George Frederick Bristow

[jerfilm]

I have Bristow #6 by the same ensemble, same old Karl Krueger, etc.  I think there's a current Detroit Symphony performance available on CD.

But 1, 3 and 5 seems to be hard to find.....

Jerry

[Mark Thomas]

I didn't even know that there was a No.6! It's No.3 which is available on CD isn't it? With Järvi and the Detroit Symphony? I'd really appreciate an upload of No.6 with Krueger if that's at all possible, Jerry. Thanks.

[jerfilm]

Maybe we need a little research on this one, Mark.  The old tape I have of Krueger sez Symphony #6 in f#, 26.   And since it came directly from the Lp, there is no broadcast announcement. Now I see on YouTube a performance by the Detroit of Symphony in f#, opus 26.   So perhaps my tape is #3??  I've had that happen from time to time - what folks tell me is on a tape turns out to be incorrect.....Wikipedia seems no help- it shows the opus 26 without a number and an opus 62 Niagra Symphony.  80 Grove shows opus 26 as being the 3rd, Niagra as being #5 but none of them there are numbered, just the opus #s. 

Conclusion, I think I have #3 and there is no 6......


Jerry

[eschiss1]

Well, I haven't checked the Wikipedia list, but http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_George_Frederick_Bristow is probably improvable (but I am guessing somewhat better- though I work with both sites) but have a look... (I did not have any involvement in editing this one, I think, so speak without personal interest . Oh. 2 minor edits)

The symphonies I see listed are
#Op.10 in E-flat major (1846?-1848).
#Op.24 Jullien Sinfonia in D minor (1854).
#Op.26 in F-sharp minor (1858).
#Op.50 Arcadian (related to the Pioneer cantata Op.49. 1872, premiered 1874).
#Op.62 Niagara (1893, premiered 1898).

[Mark Thomas]

Jerry, I think that you have "No.3" in F sharp, and you can check that's so by comparing it with the excerpts from the Chandos disk here. As you say, Bristow didn't number his symphonies but, despite Chandos labelling it as No.2, it's the third symphony he wrote as Eric's summary shows.

And there was me, slavering at the prospect of an otherwise unknown No.6. Heigh ho...

[jerfilm]

And I lost a "rare" treasure.  C'est la vie.

J

[britishcomposer]

The only hint of a possible Bristow Sixth is the German wikipedia article which just states he wrote 6 - without any further information:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frederick_Bristow

This is from Michael Herman's list of American Symphonies at musicweb:

GEORGE FREDERICK BRISTOW
(1825-1898)

Born in Brooklyn, New York. He was born into a musical family and his father, a well-respected conductor, pianist, and clarinetist, gave his son lessons in piano, harmony, counterpoint, orchestration and violin. George became a violinist in the New York Philharmonic while still a teenager and remained at this post for the next 36 years. He became conductor of two choral organizations and also had a long career as a music educator in the public schools of New York. He composed orchestral and choral works. His unrecorded Symphonies are: Nos. 1 in E flat, Op. 10 (1848) and 5 for Chorus and Orchestra, 5, Op. 62 "Niagara" (1893).

Symphony #2, in D minor, Op. 24 "Jullien" (1853)

Karl Krueger/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AMERICAN MUSICAL HERITAGE MIA 143 (LP) (1969)

Neeme Järvi/Detroit Symphony Orchestra
( + Barber: Symphony No. 2 and Adagio for Strings)
CHANDOS CHAN 9169 (1993)


Symphony (No. 3) in F sharp minor, Op. 26 (1858)


Karl Krueger/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AMERICAN MUSICAL HERITAGE MIA 144 (LP) (1969)


Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 50 "Arcadian" (1872) (originally part 2 of "The Pioneers: A Grand Cantata", Op. 49)

Karl Krueger/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AMERICAN MUSICAL HERITAGE MIA 135 (LP) (1967)

http://www.musicweb-international.com/American_Symphonies/American_Symphonies1.htm

[eschiss1]

Herman's lists are usually fairly good to my limited knowledge but that was clumsy.

[britishcomposer]

Clumsy? What do you mean? Now, are there five or six Bristows? 

[eschiss1]

Well, I gather that the symphony that Jarvi recorded, though identified as no.2, was in fact symphony no.3 in F-sharp minor, op.26- and identified by Chandos as
symphony no.2 in F-sharp minor, op.26.
Herman seems to have taken this to mean that they got one out of three right and places them under
symphony no.2 in D minor, op.24.

[britishcomposer]

Ah, yes, I see! Sorry!

[shamokin88]

A brief word about Albert Conkey [1913-2000]. He was my high-school music teacher and founded the  Chestnut Hill Community Orchestra - where I live - in the late 1950s. I am not surprised that his performance of the Bristow 1st Symphony does not pass muster. Some of his players were 5th and 6th graders. But Al could be an inspiring teacher. He was a composer as well, with 9 piano sonatas, an orchestration of the Sibelius sonata and a small quantity of chamber music to his credit. He was from Cleveland, studied with Arthur Shepherd and Herbert Elwell and was a classmate of Robert Ward. He was Victor's recording engineer for Arthur Fiedler's Boston Pops 78s of Walter Piston's suite from the Incredible Flutist.

When I prepared some notes to speak at his memorial service I sensed the technical shortcomings of his efforts. But he was a musician. He loved music, and if he could open doors for people, he was happy. He was a dear friend and I learned a lot from him.