R3 Live in Concert 11.3.15 - LPO/Manze: "Enduring English Treasures"

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not just composers. Beecham and Wood were both avid Sibelians, and writers and critics such as Rosa Newmarch and Gerald Abraham were stong supporters; in fact, you can argue quite convincingly that Britain did most to promote Sibelius in those days.

And not forgetting Cecil Gray - whose influential study of Sibelius set the tone of much writing about the composer for decades - and Walton's mate Constant Lambert, in whose Music Ho! consistent and unreserved high praise is afforded only to Sibelius.

(I have always found Music Ho! an annoying little tome; I don't get the "wit" others have detected in it.)

[EdgeleyRob]

But then edge, doesn't Sibelius escape you generally - some years back I heard Walton 1 referred to as Sib 8 and I think I know what they meant.

Yes cloughie,maybe the day Sibelius clicks with me the rest will fall into place.

[vinteuil]

"Enduring English treasures"

... I'm prepared to endure some things. I felt no obligation to endure these 'treasures'. .

[Nick Armstrong]

... I'm prepared to endure some things. I felt no obligation to endure these 'treasures'. .

[Pabmusic]

And not forgetting Cecil Gray - whose influential study of Sibelius set the tone of much writing about the composer for decades - and Walton's mate Constant Lambert, in whose Music Ho! consistent and unreserved high praise is afforded only to Sibelius.

(I have always found Music Ho! an annoying little tome; I don't get the "wit" others have detected in it.)

Quite so, Ferney.

(Personally, I can't abide Music Ho!, but that's not to detract from the point. )

[cloughie]

Yes cloughie,maybe the day Sibelius clicks with me the rest will fall into place.

Just a thought edge, I guess with your love of English music that Tintagel is to your liking - Pohjola's Daughter to me has a similar atmosphere - and Barbirolli's take on both of these is high on my favourites. Give it (them) a try!

[Tony Halstead]

Tintagel

What a superb piece this is!
The Decca early 1950s 'ffs' mono LP with Boult and the LPO has always been my 'yardstick' performance, but Chandos/ Handley/ Ulster Orch is very close, although the 1st trumpet lacks the incisiveness and the bravado of the LPO player.
I've often wondered whether the latter was actually Malcolm Arnold...anyone know?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've often wondered whether the latter was actually Malcolm Arnold...anyone know?

I think that Arnold had left his career as a trumpeter by the mid-'50s when that superb recording was made, Tony. (Wiki - citing Grove's DofM&M - says he left the LPO in 1948.)

[EdgeleyRob]

Just a thought edge, I guess with your love of English music that Tintagel is to your liking - Pohjola's Daughter to me has a similar atmosphere - and Barbirolli's take on both of these is high on my favourites. Give it (them) a try!

Thanks Cloughie.
I love Tintagel but don't recall ever giving Pohjola's Daughter a serious listen,I will give it a try.

[Ferretfancy]

The organ certainly did not drown almost everything from where I sat that evening. The Preston/Previn, also made in the (empty) RFH sounds fine, so it can be done in that hall.

I would have liked to have attended the concert, and I'm glad that you found the balance fine, but the engineering on the CD is really poor. I have yet to hear the SAint-Saens, maybe that will be better. There's a new LPO issue of Vaughan Williams, the 4th and 8th Symphonies conducted respectively by Ryan Wigglesworth and Jurowski.
These are fine performances, and the sound is excellent, especially in No. 8, so as you say, it can be done.

[Ferretfancy]

What a superb piece this is!
The Decca early 1950s 'ffs' mono LP with Boult and the LPO has always been my 'yardstick' performance, but Chandos/ Handley/ Ulster Orch is very close, although the 1st trumpet lacks the incisiveness and the bravado of the LPO player.
I've often wondered whether the latter was actually Malcolm Arnold...anyone know?

Handley conducts Tintagel with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on the latest BBC MM cover disc. The CD has Elgar's Sea Pictures and Stanford's Songs of the Sea

It only arrived today, no time to hear it yet! I've always loved Tintagel, and I remember searching everywhere back in the late 50s for the Barbirolli performance of The Garden of Fand, his was the only version available back then. I finally traced it in the old Gramophone Exchange.

[BBMmk2]

I havn't had time yet to listen to this recording of the latest BBC MM cover cd

[Ferretfancy]

I havn't had time yet to listen to this recording of the latest BBC MM cover cd

I've just listened to it, but I'm afraid it's not one for the archive. First of all, it's a very slow performance,16'36", that's fully three minutes longer than Boult in his Lyrita recording and a couple of minutes longer than Bryden Thomson. Does it matter? Well, it certainly isn't helped by the inflated acoustic of Truro Cathedral, and the engineer has gone for a distant balance that makes the reverberation even worse.

I'm afraid that the aural flab disguises some weak entries from the National Orchestra of Wales, no confident surges here. It seems to me that the BBC should not have issued this performance, which does no service to the memory of the great Vernon Handley.

[Pabmusic]

I've just listened to it, but I'm afraid it's not one for the archive. First of all, it's a very slow performance,16'36", that's fully three minutes longer than Boult in his Lyrita recording and a couple of minutes longer than Bryden Thomson. Does it matter? Well, it certainly isn't helped by the inflated acoustic of Truro Cathedral, and the engineer has gone for a distant balance that makes the reverberation even worse.

I'm afraid that the aural flab disguises some weak entries from the National Orchestra of Wales, no confident surges here. It seems to me that the BBC should not have issued this performance, which does no service to the memory of the great Vernon Handley.

I agree, Ferret. I suspect the awful acoustic caused Handley to take it slowly. Imagine if it had been faster! One huge blur.