Cliffe Violin Concerto

[Mark Thomas]

Those you who have enjoyed the Englishman Frederick Cliffe's magnificent First Symphony will want to know that BBC Radio 3 are broadcasting his Violin Concerto, played by Philippe Graffin and the BBC Concert Orchestra under David Lloyd Jones, in a programme going out between 14:00 and 17:00 UK time on Tuesday 22 September next week. Time to work out how to record from internet radio, I think...

My guess is that this performance will soon be issued on a Dutton CD.

[Alan Howe]

Lovely jubbly! Sorry, friends from across the pond/Channel/other side of the world, I mean 'jolly good show'. And I'll try to record it on my hard-disk recorder.

[albion]

The new Hyperion coupling of Violin Concertos by Cliffe and d'Erlanger has received a very enthusiastic review from Rob Barnett at musicweb - http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Jan11/derlanger_cliffe_cda67838.htm - clearly a return to top form in terms of enterprise and achievement for the RVC series! 

Perhaps the other works in Cliffe's slim catalogue will follow, particularly new presentations of both the symphonies: was I alone in being slightly disappointed by the cavernous acoustic of the venue chosen for the otherwise very welcome Sterling recording of No.1?

[FBerwald]

The d'Erlanger's a tad more engaging as it is a dream of a Romantic concerto especially the second movement!!!!
Kudos to Hyperion - They are getting back in shape!!!!!!

[Alan Howe]

This is bound to be one of Hyperion's best-ever releases. Two lovely late-Romantic VCs, played by one of today's most exciting and adventurous violinists. Mine's been on order for seemingly ages: can't wait for it to arrive!

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I'm a normally generous chap - but not so here! No way would I let you borrow my copy - it has hardly been out of the player since. (It arrived from HMV on Friday along with a little pile of other new releases whose 'official' release date is 31 01 11.)

Three gorgeous works. Bravo Hyperion - well and truly back on form! (I'd like to think they might have taken on board what has been said here about the Romantic piano / violin / cello series, and about Cliffe in particular). Now if they would only give us the two Cliffe symphonies...and...........(the dots could continue forever!)

Peter

[Alan Howe]

Watch out, Peter! I shall be coming round with a stripey shirt, an eye mask and a big bag marked 'swag'! MDT, where are you....?

[Alan Howe]

BTW, the 2nd Symphony's still in manuscript, so some begging letters to Chris Fifield and Bo Hyttner/Sterling, coupled with some offers of cash would probably do the trick...

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Ha! Just you try it. In the trees lining the drive I've rigged up a series of ex-disco loudspeakers that, when an intruder trips off the alarm, burst out with Wolfgang Rihm (each at 110 db). So watch out!

Incidentally I would be very interested to know (perhaps a few weeks after the reviews have appeared in IRR and some of the comics) how the Cliffe / d'Erlanger disc sells in relation to, say, the rather notorious Romantic Piano Concerto Vol 50. (Not quite fair since we'd be comparing a single with a multi-disc set).

Now if the former - as I very much hope - sells like hot cakes, what would that tell Hyperion? (I don't suppose anyone on the site has got any sort of access to sales figures?)

Peter

[Lionel Harrsion]

BTW, the 2nd Symphony's still in manuscript, so some begging letters to Chris Fifield and Bo Hyttner/Sterling, coupled with some offers of cash would probably do the trick...

Patrick Meadows and I have recently completed a type-set edition (score & parts) of Cliffe's 2nd Symphony if anyone has a tame orchestra and conductor willing to give it an outing.  It's every bit as good as the 1st and the Violin Concerto (for which we have also prepared a type-set score & parts).

[Mark Thomas]

Lionel, in all seriousness I urge you to get in touch with Bo Hyttner of Sterling. I know that he will be very keen to talk to you.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Heavens, yes, absolutely. The first Symphony and Violin Concerto are very wonderful pieces, and when I read the second Symphony "is every bit as good" it is hard to remain sitting upright in a chair. I appreciate all the innumerable difficulties standing in the way of performance or recording, but let us hope all such difficulties evaporate with a bit of will. There are surely many people who would love to hear the second Symphony.

Peter

[Alan Howe]

Yes, let's all do our bit to interest someone in this piece.

[JimL]

Lionel, in all seriousness I urge you to get in touch with Bo Hyttner of Sterling. I know that he will be very keen to talk to you.

My first choice, too.  He's already done the other symphony, right?  I hope there are enough other unrecorded works to fill out the disc.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Patrick Meadows and I have recently completed a type-set edition (score & parts) of Cliffe's 2nd Symphony if anyone has a tame orchestra and conductor willing to give it an outing.  It's every bit as good as the 1st and the Violin Concerto (for which we have also prepared a type-set score & parts).

Have you been in touch with Chris Fifield who conducted the Cliffe Symphony No. 1 for Sterling? He is bound to be interested and would be of great help, I'm sure. You might also like to contact Toby Purser, the conductor of the excellent Orion Symphony Orchestra - Toby is very interested in British music by less well-known and under-appreciated composers. OSO did a concert at Cadogan Hall last November for the St Lazarus Charitable Trust which included Dorothy Howell's Piano Concerto, Liliam Elkington's "Out of the Mist" and Holbrooke's Variations on "The Girl I Left Behind Me".