Bowen's first to-day

[Sydney Grew]

Bowen's first Symphony coming on very soon. That's exciting isn't it!

[amateur51]

Bowen's first Symphony coming on very soon. That's exciting isn't it!

Jim Bowen's written a symphony? - "super, smashing, great"

PS: that photo must be an early one

[EdgeleyRob]

Bowen's first Symphony coming on very soon. That's exciting isn't it!

Yes it is

[Roehre]

Bowen's first Symphony coming on very soon. That's exciting isn't it!

It is.

[vinteuil]

York Bowen.

Described as a "neglected composer".

Why so, I wonder?

Is it - because - He's Not Very Good?

I mean - where in the firmament does he shine, in comparison with such luminaries as - o, I don't know - say, Arthur-Vincent Lourié [Naum Izrailevich Luria {Наум Израилевич Лурья} (also known as Artur Sergeyevich Luriye {Артур Сергеевич Лурье}.)] ?...

[Norfolk Born]

Well, it's just finished, and my initial reaction is that it sounded like a cross between Parry and Svendsen, but not quite as involving as either. A few fairly strong ideas developed beyond the point when they had anything left to offer? Not bad for an 18-year-old, though, and I shall tune in to the remaining works scheduled this week.

[moeranbiogman]

Symphonies 1 and 2/ BBC Philharmonic/ Sir Andrew Davis released by CHANDOS officially tomorrow....

[Roehre]

Symphonies 1 and 2/ BBC Philharmonic/ Sir Andrew Davis released by CHANDOS officially tomorrow....

Today's as well as tomorrow's Bowen symphony broadcasts stem from this CD.

[Nick Armstrong]

Jim Bowen's written a symphony? - "super, smashing, great"

You spoke my thoughts Ammy!

I think you would have missed the Jim Bowen exchange on the AA thread. Our friend Tapiola actually met Jim! In a gents' toilet!

[amateur51]

You spoke my thoughts Ammy!

I think you would have missed the Jim Bowen exchange on the AA thread. Our friend Tapiola actually met Jim! In a gents' toilet!

What a red letter day that must have been.

Better than a french letter day with Big Jim, I guess

[Zytnia]

York Bowen.

Is it - because - He's Not Very Good?

I mean - where in the firmament does he shine, in comparison with such luminaries as - o, I don't know - say, Arthur-Vincent Lourié

Lourié is a composer of a quite different sort of music (as you're no doubt aware) so a comparison is almost certainly meaningless. Lourié was predominantly an avantgardist (nothing wrong with that of course) and a particularly interesting one. York Bowen was not an avantgardist (nothing wrong with that either) but wrote some excellent music: his solo piano and chamber music, especially that written after WW1, is of a very high order as numerous recent CDs have shown, but works involving orchestra (at least, the recorded concertos I've heard) seem quite a bit less impressive. I don't know about the symphonies.

[EdgeleyRob]

Just listened to it again.
A masterpiece ? - maybe not but pleasant listening all the same.

[gradus]

I heard parts of it and enjoyed what I heard, unfortunately I missed the second sym broadcast a little later.

[Norfolk Born]

Bowen's 2nd symphony is on at 3.50 this afternoon.

[Norfolk Born]

I listened to the 2nd symphony this afternoon - I'm afraid I got really bored approximately half way through each movement. More examples of musical ideas and phrases developed ad nauseam. A case of just neglect, I fear.