience in the great world of classical music.