British Music

[Mark Thomas]

On balance I think it right to remove the broadcast and, as it was my recording, I guess that's that.

[albion]

Wasn't there a discussion about this issue back in November...

Yes there was and, although we know that the performance was 'enhanced' by the Hyperion Wizards in order to produce the wonderful CD incarnation, at this late stage, pace the previous soul-searching, I would be sceptical about anybody expressing a preference for the clang of dropped mutes and the white-knuckle ride navigated by sagging choirs (refering to pitch, of course).

[albion]

Many thanks to MVS for responding to my request regarding the following Havergal Brian performances -

Symphony No.6, Sinfonia tragica (1948) in the first performance conducted by Douglas Robinson

Symphonies No.8 in B flat minor (1949) and No.9 in A minor (1951) conducted by Myer Fredman

I had for a long time hoped that we could add the premiere of No.6 to the archive, meaning that we now have just about every broadcast first performance of the various symphonies. Fredman's studio recordings of Nos. 6 and 16 on Lyrita are of such a standard of excellence that his interpretations of Nos. 8 and 9 also demanded inclusion.

Thanks again, Mark.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Mark - Hero of the Day. 

P.S. Fredman's performance of Symphony No. 22 is excellent, too.

[paul corfield godfrey]

I see there has been some confusion about the recordings I posted of Harper's HEDDA GABLER and Wagner-Régeny's BURGHERS OF CALAIS and I've also received a couple of e-mails about this. I don't know precisely what happened but there seems to have been some links incorrectly posted by myself. Sorry about that.

From the earlier postings the situation seems to have been resolved (thanks!) but Act Three of HEDDA GABLER has gone missing totally. I'll try and re-post it next week and get it right this time.

[albion]

the situation seems to have been resolved (thanks!) but Act Three of HEDDA GABLER has gone missing totally. I'll try and re-post it next week and get it right this time.

No problem, Paul - once I'd worked out what had happened it was reasonable easy to untangle. Looking forward to receiving Act 3 of Hedda Gabler in due course.

[albion]

Here is an overview of performances of the Havergal Brian Symphonies which our archive now contains -

Symphony No.1 in D minor, The Gothic (1919-27), part one only - Groves, 1976
Symphony No.1 in D minor, The Gothic (1919-27), complete - Schmidt, 1980; Curro, 2010
Symphony No.2 in E minor (1930-31) - Head, 1973 (2 performances); Mackerras, 1979 [first professional performance]
Symphony No.3 in C# minor (1931-32) - Pope, 1974 [first performance]
Symphony No.4, Das Siegeslied (1932-33) - Handford, 1967 [first performance]; Poole, 1974
Symphony No.5, Wine of Summer (1937) - Pope, 1976; Kok, 2001
Symphony No.6, Sinfonia tragica (1948) - Robinson, 1966 [first performance]
Symphony No.7 in C (1948) - Newstone, 1966 [first performance]
Symphony No.8 in B flat minor (1949) - Schwarz, 1958; Fredman, 1971
Symphony No.9 in A minor (1951) - Fredman, 1971
Symphony No.10 in C minor (1953-54) - Pope, 1958 [first performance]; Loughran, 1972
Symphony No.12 (1957) - Newstone, 1959 [first performance]
Symphony No.13 in C major (1959) - Pope, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.14 in F minor (1959-60) - Downes, 1969 [first performance]
Symphony No.15 in A major (1960) - Pope, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.16 (1960) - Fredman, 1973 [first performance]
Symphony No.17 (1960-61) - Pope, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.18 (1961) - Fairfax, 1974
Symphony No.19 in E minor (1961) - Canarina, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.20 (1962) - Handley, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.21 in E flat (1963) - Downes, 1969 [first performance]; Pinkett, 1972
Symphony No.22, Symphonia Brevis (1964-65) - Fredman, 1971 [first performance]; Heltay, 1974
Symphony No.23 (1965) - Goodman, 1973
Symphony No.24 in D major (1965) - Fredman, 1973 [first performance]
Symphony No.25 in A minor (1965-66) - Canarina, 1976 [first performance]
Symphony No.26 (1966) - Handley, 1976 [first professional performance]
Symphony No.27 in C minor (1966) - Mackerras, 1979 [first performance]
Symphony No.28 (Sinfonia in C minor) (1967) - Stokowski, 1973 [first performance]
Symphony No.29 in E flat (1967) - Fredman, 1978 [first professional performance]
Symphony No.30 (Sinfonia in B flat minor) (1967) - Newstone, 1976 [first performance]; Lai, 2008
Symphony No.31 (1968) - Mackerras, 1979 [first performance]
Symphony No.32 in A flat (1968) - Head, 1971 [first performance]; Fredman, 1978 [first professional performance]

Many thanks to all contributing members who have been involved in constructing this excellent resource. It certainly facilitates the exploration of Brian's symphonic music, the performance history of which is inextricably bound up with the medium of the broadcast.

[albion]

Many thanks to britishcomposer for

Judith Bingham - Hidden City (2006)

a copy of which is now in the archive. The words of the text are variously taken from Murasaki Shikabu (c.973 – c.1014 or 1025), Izuma Shikabu (b.976?), Empress Yamatohime (7th century) and also utilise Murray's Handbook to Japan (1907).

Details of the performers and the relevant dates can be found in the catalogue.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Re the Fitzgerald 'Gothic' Part 1 - I had overlooked it! The recording of the Vivace ends with a fade-out, so we have to miss the most extraordinary part of that movement (xylophone frenzy and coda)...

[davetubaking]

Many thanks to all contributing members who have been involved in constructing this excellent resource. It certainly facilitates the exploration of Brian's symphonic music, the performance history of which is inextricably bound up with the medium of the broadcast.

Many, many thanks indeed. I am new to the site and am like a pig in clover.

I fear I haven't got much to offer. But I do have some Derek Bourgeois, the 4th Symphony "The Wine Symphony", The second brass band concerto, Concerto for Percussion & Brass Band, Song of Farewell, Concerto for Brass Quintet & Brass Band, Forest of Dean, Sonata for Brass Quintet. These are all radio or live performances given to me by Derek.

I'm a bit green about uploading this stuff. I see that mediafire is very popular could I use the free version of that to upload these things?

I also have created a virtual performance of his second brass quintet the original version of the concerto for brass quintet and orchestra/band which has never been performed live because Philip Jones/Elgar Howarth though it was unplayable. The sound is very high quality and can be downloaded/listened to here.

[Dundonnell]

The Derek Bourgeois works you mention would be most welcome indeed

(I say this as the poor fool who posted the catalogue of the composer's orchestral works on here-

http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,2616.msg30807.html#msg30807 )

Mediafire is your best bet for uploading these works.

[Dundonnell]

Well done, John, for the list of Brian symphonies available here

(Guess who would have been a day behind you )

[albion]

Well done, John, for the list of Brian symphonies available here

I thought it might help ...




With regard to the Fredman Symphony No.9, a problem with the original file of the first and second movements was identified (a pitch-waver during the first five minutes or so). Mark has now corrected this and I have replaced the zip file in the archive with this 'improved' version.

[oleander55]

I have just uploaded the Leslie Head performance of Brian's Symphony No. 32. 
In Leslie Head and Harry Newstone, we had the interpreters who were the ideal ones to present first performances of Brian's works.  Head and Newstone both "got" Brian, and were able to reveal and do full justice to all of the pent-up emotion that Brian wrote into his  works.  Head's performance of the 32nd is especially potent in that regard... demonstrating that the second movement of the work is one Brian's most powerful and profound slow movements. This performance has haunted me, and moved me to tears ever since I first heard it in the middle 70's in a way that the more recent, professional performances never could.  Even Fredman's performnce was a terrible disappointment, let alone Leaper's...!  The Kensington Symphony may have been an amateur orchestra, but Leslie Head was certainly not an amateur conductor! 

[oleander55]

And many thinks to John for pointing out the problems with the original post of the 9th!