British Opera

[albion]

Searching the internet trying to listen to The Alchemist of Cyril Scott I came across this forum.
Can you tell me how this works or how can i listen to this piece of music?

Hi Sandra - welcome aboard! Now that you are a member, you can access the wide range of downloads contributed by other members of the forum.

When you have signed in, simply go to the Downloads board where you can access music from many different nationalities. The British and Irish section consists of a catalogue and various audio files in alphabetically-arranged mediafire folders: here you will be able to find the files and performance details for the excerpts from Scott's The Alchemist, which I recorded back in 1995.

Happy exploring.

[minacciosa]

Re Bridge's The Christmas Rose- the Pearl performance certainly has been available on CD and under the rules as I understand them here (if they haven't changed) that particular performance shouldn't be uploaded... (I have the CD, in fact. I wish I enjoyed the work more - said sincerely since I enjoy most early and late Bridge I know quite a lot and he spent a good deal of time on the work - but at this time, not that much - but I shall return to it soon, I think.)

That you keep returning to it is surely a sign of the work's merit. The Christmas Rose is smack in the middle of Bridge's traditional period, when he morphed from Edwardian romantic to continental visionary. The impending change is manifest in the final scene where Bridge's music describes the the children's sadness at having no gifts for the Christ child. When Miriam cries, her tears fall on the snow, causing flowers to suddenly bud and grow. These flowers will be their gifts to the baby. Bridge's vocabulary here is original and inspired, harmony and rhythm emanating from a different world.  While enjoyable for that alone, when you have acquaintance with Bridge's later music this work (and particularly the last scene) takes on a special poignance.

Howard Williams recording is quite excellent, but we could still use a new one in clearer sound. Nonetheless, all thanks to Howard and the Chelsea Opera Group!