The Ides of March indicate the release of two Ken Russell documentary sets later this month, each item remastered to HD, Set I, The Collection and II, Composers. The latter includes the Elgar 'Monitor series' which should look ravishing in a remastered monochrome print; Song of Summer- young Eric Fenby's learning curve with Delius; a Debussy documentary - an instant career booster for Oliver Reed, plus Elgar & The Three Choirs Festival
Set 1, The Collection is also inviting; a documentary, Henri Rousseau; The Biggest Dancer in the World, Isadora Duncan; Dante's Inferno and Always on Sunday.
Alas, I looked in vain for Russell's, South Bank Show documentary, RVW, A Symphonic Portrait, (55mins) in which KR also shared the screen with Ursula VW, examining the scenario behind the 9 Symphonies. It is some time since I transferred my 1994 off-air video to DVD but I remember how well it complemented Tony Palmer's later documentary, O Thou Transcendent. Ursula could be quite curt with KR. Both watched a screening of Scott of the Antartic (1948) - KR clearly disliked the film and delved into a packet of popcorn as Ursula elegantly enjoyed a ciggie! KR interrupted to comment that the sound effects of penguins and nature were sabotaging the 'beautiful score'. Ursula retorted, "He wanted overall to create the cold and desolation, the personality of the Antartic..."
Several sequences showed Vernon Handley conducting the LPO, a reminder that I must add his complete recordings to my collection. One puzzlement. A seaside sequence has Peter Savidge singing at the shore, the Menelaus Song, but I cannot trace its source and I've delved into the EMI Collector's Edition. Can anyone help? Indeed, from 'Behold the Sea', KR used the elements and locations, Stonehenge, Gloucester Cathedral and precincts, and a long stretch of a narrow coastal road most effectively to indicate, say, The Pilgrim's Progress.
Must add the perennial pleasure of the 2CD Music & Arts, Treasury of Music from Britain/Sir John Barbirolli, incl RVW Sym 6!
Set 1, The Collection is also inviting; a documentary, Henri Rousseau; The Biggest Dancer in the World, Isadora Duncan; Dante's Inferno and Always on Sunday.
Alas, I looked in vain for Russell's, South Bank Show documentary, RVW, A Symphonic Portrait, (55mins) in which KR also shared the screen with Ursula VW, examining the scenario behind the 9 Symphonies. It is some time since I transferred my 1994 off-air video to DVD but I remember how well it complemented Tony Palmer's later documentary, O Thou Transcendent. Ursula could be quite curt with KR. Both watched a screening of Scott of the Antartic (1948) - KR clearly disliked the film and delved into a packet of popcorn as Ursula elegantly enjoyed a ciggie! KR interrupted to comment that the sound effects of penguins and nature were sabotaging the 'beautiful score'. Ursula retorted, "He wanted overall to create the cold and desolation, the personality of the Antartic..."
Several sequences showed Vernon Handley conducting the LPO, a reminder that I must add his complete recordings to my collection. One puzzlement. A seaside sequence has Peter Savidge singing at the shore, the Menelaus Song, but I cannot trace its source and I've delved into the EMI Collector's Edition. Can anyone help? Indeed, from 'Behold the Sea', KR used the elements and locations, Stonehenge, Gloucester Cathedral and precincts, and a long stretch of a narrow coastal road most effectively to indicate, say, The Pilgrim's Progress.
Must add the perennial pleasure of the 2CD Music & Arts, Treasury of Music from Britain/Sir John Barbirolli, incl RVW Sym 6!
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