Bowen Syms 1 & 2 from Chandos

[jerfilm]

Well said, Jim.  And back more on the topic, the Bowens are available today, may 3, on Amazon.com as a $7.99 download.  As are the Roentgen Violin Concertos.     I'm still looking for any source besides Presto that has the DuBois VC......

Jerry

[albion]

the anticipation is greater than the long-awaited music, but I like hearing something for the first time anyway, maybe it's like sex, the first time is pretty much the most exciting, and one strives forever to match the thrill, yet even if you never quite match it, it sure is fun to keep trying!  And I don't care which composer  is marginal or central or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, I want to listen for myself, and if I like it, I may tell you or not, and if I don't like it I also may or may not tell you. And the world will go on with or without my opinion, and I will go on wanting to hear something new for the first time, then deciding if I want to hear it again and again or not.

Absolutely spot on, Jim - although I really do hope that you will continue to tell us your opinions for many years to come! I also subscribe to the cult of novelty - some are hits, some are misses, but Bowen's second symphony in particular is just the sort of extravagantly kaleidoscopic score that I adore. The trail to the recovery of the third may have temporarily gone cold but I don't normally give up without a struggle! 

[jimmattt]

And, I love both Bowens, Sym no. 3, and all his piano concertos, and anything else, too.

[albion]

Good man! Glen Ballard of the York Bowen Society has clearly been fighting a real battle with publishers, press-men etc. to get Bowen back onto the map and it would be a real boost if as many members as possible show their support by purchasing the new Symphony disc as well as the other great selections available from Chandos, Hyperion and Dutton -

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Golly, Jim, what kind of experiences have you enjoyed? True, there is considerable anticipation of that initiation into the event that is the constant wonder of schoolboys. But the first time "the most exciting"? Not in my experience. One dark and misty night I got myself willingly dragged into a telephone box (fortunately a rural one) by the Head Girl of the school. I recall she went by the name of Joyce. She used her school scarf to remove the light bulb and promptly got to work. Afterwards I strolled down the lane in slight disbelief that a significant and much anticipated event had finally taken place, but to my disappointment I felt exactly the same afterwards. Bit of a mug's game, I thought, and attendance at my first orchestral concert (the CBSO under Hugo Rignold in an all Beethoven programme) the following week provided a thrill of a far greater magnitude. Remember those old fashioned telephone boxes? The real excitement came when my nether regions impressed themselves upon Button B and a stream of coins shot out across the floor. Apologies to the prim amongst us - but it was many years ago now and the event has never before been recorded.

[eschiss1]

I think I have a few recordings by Rignold with that orchestra-  a Wellesz symphony or two. Maybe other things.  Makes me think well of him...

[albion]

Now onto Symphony No.2. Ah yes, that Fry's Turkish Delight opening...we're in more exotic territory here. More anon!

Well, was it full of eastern promise? 

[Alan Howe]

Now onto Symphony No.2. Ah yes, that Fry's Turkish Delight opening...we're in more exotic territory here. More anon!

Well, was it full of eastern promise? 

Sorry, anon hasn't happened yet...

[Alan Howe]

Well, I certainly wouldn't call the 2nd Symphony faded in any way. Actually, it's rather exhilarating - and what a command of the orchestra the still-young Bowen had! A simply marvellous late-Romantic romp. And hats off to the BBCPO! I know I'm biased, having watched and heard them record Rufinatscha, but what a fabulous job they do with unfamiliar music. And what a fab job the recording team in Manchester does too. I don't think Bowen 2 is a masterpiece, but we'd be much the poorer without it - Fry's Turkish Delight and all. Oh yes, and quite a bit of Elgar 1 too, but who cares?

[albion]

Thanks Alan, a very positive response indeed. For further exploration, I would strongly recommend the four volumes of piano music superbly played by Joop Celis on Chandos.

I'm currently in contact with James de Wolfe and will hopefully have more information soon as to which later-Bowen scores might potentially be available for recording in the future. I am still reasonably optimistic that Symphony No.3 is not, in fact, altogether unsalvageable.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I had a phone call from a Mr Alan Howe, this morning, from De Wolfe Music. He is going to see exactly what they do have by York Bowen - it seems that the music is spread over multiple sites (a sure way of losing track of it, if ever there was one!). They have, sadly, only the string parts of the Sinfonietta Concertante. They do have score and parts of the Overture on "Tom Bowling". He reiterated that they don't have Symphony No. 3 BUT said they had Symphony No. 4. My understanding is that YB completed only a few sketches for what was to have been his 4th Symphony, so I suggested to Mr Howe that this might, in fact, be the Symphony No. 3 in disguise - just wrongly labelled in their system. He thought that might well be the case and promised to get back to me. He will also, as I wrote above, see what their complete holdings are and, to help him, I have sent him the list from the YB Society website.
I recall when researching Holbrooke, I came across the only copy (as far as I am aware) of his Symphony No. 7 for strings in the John Hopkins Library in Baltimore; this was a copyist's score incorrectly titled on the front page "Symphony No. 6, for Strings". In fact, Holbrooke's 6th symphony, which is extant, is scored for Military Band.
So "Courage, mes braves!" Hope for the 3rd symphony is not yet dead.

[Alan Howe]

I had a phone call from a Mr Alan Howe, this morning, from De Wolfe Music.

Must be my doppelganger...

[albion]

I had a phone call from a Mr Alan Howe, this morning, from De Wolfe Music. [...] They have, sadly, only the string parts of the Sinfonietta Concertante. They do have score and parts of the Overture on "Tom Bowling". He reiterated that they don't have Symphony No. 3 BUT said they had Symphony No. 4.

Gareth, thanks for this update on the Bowen situation - it clearly is a case of the more people that badger De Wolfe the better! Last Thursday, I asked James de Wolfe for confirmation of the whereabouts of

Somerset Suite (Market Day in Taunton; The Old Mansion; Wind Whistle Hill) (c.1940)

Symphonic Suite, including re-written 4th movement (1942)

Fantasy Overture on Tom Bowling, Op.115 (c.1945)

Symphony No.3, Op.137 (1951)

Three Pieces for String Orchestra, with Harp ad lib. (Prelude to a Comedy; Aubade; Toccata), Op 140 (c.1951)

Sinfonietta Concertante for Brass and Orchestra (1957)

Jig for Two Pianos and Orchestra

and he promised a reply 'in the near future'.    It certainly seems as if they really don't have a clue as to what they've actually got - if they do have a symphony it is definitely No.3 (Bowen's short score of the 4th is dated two weeks before his death).

Likewise they probably do have all the material for the Sinfonietta Concertante, but it's been split up. Perhaps one of us should go down to Capper Street and give them a hand!



Please keep us up-to-date with any developments, and I will do likewise.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I'd be only too pleased to help sort out their archive. Who knows what might be found?!

[albion]

I'd be only too pleased to help sort out their archive. Who knows what might be found?!

The following is the verbatim list I received from James de Wolfe:

A 3-PIECE SUITE FOR STRINGS & HARP: PRELUDE TO A COMEDY, AUBADE, TOCCATA
AID TO THE CIVIL POWER
ALLEGRETTO IN G
BALLADE for Oboe, Horn & Pipe
BURLESQUE FOR SMALL ORCHESTRA
BURLESQUE for Wind Quintet
CATASTROPHE
CEREMONIAL MARCH
CHATTERBOX
CONCERTO FOR HORN & STRING ORCHESTRA (Timpani ad lib) Opus 150
DEBUTANTE (for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn & Bassoon)
EVENTIDE
FANTASY OVERTURE
FIVE SKETCHES FOR ONE HAND ONLY
FROLIC FOR WIND ENSEMBLE
GRIEG PIANO CONCERTO - Special arrangement
HOLIDAY SUITE (4 movements)
JIG (for 2 Pianos & Orchestra)
MARCH (re-written 4th movt. SYMPHONIC SUITE)
MERRY MOOD
MINIATURE SUITE FOR WOODWIND
MOTO PERPETUO
MOVEMENTS: I) ALLEGRO NON TROPPO, II) POCO LENTO – SERIOSO, III) FINALE: ALLEGRO MOLTO CON SPIRITO
PHANTASY-QUINTET for Bass-Clarinet & String Quartet Opus 93
PUCK
SEVEN MUSICAL FANFARES
SINFONIETTA CONCERTANTE FOR BRASS & ORCHESTRA in 3 movements
SKETCHES FOR SMALL ORCHESTRA No. 4
SKETCHES No. 4
SOMERSET SUITE: MARKET DAY IN TAUNTON, THE OLD MANSION, WIND WHISTLE HILL
SYMPHONIC SUITE 4 PARTS
SYMPHONY No. 3 MOVEMENTS:   I) INTRODUCTION ALLEGRO, II) POCO LENTO,
III) FINALE ALLEGRO MOLTO QUASI PRESTO
TEMPO DI POLKA
THE DANCER
THE LOST CANYON
THE OUTCAST

The 'movements' clearly relate to the Horn Concerto, so their unrelated placing elsewhere in the list really inspires confidence!