British composers of the 18th century

[Barbirollians]

I have finally been getting to know Boyce's symphonies properly in the Pinnock recording . Enjoyable as these pieces are they are rather samey and lacking very much the individuality of the greats of the baroque and early classical eras. I have also been listening recently to Pavlo Beznosiuk's recordings of Avison concertos on Naxos and have found them much more interesting .

What music of British composers of the 18th century leaving aside Handel being treated as British , do forum members think are worth getting to know ?

[LeMartinPecheur]

James Hook? I only know the movement of a keyboard concerto that R3 used years ago as intro music, but it's a real ear-worm. Hope he wrote some more and have been meaning to check him out.

[doversoul1]

This may be a good place to start.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/s/The%2BEnglish%2BOrpheus

I think, because composing in this era was primarily a means of making livelihood, music by these composes are not necessarily very distinct to us. and it is (to me, that is) up to us to find pleasure in their music. I don’t ever feel in need of convincing others that these are neglected great composers. The few great composers are exceptions and not the standard.

I hope you’ll find a lot to enjoy.

[Pabmusic]

Thomas Arne's four sinfonias are really good:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Augustine-Arne-Four-Symphonies/dp/B000000ADE/ref=pd_sim_m_h__13?ie=UTF8&refRID=1H9C5743M8P7444J8QHV

Then there's this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiddler-Music-Thomas-Erskine-Kellie/dp/B0007RUT2K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402734099&sr=8-1&keywords=tam+the+fiddler

And this (something to do while you're not discovering planets):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Herschel-Symphonies-London-Mozart-Players/dp/B00008NRJ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1402734165&sr=1-1&keywords=herschel

Or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Marsh-Symphonies/dp/B0012DAC70/ref=pd_sim_m_h__2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1P00JP7YY3GSVRZ94VS4

Or the Duke of Wellington's cousin (real name was Wesley, not Wellesley):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wesley-Symphonies-London-Mozart-Players/dp/B00004TD54/ref=pd_sim_m_h__1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0T282MNP3YJTH0R0N304

[Tony Halstead]

I have finally been getting to know Boyce's symphonies properly in the Pinnock recording . Enjoyable as these pieces are they are rather samey and lacking very much the individuality of the greats of the baroque and early classical eras. I have also been listening recently to Pavlo Beznosiuk's recordings of Avison concertos on Naxos and have found them much more interesting .

What music of British composers of the 18th century leaving aside Handel being treated as British , do forum members think are worth getting to know ?

If you discount ( for the same reasons as Handel) J.C. Bach and C.F. Abel then you will miss out on some really lovely music, in particular JCB's Op.18 'Double Orchestra' symphonies and about 20 Symphonies Concertantes that very imaginatively feature many different groupings of concertante soloists.
Abel's Symphonies Op.10 and Op.17 are delightful and far more characterful than those of Boyce ( whose 12 Overtures by the way are well worth investigating).
May I suggest that maybe the Pinnock versions of the Boyce 8 Symphonies don't necessarily allow to you get to know those pieces 'properly' as the performances are rather somnolent and unfortunately recorded very 'close up' and harshly. The Hogwood recordings display much more verve, light and shade, IMV.

[Pabmusic]

If you discount ( for the same reasons as Handel) J.C. Bach and C.F. Abel then you will miss out on some really lovely music...

How very much I agree. This idea of 'British' music, 'German' music and the like is very misleading. There might indeed be a link between all the composers mentioned so far, but it will be a cultural link, not necessarily a nationalistic one.

[MickyD]

I have finally been getting to know Boyce's symphonies properly in the Pinnock recording . Enjoyable as these pieces are they are rather samey and lacking very much the individuality of the greats of the baroque and early classical eras. I have also been listening recently to Pavlo Beznosiuk's recordings of Avison concertos on Naxos and have found them much more interesting .

What music of British composers of the 18th century leaving aside Handel being treated as British , do forum members think are worth getting to know ?

I could spend a long time replying to this! One of the best things of recent years for discovering 18th century British composers was the Hyperion "English Orpheus" series...for example, The Parley of Instruments produced a fascinating and charming collection of discs of concertos for keyboard, violin and clarinet, by names such as Linley, Hook, Arne etc - some of which are now sadly deleted but others have reappeared on the cheaper Helios label...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Whilst omiting Handel (and Abel and JCBach) is as sensible as omiting George I as a King of England, I understood Barbi's "leaving aside Handel" to mean "because I know that repertoire already".

I second Pabs' recommendation of John Marsh and the astonishing Symphonies of the astronomer Herschel. On another Thread, Barbs, you expressed indifference to Ives' Music - see what you think of Herschel.

[Barbirollians]

Whilst omiting Handel (and Abel and JCBach) is as sensible as omiting George I as a King of England, I understood Barbi's "leaving aside Handel" to mean "because I know that repertoire already".

I second Pabs' recommendation of John Marsh and the astonishing Symphonies of the astronomer Herschel. On another Thread, Barbs, you expressed indifference to Ives' Music - see what you think of Herschel.

Yes that is what I meant .

[MickyD]

Just don't get hold of the disc of Marsh's symphonies played by The Chichester Concert on Olympia....it is woefully underrehearsed and there are some excruciating sounds which should never have made it to the final CD! I was so disappointed by it, having been excited at hearing Marsh on period instruments.

[EdgeleyRob]

Not masterpieces,but worth getting to know I reckon.

Thomas Linley the younger was known as the 'English Mozart' btw.

[Roehre]

Just don't get hold of the disc of Marsh's symphonies played by The Chichester Concert on Olympia....it is woefully underrehearsed and there are some excruciating sounds which should never have made it to the final CD! I was so disappointed by it, having been excited at hearing Marsh on period instruments.

I concur re the quality of the recording and performance of that CD, but for me it was the first time I heard these works, and it triggered my further interest in Marsh's works....

[Roehre]

Not masterpieces,but worth getting to know I reckon.

Thomas Linley the younger was known as the 'English Mozart' btw.

part of these Wesleys were played in CotW in august 2010.
A bit old fashioned for the time and age when these were composed, but definitely no bad or uninteresting works at all.

[Barbirollians]

I like the extracts I have heard from the Marsh and Herschel records on Chandos they sound well worth investigating .

[MickyD]

That disc of English Classical Violin Concertos is one of the ones I was referring to in my previous post of "The English Orpheus" series on Hyperion. It is a lovely disc, it never fails to cheer me.