Two Scottish Romantics

[Dundonnell]

Partly because I am a Scot and partly to counter any impression that all I ever listen to is grim, stern neo-romantic or post-romantic music from after c. 1918.....

I am listening to Sir John Blackwood McEwen's Solway Symphony of 1911 and picking up on Havergal Brian's description of the work as a "masterpiece":  'Musical Opinion'(August 1936).

Now I am not sure that I would go that far: although Brian was a very perceptive writer about music. The Solway Symphony is however a thoroughly enjoyable and more than simply proficient piece and well worth hearing. So too are the other McEwen compositions recorded by Chandos back in the 1990s- the Three Border Ballads(1905-08), 'Hills O' Heather' for cello and orchestra(1918), 'Where the Wild Thyme Blows'(1936) and the big 'Hymn on the Morning of Christ's Nativity'(1905).

Apparently McEwen wrote four symphonies prior to the 'Solway Symphony'. He certainly wrote a Viola Concerto(shortly to be released by Hyperion) and no less than nineteen string quartets. McEwen was the Principal of the Royal Academy of Music from 1924 to 1936, in succession to another fine Scottish Romantic composer, Sir Alexander Mackenzie.

It was William Wallace rather than Alexander Mackenzie though that I want to mention here. (I do know that there was a short-lived thread about Wallace here.). Wallace was a fully qualified and practising opthalmic surgeon. (Well, Robert Simpson started to train as a doctor and Wilfred Josephs was a dentist )
I really like the lush romanticism of the four symphonic poems recorded by Hyperion back in 1995: 'The Passing of Beatrice', 'Sister Helen', 'Sir William Wallace' and 'Villon'. It seems a pity that Hyperion never got round to the other two written by Wallace.

I do recall being less impressed by the 'Creation Symphony' on the other Wallace disc issued by Hyperion. One of the couplings on that disc- the Suite 'Pelleas and Melisande' is however to be performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in February in a concert conducted by Sir Andrew Davis.

Then there's Erik Chisholm....but he isn't for this thread

[albion]

I could similarly enthuse about Mackenzie, McEwen and Wallace, and there is much more music by all three that should be revived. Regarding Wallace's two remaining symphonic poems, No.2 Amboss oder Hammer (after Goethe, 1896) and No.4 Greeting to the New Century (1901) I seem to recall from some now-forgotten source that unfortunately at least one of these scores is lost.



Besides those already mentioned, his principal works are -

Suite in A, for orchestra (n.d.)
Suite, A Scots Fantasy (n.d.)
An American Rhapsody (1891)
The Lady from the Sea, suite after Ibsen (1892)
Overture, In Praise of Scots Poesie (1894)
Scena for voice and orchestra, The Rhapsody of Mary Magdalene (1896)
Song cycle with orchestra, Freebooter Songs (1899)
Ballad for baritone, male voices and orchestra, The Outlaw (1908)
Burlesque ballad for male voices and orchestra, The Massacre of the Macpherson (1910)

Again, I'm not sure about the survival status of much of this music. Grove gives vague, generalised manuscript locations as the RAM Library and the National Library of Scotland - all the RAM appear to have is the Creation Symphony and Pelleas and Melisande, and I can't find a relevant detailed catalogue entry online at NLS beyond the call numbers MSS. 21502-21250 (these could well include correspondence and other material as distinct from manuscript full scores).



One Scottish Romantic I would really love to hear is Learmont Drysdale (1866-1909), particularly

Overture, Through the Sound of Raasay (1889)
Prelude, Thomas the Rhymer (1890)
Concert Overture, Tam O' Shanter (1890)
Concert Overture, Herondean (1894)
Orchestral Poem, A Border Romance (1904)

Luckily all these scores (and often manuscript orchestral parts too) are held at the University of Glasgow. A request on the Chandos forum for this repertoire to be considered brought the following tantalising reply from Ralph Couzens in January:

Hi, No firm news on this front yet accept to say that the program for a series of Scottish discs is being considered right now by Sir Andrew Davis for recording over the next few years. Drysdale is definately one of them.

[Dundonnell]

The man with the answers regarding these scores would be John Purser at the Scottish Music Centre.

[vandermolen]

The 'Solway Symphony' is great - I have two recordings. I also like the 'Border Ballads' - especially 'Grey Galloway' but perhaps my favourite work by McEwen is the sibelian, valedictory 'Where the Wild Thyme Blows' - a movingly poetic and lyrical score from 1936.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have a score and set of parts for Drysdale's "Tam O'Shanter", so if anybody wants to play/record it, please just ask.

[Paul Barasi]

As author of "the short-lived thread" I'm delighted to see this one emerge. I suppose I shouldn't have called mine "William Wallace – The Scottish One" but William Wallace – The Braveheart of Music. Dutton should get into recording William Wallace, not just Hyperion. There must be lots of other Scottish music too that I've yet to hear. But the Big H did give us another all too neglected Scottish shooting star: Cecil Coles, on CDA67293, who really had a gift for composition.

[Dundonnell]

I had forgotten that Coles was Scottish...even though I have the Hyperion disc you mention.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I want to put a word in for another neglected Scot: Robin Orr (1909-2006). His Symphony in One Movement (1960-1963) is rapidly turning into a favourite of mine. I have two radio performances, one under Alexander Gibson, the other under Jorge Mester, both conducting the Scottish National Orchestra. I don't have any dates, but here they are:


http://www.mediafire.com/file/zfd98va2upou14d/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Alexander%20Gibson.mp3


http://www.mediafire.com/file/839x8vwrfjivfam/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Jorge%20Mester.mp3

[I wrote a PM to Albion about these recordings, but didn't see it appear in my Sent box. These two recordings can be added to the British music folder...]

[vandermolen]

I want to put a word in for another neglected Scot: Robin Orr (1909-2006). His Symphony in One Movement (1960-1963) is rapidly turning into a favourite of mine. I have two radio performances, one under Alexander Gibson, the other under Jorge Mester, both conducting the Scottish National Orchestra. I don't have any dates, but here they are:


http://www.mediafire.com/file/zfd98va2upou14d/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Alexander%20Gibson.mp3


http://www.mediafire.com/file/839x8vwrfjivfam/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Jorge%20Mester.mp3

[I wrote a PM to Albion about these recordings, but didn't see it appear in my Sent box. These two recordings can be added to the British music folder...]

The Orr Symphony is a favourite of mine too. It is one of those craggy, granitic type works. I love the EMI British Composers CD with Simpson's Symphony No 1 (my favourite of his) and Fricker's Symphony No 2, with its very exciting, turbulent conclusion. The end of the Orr Symphony is esecially eloquent.

[Dundonnell]

I wouldn't exactly call Orr a 'romantic' composer but I have no objection to him being mentioned

In fact, I have just listened to a tape recording of his Symphony No.3 commissioned by and first performed at the 1978 Llandaff Festival(BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra/Norman Del Mar). I am afraid that it can't compare with No.1 But you will be able to tell for yourselves before too long I shall give Symphony No.2 a go soon.

[albion]

I want to put a word in for another neglected Scot: Robin Orr (1909-2006). His Symphony in One Movement (1960-1963) is rapidly turning into a favourite of mine. I have two radio performances, one under Alexander Gibson, the other under Jorge Mester, both conducting the Scottish National Orchestra. I don't have any dates, but here they are:


http://www.mediafire.com/file/zfd98va2upou14d/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Alexander%20Gibson.mp3


http://www.mediafire.com/file/839x8vwrfjivfam/Orr%20conducted%20by%20Jorge%20Mester.mp3

[I wrote a PM to Albion about these recordings, but didn't see it appear in my Sent box. These two recordings can be added to the British music folder...]

Thanks Johan, just got your message through this evening. I'll slot them into a suitable position!

[albion]

All duly sorted and put into Folder 7. I've come up with two possible broadcast dates for the Gibson performance and a performance date for the Mester (see listing).

This symphony was actually performed with quite unusual frequency:

12/12/1963, Glasgow, BBC Scottish Orchestra; Norman Del Mar
16/04/1964, [BBC Radio], BBC Scottish Orchestra; Norman Del Mar
09/10/1964, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scottish National Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
10/10/1964, Glasgow Concert Hall, Scottish National Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
19/11/1964, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; James Loughran
26/11/1964, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; James Loughran
03/09/1965, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scottish National Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
30/09/1965, Concert Hall, Glasgow, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; James Loughran
16/02/1966, Guildhall, Cambridge, CUMS; Robin Orr
08/08/1966, Royal Albert Hall, London, Scottish National Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
10/10/1966, Studio 1, Broadcasting House, Glasgow, BBC Scottish Orchestra, George Malcolm
10/05/1967, Fairfield Hall, Croydon, Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra; Norman Del Mar
02/11/1967, Royal College of Music, Vernon Handley
29/11/1967, Reid School of Music, Reid Orchestra; Sidney Newman
14/11/1968, Reid School of Music, Reid Orchestra; Sidney Newman
30/05/1969, Kontsertpaleet, Bergen, Scottish National Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
01/06/1969, BBC Radio 4? Scotland. 6.35. 60th Birthday Concert, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Robin Orr
22/03/1970, Free Trade Hall, Manchester, Halle Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
16/11/1972, Prichard-Jones Hall, [Bangor], University College Orchestra; John Hywell
01/01/1973, Younger Graduation Hall, St. Andrews, Scottish Universities' Orchestra; Brian Wright
14/01/1973, Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh, Scottish Universities' Orchestra; Brian Wright
13/10/1973, Glasgow City Hall, Scottish National Symphony Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
18/10/1973, Doelen, Rotterdam, Scottish National Symphony Orchestra; Alexander Gibson
17/07/1976, King's College Chapel, Cambridge, Cambridge Philharmonic Society Orchestra; Robin Orr
27/10/1981, MacRobert Arst Centre, University of Stirling, BBC Scottish Orchestra; Jorge Mester
16/03/1985, Guildhall, Cambridge, Cambridge Symphony Orchestra; Edward Heath

[Dundonnell]

How on earth can you get this info'??

If you have access to the BBC broadcast listings perhaps you can look up the performance of the Fricker Symphony No.4 from around 1978 to check the orchestra and conductor. My tape of the performance does not include that information.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

How on earth can you get this info'??

I found that, too... But I couldn't deduce from it which performances I had. Sherlock Albion has come to the rescue!

[albion]

How on earth can you get this info'??

I have my sources!

If you have access to the BBC broadcast listings perhaps you can look up the performance of the Fricker Symphony No.4 from around 1978 to check the orchestra and conductor. My tape of the performance does not include that information.

That would be the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maurice Handford (broadcast 14/8/1978).