Originally posted by EdgeleyRob
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I'm certainly no expert. I just enjoy the weird and wonderful music. -
From the Wikipedia entry on Alkan:
"On 25 April 2009, BBC Radio 3 dedicated a 45 minute program to Alkan's life, presented by Piers Lane and with contributions by John White and David Conway."
About time they devoted a Composer of the Week to him, (Alkan, that is, though John White would also be a fine candidate).Comment
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Rob, egg wetter gree. And I am no expert either. I attended an amazing concert at the RFH in London in the 90s where Jack Gibbons did about two hours of Alkan's solo piano works including the symphony and the concerto. I also have the ASV CD that Jack Gibbons did.Originally posted by EdgeleyRob View Post
Why don't we hear much of Alkan? Strangely neglected.Comment
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Indeed so - and it would no loner have to be all piano music, either since there are now recordings of the chamber works and of many of the pédalier pieces played on the organ. Half a century or more ago, before the pioneering efforts of Searle, Smith, Ogdon, Lewenthal and, peripherally, Walton and (Sacheverell) Sitwell, Alkan was a great deal more neglected than is the case today; occasionally, Egon Petri would program something, the young Arrau played a few Alkan works (but didn't maintain them in his public repertoire) and even Busoni is known to have played some pieces, but the sheer practical difficulty of some of his music has, I suspect, been the principal cause of the turning off where most performers are concerned. Today, with a clutch of recordings and more artists performing his music, his comparative neglect is perhaps even more surprising. I also suspect that some people have been put off his work on the misplaced assumption that it's all as demanding as the concerto, which is patently not the case. Furthermore, I don't suppose that Alkan did his future reputation any great favours by turning reclusive at so early a stage in his career (Liszt did this at a later stage in his - and then not so forthrightly and implacably in any case).Originally posted by Bryn View PostComment
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But people like you (as long as there are sufficient of them!) are just what his cause needs!Originally posted by gurnemanz View PostComment
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I think there is a theory that appreciation of Alkan's music occasionally suffers from the obvious technical demands. It isn't something I believe but it is the idea that dexterity in the performance almost by necessity overshadows everything else.
Following up on Pabmusic's post, I have just noticed that this is also the centenary of Bantock's Hebridean Symphony.Comment
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Jack Gibbons seems to have double-jointed rubber-wristsOriginally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post
I must task myself to get my head around the Hebridean in 2013. It doesn't do very much for me and I suspect I must be missing something
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It is a bit light perhaps but I really like it. Hope you find the time to listen to it again. And thanks - because it is your thread about neglected British composers that I have been reading through recently and that took me ultimately to John Foulds. I am not quite sure how it happened but the references to him then led me to his wife, Maud MacCarthy; a quite unusual radio station in Ireland; and an excellent documentary about her on that station. I have put the details and a link to the programme on the WM board.Originally posted by Beef Oven View PostJack Gibbons seems to have double-jointed rubber-wrists
I must task myself to get my head around the Hebridean in 2013. It doesn't do very much for me and I suspect I must be missing something
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It's fascinating where we end up on these boards. I will check your link on the WM board - thanks for thatOriginally posted by Lateralthinking1 View PostIt is a bit light perhaps but I really like it. Hope you find the time to listen to it again. And thanks - because it is your thread about neglected British composers that I have been reading through recently and that took me ultimately to John Foulds. I am not quite sure how it happened but the references to him then led me to his wife, Maud MacCarthy; a quite unusual radio station in Ireland; and an excellent documentary about her on that station. I have put the details and a link to the programme on the WM board.
P.S. I think the music of Foulds is utterly amazing!Comment
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Originally posted by Beef Oven View Post
Incidentally, Arthur Butterworth will be 90 in 2013. I hope (but don't suppose
) that he'll feature in the Proms, but I hope at least there'll be a little more BBC attention than just the interview on this week's Countryfile:
... go to the 13min mark.[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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Well, if that is true, he had to pay the bills. There was a time when his lighter music was on the BBC every day. He wasn't at all happy with the situation. He remarked that only a tiny number of his compositions were ever broadcast. Most were atypical.Originally posted by Roehre View PostComment
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On a local (but I hope not too parochial) note, it's also the centenary of Cedric Thorpe Davie (whom Hornspieler will remember from an early Edinburgh Festival gig). Perhaps not a great composer, but some notable film scores on his cv.Comment
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Would you (or Ferney/Roehre/Lat or anybody else) like to suggest a couple of Fould's pieces to have an initial listen to please? I have seen a couple of suggestions elswhere on the web, but I like the personal touch !!Originally posted by Beef Oven View PostIt's fascinating where we end up on these boards. I will check your link on the WM board - thanks for that
P.S. I think the music of Foulds is utterly amazing!
Cheers.I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.
I am not a number, I am a free man.Comment
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Originally posted by teamsaint View Post
ts - Here's a link to the Foulds CD that I would recommend without reservation. Not only is it an amazing Foulds listen, it is one of the best CDs that money can buy (yes, it's that good!).
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