Bax Spring Fire

[Alan Howe]

Ever since I heard the opening strains of Bax's magnificent 5-movement orchestral work Spring Fire (an early work dating from 1913) I have been hooked. If you don't know it, try these excerpts from Mark Elder's new recording with the Hallé here...
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/English-Spring/hnum/3482185
The CD also contains Delius' Idylle de Printemps and The March of Spring (North Country Sketches), plus Bridge's wonderful Enter Spring. An inspiring disc indeed.

[Paul Barasi]

Hi Alan, I'm a bit of an Elder fan. Are you able to say how you feel his Sping Fire compares with Handley's?

[Alan Howe]

No, I am afraid not. I had not heard the piece until Elder's performance came out.

[kolaboy]

I bought it on vinyl (Chandos) back in 1989, loved it ever since.

[chill319]

Like Kolaboy, I've had Handley's Chandos version in my ears for some years. So with that caveat in mind, here's one subjective response to Paul's question. Elder's performance and Halle's engineering are quite different, the former being more delicate yet also more reticent in the quieter passages, the latter being less boomy but also less atmospheric. For what it's worth, I would give the palm to Handley/Chandos in the Forest before Dawn and Woodland Love sections, and to Elder/Halle in the three more vigorous, somewhat Straussian sections, where their clarity and forthrightness (aka virtuosity) coax more music out of the score. Like Paul, I would enjoy hearing different opinions.

[Paul Barasi]

Thanks. Sounds like this new one is worth having too.  [Why isn't Bax more popular?]