Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw

[ahinton]

Rubbra commissioned for the 1966 Proms by Glock (Veni creator spiritus) and again for 1980 (Symphony No 11). Not a bad strike rate...

But less good than some!

[ahinton]

Quite.

Also, whenever the name of Glock is mentioned it isn't long before that of George Lloyd follows. Let's be clear: no composer's "success" or "failure" in terms of performances, attention, BBC broadcasts etc., is ever the result of support or antipathy from a single individual, no matter how high their position in the musical world. And then there's often an imputation that the reason Lloyd's music has been neglected is that his music has "proper tunes" etc. etc. - well, large amounts of his orchestral music have been released on CD, much more than of many composers one might think of as being equally or more "deserving".

For the record and for the avoidence of doubt, my mention of it here was not intended as any kind of value judgement either of Lloyd or Glock.

"there's often an imputation that the reason Lloyd's music has been neglected is that his music has "proper tunes" etc. etc."
Is there? I've not heard that, although you may well be right (perhaps I should et out more)...

"large amounts of his orchestral music have been released on CD, much more than of many composers one might think of as being equally or more "deserving""; they have indeed, some of it conducted by the composer, though how well they sold or are selling I know not...

[Ein Heldenleben]

For the record and for the avoidence of doubt, my mention of it here was not intended as any kind of value judgement either of Lloyd or Glock.

"there's often an imputation that the reason Lloyd's music has been neglected is that his music has "proper tunes" etc. etc."
Is there? I've not heard that, although you may well be right (perhaps I should et out more)...

"large amounts of his orchestral music have been released on CD, much more than of many composers one might think of as being equally or more "deserving""; they have indeed, some of it conducted by the composer, though how well they sold or are selling I know not...

I think George Lloyd’s “neglect” or more properly “intermittent career “ has much more to do with the the trauma he suffered as a result of his war experiences. Any freelance needs enormous reserves of energy to sustain the stresses over a career. The BBC Phil played a prominent role in the relaunch of it all. I don’t think there was ever a BBC or music establishment prejudice against his tonal music - it’s more that he simply faded from view. I also read from his wiki entry that he was one of the first composers to launch his own CD recording and distribution company - stealing a march on the rock business by the sound of it.

[ahinton]

I think George Lloyd’s “neglect” or more properly “intermittent career “ has much more to do with the the trauma he suffered as a result of his war experiences. Any freelance needs enormous reserves of energy to sustain the stresses over a career. The BBC Phil played a prominent role in the relaunch of it all. I don’t think there was ever a BBC or music establishment prejudice against his tonal music - it’s more that he simply faded from view. I also read from his wiki entry that he was one of the first composers to launch his own CD recording and distribution company - stealing a march on the rock business by the sound of it.

Yes, all of that is correct as best I understand it.

[Opinionated Knowall]

But less good than some!

You're right! Between 1960 and 1985 (the Glock and Ponsonby years) many composer had two Prom commissions, but only two had more: Maclolm Williamson (5) and Hugh Wood (3).

[Pulcinella]

You're right! Between 1960 and 1985 (the Glock and Ponsonby years) many composer had two Prom commissions, but only two had more: Maclolm Williamson (5) and Hugh Wood (3).

Those from Williamson presumably because he was Master of the Queen's Music(k)?

[Opinionated Knowall]

Those from Williamson presumably because he was Master of the Queen's Music(k)?

Difficult to say; only one of them was an 'occasional' piece, written for the Last Night in 1971, to include audience participation. He managed to leverage the commission for his next Proms piece, Hammarskjöld Portrait (1974) on the back of that. And then Heather Harper sang that piece on a BBCSO Australian tour, and they cooked up his next Proms piece, Next Year in Jersusalem (1985), which he wrote for her. The other two pieces were an Organ Concerto (1961) and a Concerto grosso (1965).

[Master Jacques]

Difficult to say; only one of them was an 'occasional' piece, written for the Last Night in 1971, to include audience participation. He managed to leverage the commission for his next Proms piece, Hammarskjöld Portrait (1974) on the back of that. And then Heather Harper sang that piece on a BBCSO Australian tour, and they cooked up his next Proms piece, Next Year in Jersusalem (1985), which he wrote for her. The other two pieces were an Organ Concerto (1961) and a Concerto grosso (1965).

To answer Pulcinella's question, only one of these pieces - Next Year in Jerusalem (which is superlative, by the way) was written after Williamson became Master of the Queen's Music - unlike Bliss, he preferred to be styled without the spurious "k"! And, as you say, his biographers were correct - which they aren't always - in saying that he was inspired to write it by Harper's beautiful performance of the Hammarskjöld Portrait.

The Stone Wall was the mass-participation 'cassation' for the 1971 Last Night, and it was such a success that the commission for the Hammarskjöld Portrait followed naturally. At the time Malcolm was turning away commission offers, very much flavour of the decade.

The other two stem from his early, most energised and fertile period. The Organ Concerto in particular really ought to be revived in the RAH. Like many of MW's works, it is - very simply - too good not to be played. Australia at least is waking up to his musical stature, now he is dead and buried.