Some Unrecorded 20th Century British Symphonies

[Dundonnell]

Despite the release over the last few years of an increasing number of previously unrecorded British symphonies there are still arge numbers of gaps in the discography.

British symphonies still awaiting a first recording include:

•   (a taped version is available on this site)

**  (a taped version will be available here soon)


Edgar Bainton:                            
No.1 "Before Sunrise" for contralto, chorus and orchestra(1907) (first movement-"Genesis" has been recorded)

Stanley Bate:                              
No.2(1944) (No.1 withdrawn?)

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett:            
No.2(1968)**

York Bowen:                                 
No.3(1951)*

Havergal Brian:                      
No. 5 "Wine of Summer" for baritone and orchestra(1937) *
No.13(1959) *
No.14(1960) *
No.19(1961) *
No.23(1965) *
No. 24(1965)*
No. 26(1966)*
No. 27(1966)*
No. 28(1967)*
No. 29(1969)*

Alan Bush:                                        
No.3 "Byron Symphony" for baritone, chorus and orchestra(1960)**
No.4 "Lascaux"(1983) *

Arthur Butterworth:                          
No.2(1964) *
No.3 "Sinfonia Borealis"(1979)*
No.6(2006)

Arnold Cooke:                  
No.2(1963)
No.4(1974)*
No.5(1979)*
No.6(1984)

Peter Racine Fricker:         
No.3(1960)*
No.4(1966)**
No.5 for organ and orchestra(1976)**

John Gardner:                        
No.2(1985)

Iain Hamilton:                        
No.1(1948)
No.2(1951)*
No.3 "Spring"(1981)
No.4(1981)

Alun Hoddinott:                
No.1(1955)
No.4(1969)
No. 7 for organ and orchestra(1989)*
No.8 for brass and percussion(1992)
No.9 "A Vision of Eternity" for soprano and orchestra(1993)
No.10(1999)*

Daniel Jones:                 
No.1(1945)*
No.2(1950)*
No.3(1951)**
No.5(1958)*
No.10(1981)**
No.11(1983)*
No.12(1985)*
Symphony In Memory of John Fussell(1992)*

David Matthews:            
Symphony No.7(2009)

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies:         
No.7(2000)

John McCabe:                    
No.3 "Hommages"(1973)*
No.5 "Edward II"(1998)
No.6 "Symphony on a Pavane"(2006)
No.7 "Labyrinth"(2007)

Anthony Milner:            
No.2 for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra(1978)**
No.3(1987)

Robin Orr:               
No.2(1970)**
No.3(1978)**

Cyril Rootham:                    
No.2 "Revelation" *

Robert Still:               
No.1(1954)
No.2(1956)

William Wordsworth:       
No.1(1944)*
No.4(1953)*
No.5(1960)*
No.6 "Elegiaca" for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra(1977)
No.7 "Cosmos"(1980)*
No.8 "Pax Hominibus"(1986)*

These are all composers who already have at least one of their symphonies on disc.

Leaving aside those symphonies listed above which have never been performed (like Wordsworth's 6th) the symphonies which I would really like to hear and wonder if anyone has been able to record in the past would be:

Arthur Butterworth's 6th
Arnold Cooke's 2nd and 6th
Iain Hamilton's 1st, 3rd and 4th
Alun Hoddinott's 1st, 4th, 8th and 9th
David Matthews' 7th
Peter Maxwell Davies 7th
John McCabe 5th, 6th and 7th
Anthony Milner's 3rd

[semloh]

...and I don't think any of the 12 symphonies of Wilfred Josephs are available either, Colin! 

I have the 5th, but that's all.

[eschiss1]

Though why the Wilfred Josephs society discography doesn't list the one recording I do know about - concerto for brass, coupled with George Lloyd's symphony no.10 - well, happens.

[Dundonnell]

I didn't include Josephs because none of his symphonies has been recorded commercially.

I shall be able to upload Symphonies Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 7 in the next few days.

I fear that the WJ Society may be moribund It still lists the late Sir Charles Mackerras as President.

[eschiss1]

Good point. Though that's not a new recording, it may be no longer available at that- I first heard it sometime around 1990 or so.

[Mykulh]

Not quite accurate, Colin. A Wilfred Josephs' Symphony has been commercially recorded:

                       Symphony No. 5, Op. 75 "Pastoral" (1971)

                       David Measham/Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
                       ( + Variations on a Theme of Beethoven)
                       UNICORN DKP9026 (LP) (1983)

I'm sure you have this LP.

Michael

[semloh]

Not quite accurate, Colin. A Wilfred Josephs' Symphony has been commercially recorded:  Symphony No. 5, Op. 75 "Pastoral" (1971)
I'm sure you have this LP.

Michael

Quite right, Michael ... in my enthusiasm, I didn't think to check beyond what's currently available! 

I wish I did have that LP - a rather adventurous release for the time, and eminently uploadable! I just have an off-air cassette recording of it.

[erato]

Have Grace Williams' 1st been recorded? The 2nd is such a tremendous work.

[semloh]

Have Grace Williams' 1st been recorded? The 2nd is such a tremendous work.

She scrapped the first symphony, according to her own account at:
http://www.welshmusic.org.uk/grace_williams.htm
and retained only the scherzo, which I don't believe has ever been recorded.

I don't know whether the score for the whole symphony still exists, but I bet someone here does...

[britishcomposer]

Leaving aside those symphonies listed above which have never been performed (like Wordsworth's 6th) the symphonies which I would really like to hear and wonder if anyone has been able to record in the past would be:

David Matthews' 7th
Peter Maxwell Davies 7th
John McCabe 7th

Colin, I have the three above mentioned. I will certainly upload them if you like but only if no other member will offer them. My recordings of Matthews and McCabe are streams by the BBC-Player which offers a very low bitrate. Davies is on an old cassette, a concert from the late 90s or so, but the sound is very dull and muffled.
Well, take what you can get, but I hope there may be better ones!

[Dundonnell]

Have Grace Williams' 1st been recorded? The 2nd is such a tremendous work.

She scrapped the first symphony, according to her own account at:
http://www.welshmusic.org.uk/grace_williams.htm
and retained only the scherzo, which I don't believe has ever been recorded.

I don't know whether the score for the whole symphony still exists, but I bet someone here does...

The Grace Williams Symphony No.1 is available for download in the British Composers' section of this site

[Dundonnell]

Not quite accurate, Colin. A Wilfred Josephs' Symphony has been commercially recorded:

                       Symphony No. 5, Op. 75 "Pastoral" (1971)

                       David Measham/Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
                       ( + Variations on a Theme of Beethoven)
                       UNICORN DKP9026 (LP) (1983)

I'm sure you have this LP.

Michael

Sorry..I missed that one! I don't actually have the LP although I do have a different taped version of the symphony which I will be uploading very soon.

Incidentally, Michael, while I remember:  the Fricker 5th and McCabe 6th(Symphony on a Pavane)  and 7th(Labyrinth) are missing from the notes on their composers in your Discography. The Hoddinott 9th(Vision of Eternity) is for soprano and orchestra rather than for "brass and orchestra"

[Dundonnell]

Leaving aside those symphonies listed above which have never been performed (like Wordsworth's 6th) the symphonies which I would really like to hear and wonder if anyone has been able to record in the past would be:

David Matthews' 7th
Peter Maxwell Davies 7th
John McCabe 7th

Colin, I have the three above mentioned. I will certainly upload them if you like but only if no other member will offer them. My recordings of Matthews and McCabe are streams by the BBC-Player which offers a very low bitrate. Davies is on an old cassette, a concert from the late 90s or so, but the sound is very dull and muffled.
Well, take what you can get, but I hope there may be better ones!

The Matthews will be recorded by Dutton(the composer has confirmed this!) but the other two I would welcome . I doubt if anyone else has a recording

[Arbuckle]

The announcement at the end of Grace Williams Sym no. 1 that I have calls it "Symphonic Impressions on Glendouer(sp?) Scenes of Henry IV, Part One, Her symphony no. 1"

[britishcomposer]

Leaving aside those symphonies listed above which have never been performed (like Wordsworth's 6th) the symphonies which I would really like to hear and wonder if anyone has been able to record in the past would be:

David Matthews' 7th
Peter Maxwell Davies 7th
John McCabe 7th

Colin, I have the three above mentioned. I will certainly upload them if you like but only if no other member will offer them. My recordings of Matthews and McCabe are streams by the BBC-Player which offers a very low bitrate. Davies is on an old cassette, a concert from the late 90s or so, but the sound is very dull and muffled.
Well, take what you can get, but I hope there may be better ones!

The Matthews will be recorded by Dutton(the composer has confirmed this!) but the other two I would welcome . I doubt if anyone else has a recording

Okay, but it will take me a week or so. Let's see if we still get a better offer!