Gordon Jacob

[Oliver]

His orchestration of Elgar's Organ sonata is masterly. There's a fine EMI performance under Handley.
This may be controversial but I believe it to be a finer (and more characteristic) Elgar work than the 3rd Symphony.
Jacob was, allegedly, upset that it was played so rarely ; I can fully see why.
If you haven't heard it, do so!

[Pabmusic]

...I believe it to be a finer (and more characteristic) Elgar work than the 3rd Symphony.
Jacob was, allegedly, upset that it was played so rarely ; I can fully see why.
If you haven't heard it, do so!

It is, of course, all Elgar and not guesswork (albeit truly wonderful guesswork). It is also from 1895, not 1933.

Incidentally, there's a second orchestration of the Organ Sonata, by Anthony Addison. It has been performed at least in Germany and a study score is available. Here's a link: http://www.musikmph.de/musical_score...relist_eng.htm

[ardcarp]

I feel Gordon Jacob is to classical/serious music what Eric Coates was to lighter stuff.

I'm not sure Jacob would have seen himself thus, Saly. Having just heard part of his 2nd symphony on CotW, I felt this to be a 'serious' work, and one that saw him at the height of his creative powers. His harmonic language here was not that of the serialists, nor of Britten or Tippett, but neither was it pastiche Holst or VW. Maybe he suffered (as did George Lloyd and Havergal Brian) from living at the wrong time! I do not personally get the 'Eric Coates to light music' comparison. EC thought in 8 bar phrases and was a natty tunesmith. Not much more than that. Maybe someone like Gordan Langford would fit the bill better; a vastly capable musician who can turn his hand to anything...but with a dislike of 'squeaky gate' music (as he puts it).

[salymap]

I'm not sure Jacob would have seen himself thus, Saly. Having just heard part of his 2nd symphony on CotW, I felt this to be a 'serious' work, and one that saw him at the height of his creative powers. His harmonic language here was not that of the serialists, nor of Britten or Tippett, but neither was it pastiche Holst or VW. Maybe he suffered (as did George Lloyd and Havergal Brian) from living at the wrong time! I do not personally get the 'Eric Coates to light music' comparison. EC thought in 8 bar phrases and was a natty tunesmith. Not much more than that. Maybe someone like Gordan Langford would fit the bill better; a vastly capable musician who can turn his hand to anything...but with a dislike of 'squeaky gate' music (as he puts it).

No, I still have to catch up with this week's Jacob perfprmances. Perhaps I was thinking
mainly of the many concertos, published by the firm I worked for and what I largely know of his music.

We also published Symphony no 2, many Sinfoniettas and Suites but as far as I can remember no-one hired or performed them in the years Ilooked after the hire library there. Perhaps his music has yet to reach a wider public. I also think he was regarded as a teacher by the editors, but may be wrong

[Ferretfancy]

Surely he was best known for his arrangements ? I have a sneaky liking to his William Byrd Suite on a nice old Mercury recording with the Eastman -Rochester Wind Ensemble and Frederick Fennell, Nit exactly HIPP but great fun!

[ardcarp]

but as far as I can remember no-one hired or performed them in the years Ilooked after the hire library there.

...ah, and there you have it. The semi-pro orchestra I direct can usually only afford to hire one of the items in a programme. The rest we either have in our archives or we get from lending libraries. The latter need a lot of effort in tracking things down, but libraries are generally good about getting stuff from far-flung parts of the country. And then there is the performing rights costs. And especially when we play in France, we have to be very careful about doing anything (I gather) from about 1920 onwards.

My point is that a lot of music we and others would like to play (and the library stuff tends to be 'standard' repertoire) becomes prohibitively expensive. I realise that composers and publishers all have to make their money...but for any sort of musical enterprise where performers are paid, it becomes a struggle.

[ardcarp]

Today's programme began with an extract from Horowitz's Captain Noah. Surprisingly DMcC made no attribution to the performers, The Kings Singers. They do it really well,of course.

[Serial_Apologist]

Today's programme began with an extract from Horowitz's Captain Noah. Surprisingly DMcC made no attribution to the performers, The Kings Singers. They do it really well,of course.

If you like that kind of thing!

A very enjoyable, informative week on two composers of whose music I was lacking knowledge previously.

[Hornspieler]

Loved the viola concerto.

Wrote his trombone concerto for the 18 year old Denis Wick (one of the greatest trombone players in England since the legendary Jesse Stamp)

GJ's arrangement of "Here Comes the Galloping Major" heard so frequently on Housewives Choice in past years, is a fine example of his versatility as a composer.

HS

[mercia]

there was a Radio 4 programme about Horovitz some time ago, still available, probably covering the same ground

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012qsdp

[salymap]

I saw Gordon Jacob conduct just once. As it's over 60 years ago I can't remember much - it was in a little concert hall in London but what struck me is that he was dressed in an ordinary 'lounge suit', had one trouser leg tuckedin his shoe and looked more like a farmer than a military man, as suggested. He was completely unaware of the usual conducter gimmicks and lostin the music and talking about it afterwards. A refreshing change Ithought.

[Dave2002]

Surely he was best known for his arrangements ? I have a sneaky liking to his William Byrd Suite on a nice old Mercury recording with the Eastman -Rochester Wind Ensemble and Frederick Fennell, Nit exactly HIPP but great fun!

Ferret

I've followed bits of this week's programme, and haven't been completely won over. Some pieces by both composers have been interesting or fun, but some otherwise. Nevertheless, perhaps I'll have another go at some via iPlayer.

Thanks for mentioning the Mercury recording. It's rather good. This is an occasion where having music stored on hard drive has been helpful. I knew that I'd ripped almost all of the Mercury box set to hard drive, so it only took a few seconds to type in Jacob into Squeezepad, et voila! Saved rummaging around to find the box and the CD within it. i suspect you have that box too, though you may also have other versions - perhaps an SACD as well? Did you bother with the 2nd Mercury box?

[ardcarp]

If you like that kind of thing!

Not especially...but the piece and the singers matched each other well.

[salymap]

One of my mundane tasks was to send copies of new works out to composers if they required any. I've got rid of many more interesting than GJ but oddly today a found a note from him. Very boring note really.

If anyone is keen to have it PM your address and I'll send it to you. Ishall get rid of it soon as am having a clesrout. Poor Gordon was not the most exciting of the letters and I don't expect a reply.