Six undeservedly neglected composers.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Actually Johan, you may have a point - I guess that is on the CD with the Brian Cello Concerto.

Yes. I think it's - to use a word that will get Colin howling to the Scottish welkin - ravishing.

[Dundonnell]

Use 'ravishing' as much as you like, Johan   If you find Bowen's music 'ravishing' that's just fine by me. I prefer my music 'sombre and grim'....but that's just me

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Use 'ravishing' as much as you like, Johan   If you find Bowen's music 'ravishing' that's just fine by me. I prefer my music 'sombre and grim'....but that's just me

I like both. Delius and Brian are my two extremes. I am Brian's Eighth personified...

[Dundonnell]

I don't think that he deserves a thread of his own but a composer who certainly was neglected but whose music impressed me when I heard it for the first time last year is
Hermann Hans Wetzler.

Wetzler(1870-1943) was born and received his musical education in Frankfurt am Main but his family had actually settled in the USA in 1848. His father was from Bohemia and his mother was German. Between 1892 and 1905 Wetzler attempted to establish himself in the USA as a musician, culminating in his formation of the Wetzler Symphony Orchestra-which gave the first performance of Richard Strauss' Sinfonia Domestica under the composer's baton. Wetzler returned to Europe in 1905 and conducted in a number of cities, including Cologne from 1919 to 1922. Wetzler later settled in Switzerland but died in New York in 1943. His compositions were banned in Germany after 1935 because of the Jewish origins of his parents.

CPO issued a disc of his two principal orchestral compositions: Visionen and Assisi: Legend for Orchestra (Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra, Chemnitz/Frank Beermann). I was particularly struck by Assisi. Wetzler's compositional style is a not perhaps surprising blend of Richard Strauss, Max Reger, a bit of Bruckner, richly chromatic.
Not great music but better than some of the other 'romantic' Germans unearthed over the last few years by CPO.  Worth a listen at least.

[Dundonnell]

I like both. Delius and Brian are my two extremes. I am Brian's Eighth personified...

Now, now.....that's surely taking admiration of a composer a bit far, isn't it

[Superhorn]

       If you're looking for Bantock recordings,  you need the 6 CD Hyperion set  on his orchestral and vocal works  on Hyperion
      conducted by the late,lamented Vernon Handley .It includes  Fifine at the Fair,  The Song of Songs, the Hebridean symphony,
       Thalaba  the Destroyer , and other really interesting works. 
      Also,  get  the Chandos world premiere recording of  the monumental  Bantock  oratorio  Omar Khayyam ,based on the poetry of this
      famous Perisan poet ,also with  Handley conducting . 
     If you have any trouble  finding these, check  arkivmusic.com , which is by far the best place to get hard-to-find classical CDs, and much,much more. 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Usually it is for the best that the artist be free from external contact. Karol Szymanowski found his deeper self and wrote some of his finest work (3rd Symphony & Mythes) during World War One, when the circumstances forced him to seek refuge on his estate of Tymoszówka where he had no contact with the wider musical world & was freed from external influences and mundane distractions. Considerations of career and earthly ambitions are the death of Art and a danger for artists comparable to damnation for Christians.

I know from experience you need both - total dedication to your art, including solitude AND knowing how to get your riches into the world.

[cilgwyn]

If the cd labels were as obsessed with Daniel Jones (or some of the other composers Dundonnell mentions) as they are with Bowen I'd be a happy man. Sombre and grim is how I feel after listening to Bowen or reading yet another rave review or gushing,adulatory post from a Bowen groupie.

[cilgwyn]

Bowen IS God!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Bowen IS God!

Hardly.

[cilgwyn]

Actually,I think it was Eric Clapton. Although I preferred Carlos Santana's playing,myself.
Seriously,one composer who has been mentioned here a few times and does sound interesting.is Egon Wellesz. The first five symphonies sound very interesting & if I can handle the later Peter Mennin symphonies (he's quite good!) I should be able to handle the other ones.
As to Wetzler,I'm pretty sure there is a review in a back copy of IRR,which I keep near the 'throne'. I will go and look.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Actually,I think it was Eric Clapton. Although I preferred Carlos Santana's playing,myself.
Seriously,one composer who has been mentioned here a few times and does sound interesting.is Egon Wellesz. The first five symphonies sound very interesting & if I can handle the later Peter Mennin symphonies (he's quite good!) I should be able to handle the other ones.
As to Wetzler,I'm pretty sure there is a review in a back copy of IRR,which I keep near the 'throne'. I will go and look.

I did listen to a few Frankel and Wellesz symphonies. I liked them, but should listen again.

[springrite]

Bowen IS God!

Just because someone uttered "Oh my God!" upon hearing Bowen praised does not necessarily make Bowen God, me reckon...

[cilgwyn]

I've put Wellesz on my 'list'. If I was a millionaire I'd buy them now,but they'll have to wait. Another composer some people rate very highly is Kurt Atterberg? But no mention of him on THIS thread?
But I can't buy everything!!!

[karlhenning]

Composers aren't always undeservedly neglected,anyway. Listening to Cpo's cd's of Ernst Boehe and Richard Wetz have to be some of the most dreary,turgid,wastefully uninspiring minutes I've ever spent. Maybe it's a good idea to take some of those over enthusiastic reviews of obscure composers on sites like Musicweb with the occasional pinch of salt.
Less please!

Most interesting.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I've put Wellesz on my 'list'. If I was a millionaire I'd buy them now,but they'll have to wait. Another composer some people rate very highly is Kurt Atterberg? But no mention of him on THIS thread? But I can't buy everything!!!

I love his music for string orchestra, but struggle with his symphonies...

[springrite]

I love his music for string orchestra, but struggle with his symphonies...

Based on limited exposure, it's the opposite for me.

[Lethevich]

The neat thing about Atterberg is that I don't feel the fear that I get with many other composers when I recommend them. His music is melodic, densely crafted and with an effortless drama and pace. If I tried to recommend somebody like Arnell in the same way, I would feel the need to bombard the prospective purchaser with caveats and nota benes.

[Brian]

The neat thing about Atterberg is that I don't feel the fear that I get with many other composers when I recommend them. His music is melodic, densely crafted and with an effortless drama and pace. If I tried to recommend somebody like Arnell in the same way, I would feel the need to bombard the prospective purchaser with caveats and nota benes.

Agreed: Atterberg's symphonies 3-8 are immediately likeable, admirable, or even lovable for nearly any listener. (I have completely forgotten what No 2 sounds like and have never heard 9.) He definitely belongs in this thread because, aside from the symphonies and concertos, his output is by and large unrecorded. There are a couple Marco Polo chamber discs and some string music but that's about it on disc so far.

[cilgwyn]

I have looked at that Atterberg cpo boxed set & thought. Is it worth buying? The Eduard Tubin symphonies are another contendor!
Both are composer/symphonists who seem to garner allot of very favourable reviews and posts. In fact,there was quite a fuss about Tubin some years ago.
Mind you,some people probably hate them!