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Do you like British light music? BBC Radio 3 dedicates a full week to this charming aspect of Britain's musical heritage.
The live broadcast tomorrow evening presents a rare chance to hear one of Gustav Holst's lesser known orchestral works, Songs of the West Op. 21 No.1 (1906).
Has it ever been recorded? As far as I know there is no recording available at the moment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0124ryn

Suolahti has been the subject of a few discussions here. Those of you who haven't heard his symphony yet may like to know that it will be broadcast the coming thursday night by the BBC's.

BBC Radio 3
Through the Night
30/06/2011
5:11 AM
Suolahti, Heikki (1920-1936)
Sinfonia Piccola (1935)
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kari Tikka (conductor)
5:32 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0124s5v

I have been listening to the hyperion recording of the 3rd string quartet 'In Gloucestershire' for nearly 10 years and I cannot imagine a better one. There are a few passages where intonation fails slightly but the 'Divertimenti' quartet captures the transcendental flights of the composer without ever loosing the grip.

But there IS at least another recording: the Britten Quartet did it for EMI coupled with the Delius string quartet. Additionally you get Howells's earlier Phantasy Quartet op.25.
Does any of you know this 'alternative' recording?

I would like to know which version they recorded. Is it the same as with the Divertimenti? Which recording do you prefer?

According to Christopher Palmer (hyperion booklet) the Divertimenti recording was the first recording of the so called 'definitive version' - the last one. This dates from 1984.
I don't know exactly when the recording with the Britten Quartet was made but it must have been in the 1990s.

Curiously enough, the 'Lady Audrey's Suite' op.19 has never been recorded, has it?

When trying to search for information about an unknow russian composer I stumbled across this site:
http://www.classical-music-online.net/
Has anyone of you heard about it? Can't imagine that this should be legal. Obviously the files are uploaded by users not by the record companies.
Come on, convince me to let my greedy fingers from it!

There are several scandinavian operas I would like to hear. Perhaps you know if any of these have been broadcast? I know of no commercial recording.

Franz Berwald's operas. (A selection from Estrella de Soria is available but not the complete work.)

Chr. Fr. E. Horneman's "Aladdin". It must be a great thing.

Ahti Sonninen's "Pessi and Illusia". (Well, that's a ballet...)

Other suggestions? What unsung nordic opera would you like to hear?

[Ian Venables]

I have seen that Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski has been discussed at this board - though he is still living and composing happily!
Therefore I would like to put another living composer on the map: Ian Venables
http://www.ianvenables.com/
He was born in 1955 and could be described as a latter day romantic. There is certainly nothing post-modernist about his sincere music.
I was lucky to do a thorough by-ear-analysis of his masterful Piano Quintet some year ago. His workmanship is beyond question and the quality of his inspiration never falters.
If you like Finzi, Howells and Barber try out Venables. Songs and chamber music have been issued by naxos, SOMM and Signum.

Well, I thought I knew but when I was asked before posting my first messages I failed regularly...
Is it "9" or "nine" or "10" or "ten" or what? I tried all...