Finzi, Gerald (1901 - 1956)

[antongould]

This morning's Breakfast reminded me that Finzi is one of my very favourite composers .... IMVVHO his music is the England I cannot quite recall ........ Surely he must be here somewhere? Or has the thread been hacked .... ????

[Pulcinella]

Such a gifted setter of words to music.
Yet another of my retirement plans is to work my way through his many song cycles (very fine recordings on Naxos, and elsewhere).

[LeMartinPecheur]

IMVVHO his music is the England I cannot quite recall .

It's only quite recently that I learned, via the excellent Banfield biographical study, of the extent to which Finzi the English country gentleman nurturing English apple trees, collecting and setting English poetry, was some kind of a self-preservative disguise or personal myth.

What he seems to be have wanted to cover was his Jewish background, at a time when it seemed quite likely that Adolf Hitler, or maybe Oswald Mosley, and their cohorts might come looking for him.

Not of course that he really thought the 'disguise' would be effective (a change of surname would have been more practical), but it does seem to have fulfilled a psychological need.

[Serial_Apologist]

It's only quite recently that I learned, via the excellent Banfield biographical study, of the extent to which Finzi the English country gentleman nurturing English apple trees, collecting and setting English poetry, was some kind of a self-preservative disguise or personal myth.

What he seems to be have wanted to cover was his Jewish background, at a time when it seemed quite likely that Adolf Hitler, or maybe Oswald Mosley, and their cohorts might come looking for him.

Not of course that he really thought the 'disguise' would be effective (a change of surname would have been more practical), but it does seem to have fulfilled a psychological need.

I would have to say that that Englishness is nevertheless very much what his music was about, along with composers such as Howells's - notwithstanding his claimed admiration for the music of Berg and others, Finzi saw a place for an English variant of modern classical music in the same way the Les Six saw one for a French one and Casella and Malipiero Italian.

[BBMmk2]

I have that recording that was played this morning, RFG. Strongly recommended. I heard it as well and Roderick Williams has recorded a lot of Finzi on Naxos, which I can also strongly recommend too. RW is a very fine Finzi interpreter.

[Pulcinella]

I have that recording that was played this morning, RFG. Strongly recommended. I heard it as well and Roderick Williams has recorded a lot of Finzi on Naxos, which I can also strongly recommend too. RW is a very fine Finzi interpreter.

I hope that Richard (RFG) is pleased to read this! I'm sure he'll look at this thread at some point!


(Keep them coming, Bbm; we love you for them!)

[BBMmk2]

I hope that Richard (RFG) is pleased to read this! I'm sure he'll look at this thread at some point!


(Keep them coming, Bbm; we love you for them!)

AntonGould

[antongould]

AntonGould

Never doubted it for a moment bbm and thanks as always for the recommendations .....

[EdgeleyRob]

The Gilchrist,BSO,Hill Dies Natalis on Naxos is wonderful.
There isn't a work by Finzi that I dislike.
Maybe not so much an England I can't recall as an perhaps an England that never was,who knows ?
Something intangible but evocative,I dunno.

[Pabmusic]

One of my very favourite composers. One of the slowest, too - and fastidious (like Butterworth).

I believe that, of all the Hardy settings (56?) there is just one syllable set to two different notes; everything else is 1 syllable = 1 note. Remarkable.

The Butterworth comparison is interesting. Every time I hear Love Blows as the Wind Blows, I'm struck by hoe much like Finzi the opening is. It wasn't published till 1921, when Finzi was 19 or 20. Just the age he might have been 'exploring'. Did he buy a copy?

[antongould]

?.........
Maybe not so much an England I can't recall as an perhaps an England that never was,who knows ?
Something intangible but evocative .....

Excellent and very profound ER .... but then you're from Stockport .........

[BBMmk2]

Excellent and very profound ER .... but then you're from Stockport .........

It's a very pastoral sound world, Finzi's music. But, a sublime sound too. So different from all the others, as to be unique.

[Pabmusic]

It's a very pastoral sound world, Finzi's music. But, a sublime sound too. So different from all the others, as to be unique.

Don't agree really. Finzi is very much from the same sound-world as Parry and Butterworth ( ie: basically diatonic, with unprepared chromatic interjections). Not as modal as GSKB, not as extrovert as Parry, but very much of the same world.

[Pabmusic]

Finzi was a pupil of R. O. Morris (possibly Morris' most famous pupil, with Howard Ferguson). Morris was Butterworth's longest-serving friend. They began piano lessons together in York at 5 years. Later they volunteered together and served in the same Battalion of the DLI. Morris always promoted Butterworth's music.

[BBMmk2]

Finzi was a pupil of R. O. Morris (possibly Morris' most famous pupil, with Howard Ferguson). Morris was Butterworth's longest-serving friend. They began piano lessons together in York at 5 years. Later they volunteered together and served in the same Battalion of the DLI. Morris always promoted Butterworth's music.

]]

Many thanks Pabs. The recordings that Naxos have made of his songs with Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside, are quite exemplary.