Messages

Jerry, I missed out on welcoming your kind offer of the 'The Bush' by Hart. I think any Australian music by 'unsungs' is like gold dust.... so yes, please. Do by any chance have any Bracanin? It seems the ABC's Eurocentrism - at least as far as recording is concerned - means most Australian composers are destined for obscurity! Easton appeared on Naxos, Broadstock on a Russian (?) label, and so it goes...

I have the Marshall-Hall Symphony in E-flat on an old CD (the obscure 'Move' label!), along with the Adagio from his Symphony in C minor. I'll upload these if anyone is interested, provided I can confirm there are no copyright issues.

The symphonies by Japanese composers, courtesy of Naxos, have been an enjoyable revelation to me, and probably to most listeners outside Japan. It is especially interesting to hear the extent to which Japanese culture is influencing what is, of course, a European musical form. The same goes for Australian 'classical' music, which in recent years has begun to establish a national identity through assimilation of Indigenous musical ideas (Sculthorpe, Edwards, etc). I don't think of this as 'nationalism' in any jingoistic sense, by the way, but purely in terms of musical sensibilities.

Uploads of the Hill 12 and 13 would be greatly appreciated, as I've only ever heard the earlier ones. The 3rd - 'Australian' - includes some beautiful melodies and is a favourite. Clearly Hill loved Australia even though he was a Kiwi and has been called "New Zealand's Dvorak". I haven't heard the ABC broadcast much of his in recent years, with the exception of a sentimental piece for narrator and orchestra entitled "Green Water". The viola concerto can readily be heard on YouTube, ánd has appeared on WRC and HMV/EMI LPs, but there's currently no CD as far as I can tell. Among more recent Australian symphonists, I would note Brenton Broadstock. His five symphonies are stunning works (see Wikipedia entry for CD details)... and I hope he doesn't become an "Unsung Composer" in time to come!

Jim, you posted just as I was sending the above ..... anyway, yes, yes, please!

Thank you for this superb rarity. As an Australian, I should perhaps be embarrassed that I have never heard of, let alone heard the music of, either composer and even more so when I found a lengthy entry in Wikipedia.  With its brooding Baxian soundworld and finely detailed orchestration, I wonder how a self-taught composer developed such a style. Is the other piece on the record similar in style?

Glad you like it, Latvian.... though I would admit it's less imposing than some of the amazing compositions you've given us.

I have a few more details.... it was written in 1980, and performed three times by the Bournemouth SO in 1982 (inc. the first broadcast performance). This performance is from 1989, and the three movements are:
1. Pacific calm
2. Night - upriver to Rotterdam
3. North Atlantic

In the early 80s, I taped the FBP of John Hawkins' Sea Symphony (1982), from BBC Radio 3. I grew to like it, then with the advent of the web duly discovered his web site. http://www.johnhawkinsmusic.co.uk/  This has a link enabling people to contact him to request a free non-commercial demo CD of the symphony. If members are interested, rather than burden him with requests, I will ask John if I can upload it.

This version of Svendsen's cello concerto features on my old reel-to-reel tapes, in a box somewhere in the house. How marvellous to hear it again after all these years. Thank you. Members are so generous. When time and health allow, I must digitize whatever has survived on the tapes and do some uploading myself - mostly ex-BBC Radio 3, 1970s and 80s, including a few FBPs, and some rather obscure composers.

How did I miss that!? Thanks, Alan.

I have an MP3 - source unknown - labelled "KLAM - Children's Symphony, FinnishRSO, cond. Pekkanen", but I can't find any reference to Klam in books or on the web. In case it was a spelling mistake, I checked Uuno Klami's website and also the FRSO website - no luck. I will try to upload the piece if I can (never uploaded before!). It lasts about 15 minutes and is in a lush neo-romantic style. If anyone can shed light on the piece I would be grateful.

I have only just joined the group but couldn't resist thanking you for introducing me to such lovely music. So many of the Georgian composers are unknown beyond the borders of the old Soviet Union.