Which Arnold Bax cycle?
Bob W.
LPO/Thomson, BBC PO/Handley (both Chandos) or RSNO/Lloyd-Jones
(Naxos)?
Gramophone loves Handley's, but I have serious doubts about the
orchestra; never heard an excellent recording from them.
Bob W.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:ui86p1h79fdoduppb...@4ax.com:
I only have Lloyd-Jones' 3rd, but Handley's box is excellent throughout, and
has the best damn "Tintagel" I've heard (and the only one I now have).
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
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I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made. ~ FDR (attrib.)
Paul Holbach
Rob Barnett
Thomson is best in 4 - ironically that's the first he recorded and it was
made NOT with the LPO but with the Ulster Orchestra. Pity he didn't stick
with them because a certain torpor and routine afflicts the other symphonies
and this is not helped any by a dense sound-picture especially in numbers 1
and 2. Going back in time to the LP era: Fredman's Second, Leppard's Fifth
and Del Mar's sixth all on Lyrita LPs (never commercially transferred to CD)
are very special.
--
Rob Barnett
Classical Editor, MusicWeb International
www.musicweb.uk.net
Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
"Bob W." <Bob.Wxy...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:ui86p1h79fdoduppb...@4ax.com...
Christopher Webber
>Going back in time to the LP era: Fredman's Second, Leppard's Fifth and
>Del Mar's sixth all on Lyrita LPs (never commercially transferred to
>CD) are very special.
They are indeed. I also have a fondness for the Downes/LPO 3rd LP, which
I fancy might turn out well if RCA ever got round to remastering it for
CD. Some of the string playing is outstandingly beautiful. The
Fredman/Sydney SO 3rd (ABC LP) is also easy to underrate, and has some
very special things to say at a slower speed than we're used to.
--
___________________________
Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK.
http://www.zarzuela.net
Vaneyes
Then you haven't heard their Chausson w. Tortelier (Chandos).
Regards
Raff
"Matthew B. Tepper" <oy兀earthlink.net> wrote:
> Bob W. <Bob.Wxy...@gmail.com> appears to have caused the following
> letters to be typed in news:ui86p1h79fdoduppb...@4ax.com:
>
> > Which Bax symphonic cycle?
> > LPO/Thomson, BBC PO/Handley (both Chandos) or RSNO/Lloyd-Jones
> > (Naxos)?
> >
> > Gramophone loves Handley's, but I have serious doubts about the
> > orchestra; never heard an excellent recording from them.
>
> I only have Lloyd-Jones' 3rd, but Handley's box is excellent throughout, and
> has the best damn "Tintagel" I've heard (and the only one I now have).
Better than Sir John's? I'll definitely have to listen to that! As I'm
sure you know, "Fuga" is currently posting the Handley box on the
alt.binaries classical NGs, and he should reach Tintagel in a day or two.
Raff
Raymond Hall
news:1133717629.9...@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I wouldn't worry about the orchestra. Jarvi has produced an excellent set of
Prokofiev symphonies from them, Alsop some good Barber, and one could go on.
Suffice to say, Handley's Bax is on my wanted list, but not high up owing to
more pressing wants. Fwiw, I am quite/very happy with Lloyd-Jones, but as in
any music, Handley will have his own considerable insights.
Ray H
Taree
alanwa...@aol.com
Cannot say about the Bax symphonies but I think it generally
acknowledged in the business that the BBC Philharmonic are overall a
better orchestra than the BBC Symphony.
This may change when Mr Belohlavek takes over next year, of course.
Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins
JL
I have the Handley box and most of the Naxos. Both are excellent - Handley's
orchestra are superb in my view, with a fantastic sounding recording to
match. The RSNO on Naxos are also excellent, sound quality is a bit variable
on this set with No. 7 sounding a bit mushy, though I think the rest are
very good recordings. Personally, I prefer Handley in 3,5 and Lloyd-Jones in
2,6,7 (the Lloyd-Jones 6 is stunning). So Lloyd-Jones ahead by a whisker,
but the sound is better for Handley and I wouldn't really be without both if
you can.
JL
Phil Edwards
RPO/Handley! CHAN 8464
Vaneyes
I've kept few recordings of either. I'd hafta say that the BBC SO (with
Boulez conducting Boulez, Knussen conducting Carter, and A. Davis
conducting RVW--Syms. 6 & 9, Job), suits my collection needs more than
the BBC PO.
Regards
Dave Cook
> I wouldn't worry about the orchestra. Jarvi has produced an excellent set of
> Prokofiev symphonies from them, Alsop some good Barber, and one could go on.
I thought Jarvi's Prokofiev was with the (Royal) Scottish National Orchestra.
Dave Cook
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in
Actually, I haven't yet heard the Barbirolli, which is why I qualified that
statement as I did. ;--)
John_H...@msn.com
versions being preferable to anything on cd; also, the Barbirolli
Tintagel is excellent; as well as his Garden of Fand that was available
on a domestic Mercury lp MG 50115 (coupled with a wonderful Vaughan
Williams 8th and Butterworth "A Shropshire Lad"); there is also the
outstanding Bax Third with Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra from 1943
- don't know if it ever made it to cd but it was once available on a
two lp set with other British music HMV mono EX 29 0107 3. I grew to
know and love Bax exchanging open reel tapes with a English
correspondent in the early 70s. He sent me these broadcasts of Bax:
Symphony No 1 with Robinson and the BBC Symphony
Symphony No 2 with Goossens and the BBC Symphony
Symphony No. 3 with del Mar and the BBC Symphony
Symphony No. 4 with Hanford, Halle Orchestra
Symphony No. 5 with Newstone and the Royal Philharmonic
Symphony No. 6 with Robinson and the Philharmonia Orchestra
There is also in existence a recording with Boult and the New York
Philharmonic of the Bax 7th Symphony - a bit of a curiousity hearing
the New Yorkers play Bax!
Today, I would go with the Thomson recordings (all of which I own) or
Handley - I don't know the NAXOS recordings.
j hauser
(after the Symphonies, explore Bax's evocative chamber pieces)
Dave Cook
> Raff <sblu...@earthlink.net.invalid>
>> Better than Sir John's? [...] Tintagel
> Actually, I haven't yet heard the Barbirolli
You can get it here:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/8170138
Just a few other things coupled with it.
Dave Cook
Matthew B. Tepper
to be typed in news:slrndp79r9....@localhost.localdomain:
Interesting; I already have a British release, CDMB 66543, containing the
following:
Elgar, Introduction and Allegro
Elgar, "Cockaigne" Ov.
Elgar, Serenade in e
Vaughan Williams, Oboe Concerto (Rothwell)
Vaughan Williams, Tuba Concerto (Catelinet)
Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on Greensleeves
Vaughan Williams, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Vaughan Williams, "Sinfonia Antartica"
Vaughan Williams, "Wasps" Ov.
Raff
"Matthew B. Tepper" <oyş@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Dave Cook <dave...@nowhere.net> appears to have caused the following letters
> to be typed in news:slrndp79r9....@localhost.localdomain:
>
> > On 2005-12-05, Matthew B. Tepper <oyş@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Raff <sblu...@earthlink.net.invalid>
> >>> Better than Sir John's? [...] Tintagel
> >
> >> Actually, I haven't yet heard the Barbirolli
> >
> > You can get it here:
> >
> > http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/8170138
> >
> > Just a few other things coupled with it.
> >
> > Dave Cook
No need to order a behemoth box from Germany to hear it. The CD which I
own ("English Tone Poems") is available from Amazon.com resellers. It
also contains the best ever Ireland "London Overture".
Or, I suppose, you could always post a request on one of the
alt.binaries classical NGs.
Raff
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in
> No need to order a behemoth box from Germany to hear it. The CD which I
> own ("English Tone Poems") is available from Amazon.com resellers. It
> also contains the best ever Ireland "London Overture".
>
> Or, I suppose, you could always post a request on one of the
> alt.binaries classical NGs.
As I like to own the actual artifact, I may go the Amazon Shops route.
Christopher Webber
> there is also the outstanding Bax Third with Barbirolli and the Halle
>Orchestra from 1943 - don't know if it ever made it to cd but it was
>once available on a two lp set with other British music HMV mono EX 29
>0107
Yes, it's made to CD twice. The earlier EMI transfer (duplicating the
mastering and contents of the LP set, but nla) has perhaps more refined
string tone and hissy surfaces; the Dutton remastering currently
available (coupled with a superb early studio Violin Concerto under
Boult) has better woodwind sound, more body, less hiss - but horribly
synthetic string sound. Overprocessed I fear, but Mr Hauser could decide
for himself. Barbirolli has never been bettered - though perhaps
equalled - for ferocious energy in the Bax 3rd.
>There is also in existence a recording with Boult and the New York
>Philharmonic of the Bax 7th Symphony - a bit of a curiousity hearing
>the New Yorkers play Bax!
Alas, the provenance of that recording has recently been heavily
questioned by Bax experts. Others can provide chapter and verse, but in
a nutshell the Boult off-air recording formerly thought to be of the New
York premiere is most likely taken from a London performance soon
afterwards.
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:8M1i0DDr...@zarzuela.co.uk:
> John_H...@msn.com writes:
>> there is also the outstanding Bax Third with Barbirolli and the Halle
>> Orchestra from 1943 - don't know if it ever made it to cd but it was
>> once available on a two lp set with other British music HMV mono EX 29
>> 0107
>
> Yes, it's made to CD twice. The earlier EMI transfer (duplicating the
> mastering and contents of the LP set, but nla) has perhaps more refined
> string tone and hissy surfaces;
Do you perhaps mean EMI CDH 63910? Couplings are all John Ireland: "The
Forgotten Rite," "These Things Shall Be" (with Parry Jones, tenor), and
"April" (piano work, played by the composer). I'm probably misremembering,
or thinking of another recording entirely, but I thought the cantata was on
the same LP as Ireland's Piano Concerto.
Christopher Webber
>Do you perhaps mean EMI CDH 63910? Couplings are all John Ireland:
>"The Forgotten Rite," "These Things Shall Be" (with Parry Jones,
>tenor), and "April" (piano work, played by the composer). I'm probably
>misremembering, or thinking of another recording entirely, but I
>thought the cantata was on the same LP as Ireland's Piano Concerto.
Yes, Matthew, that's the one. In fact the "missing" items from the 2-LP
compilation - including a chilling "Mai Dun" - made it out on various,
later Dutton Barbirolli issues. But this EMI mastering of the Bax
symphony (by Peter Bown) still holds its place in my collection: for my
money, Dutton for once definitely failed to improve on the competition
this time round.
Rob Barnett
> on a domestic Mercury lp MG 50115 (coupled with a wonderful Vaughan
> Williams 8th and Butterworth "A Shropshire Lad")
This can be had on a Dutton double in a decent transfer:-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Apr02/Barbirolli_English.htm
Rob
Rob Barnett
> correspondent in the early 70s. He sent me these broadcasts of Bax:
> Symphony No 1 with Robinson and the BBC Symphony
> Symphony No 2 with Goossens and the BBC Symphony
> Symphony No. 3 with del Mar and the BBC Symphony
> Symphony No. 4 with Hanford, Halle Orchestra
> Symphony No. 5 with Newstone and the Royal Philharmonic
> Symphony No. 6 with Robinson and the Philharmonia Orchestra
Newstone and Goossens gave staggering performances of 5 and 2 respectively -
Newstone took 5 at quite a fast pace - an intense performance too. Would
that some good soul could get the clearance to release those two
performances on CD.
Rob