Unsungs of specific nationalities?

[monafam]

Just curious if we have any sort of list of "unsung" composers (as defined by this group) by nationalities?

While I'm American, I feel like I have good sources to look for those; however, does anyone know/recommend any good Irish unsungs?

Thanks as always!

BTW -- I'm loving the new look to the site....thought I was in the wrong place at first though.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for your kind words about the site's makeover.

By far the greatest Irish unsung in my book is Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Of course, he trained in Germany and made his name and career in England, but this he lived at a time when Ireland was still part of Great Britain and so that was a perfectly normal thing to do. His seven Symphonies are a magnificent legacy for any composer to leave behind him, but there are concertos, operas and lots of chamber music of the same high quality, all of it having a deep vein of melody running trough it, imaginatively scored and rhythmically interesting. To my mind, Stanford is worthy of a place on the highest tier of unsungs, in the same company as Raff, Draeseke and Rufinatscha, to name the first three "great" unsungs who come to mind.

[edurban]

I have to agree with Mark, Stanford is a composer of nearly the top rung.  I don't think his symphonies (except for the 3rd, the Irish,) really show him at his best: his flow of genial melody and good solid construction never deserts him, but most of his symphonies just seem to me to be going through the motions--hitting all the correct structural points, without any really compelling reason for existance (but then I feel the same way about many, many 19th century symphonies.)  Stanford must-hears, IMO:  Irish Rhapsody No. 4 "The Fisherman of Lough Neagh and what he saw", the 2nd Piano Concerto, the Songs of the Fleet, and the Stabat Mater.  And then move on to the rest ...

Recorded operas by Irishmen:  Balfe's The Maid of Artois, The Bohemian Girl, and Falstaff are all still available (I think)... the last in a (mostly) wonderful new performance.  William Vincent Wallace's Maritana and Lurline have been recorded...Lurline will be released in a few months.

Then there's Victor Herbert.  This is an anniversary year for Herbert (the 150th of his birth), at least until Feb.1.  Lots of operettas and that 2nd Cello Concerto...

David
 

[Peter1953]

A confession. I have Hyperion's RPC disc #12 which couples Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry's PC with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford's PC1. Parry's PC doesn't impress me much, but to my ears Stanford's PC is utterly boring. That has always prevented me from listening to other music by Stanford. But after reading Mark's and David's comments, I think I might have missed very good music. But it's not too late...

[TerraEpon]

There's also of course Hamilton Harty -- great 3 CD set of his music on Chandos.

And as for Stanford PCs, well his 2nd is a big favorite. It's god some great Big Tunes.

[JimL]

There's no accounting for taste.  I find both works compelling.  I absolutely adore the Stanford PC 1.  I like it better than the Parry (which I find interesting, but rather stodgy).

[FBerwald]

A confession. I have Hyperion's RPC disc #12 which couples Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry's PC with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford's PC1. Parry's PC doesn't impress me much, but to my ears Stanford's PC is utterly boring.

Listen to Stanford's Piano concerto no. 2 in C minor, It's exactly the opposite of No. 1. Very dramatic and beautiful. (I agree the 1st one is a bit drab!) The second concerto starts of like Rachmaninoff and soon takes a completely different path. Its probably the best English Romantic Piano Concerto!

[Mark Thomas]

Its probably the best English Romantic Piano Concerto!

Agreed... except Stanford was Irish! 

[Alan Howe]

Stanford PC2 is an absolutely magnificent work. One of the all-time great unsung PCs.

[Peter1953]

I'm convinced and will order Stanford PC 2. Which performance do you recommend? Malcolm Binns on Lyrita?

[thalbergmad]

I would suggest you purchase the Fingerhut, then you get "Down among the Dead Men" as well.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

For forgotten Brits, I would suggest Baines, Bowen, Bache and Bainton.

Thal

[monafam]

Thanks as always for all the suggestions/comments! 

[Syrelius]

There's also of course Hamilton Harty -- great 3 CD set of his music on Chandos.

I agree with you about H Harty. By the way, an Italian-born Irish composer, Michele Esposito (1855-1929), wrote an "Irish symphony" too. I've never heard it, though.

[JimL]

I still plump for the sunny, carefree Stanford PC 1, although I dispute nothing said about #2.  I still have his PC 3 on that Lyrita CD coupled with the Cello Concerto.  Both rip-roaring pieces, those.