Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

[Mark Thomas]

I've known and loved that recording for years, and Hiawatha has remained my favourite work of Coleridge-Taylor's, to which I listen quite often. It's a terrific piece and it's easy to understand why it was once so popular, not so easy to fathom it's fall from grace, but I predict that if the BBC's current wokeness persists it'll be in for a revival soon enough, even if unfortunately not on the merits of the music alone.

[Martin Eastick]

The trouble is that to programme and/or record large scale choral works is unfortunately prohibitively expensive. Other choral works of Coleridge Taylor are just as equal in quality- Meg Blane, for instance (which is much shorter than the Hiawatha trilogy), so the BBC would be well-advised to seek out his other choral works even if, as Mark says, this is done under the banner of woke "political correctness" Nevertheless it is the music that is all-important, and there is still much of SCT's output to be explored and enjoyed!

[Alan Howe]

Having said which, I didn't think the Symphony recently played at the Proms was much to write home about.

[Mark Thomas]

If, as Martin says, the other choral works match Hiawatha's quality then I would really welcome their revival by the BBC under whatever pretext. As for C-T's other works, the Symphony's debt to Dvorak is all too obvious but lack's his energy, and most of the other major orchestral and chamber works I've heard are similarly pleasant and tuneful but haven't lingered in my memory the way Hiawatha does.

[Alan Howe]

His best music can be found in the Violin Concerto - gloriously lyrical and melodically memorable.

[Mark Thomas]

Maybe I don't have the best recording - Philippe Grafin with the Johannesburg Philharmonic? I've never been too impressed by it.

[Alan Howe]

It's pretty good, although there's also Marwood/Hyperion and Little/Chandos. I see that when I last made comparisons elsewhere on the forum I favoured the latter, mostly because of the superior orchestral playing and recording. I'm listening to it now and it's certainly very fine:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8077759--tasmin-little-plays-british-violin-concertos

What strikes me with the Little/Chandos recording is how much closer the whole thing sounds to Elgar in places. I stand by my sense that this is among C-T's very best works - hardly surprising, I suppose, since it dates from the year of his death.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, maybe I'll invest in the Little/Chandos, then, and hope for a Damascene conversion.

[Lollard]

The RCM Library have recently digitised a number of S C-T's autograph manuscripts: https://archive.org/details/@royal_college_of_music_london?query=coleridge-taylor

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Lollard.

[Martin Eastick]

For those who may have doubts about SCT's music in general,I would suggest that his early chamber music contains some of his most impressive work - in particular the Op2 Nonet. For those who don't know this work, I would heartily recommend it! Obviously the clarinet quintet is far better-known, but nevertheless a fine work too.

[semloh]

In about 1962, as a schoolboy, I learnt my part in Hiawatha , along with Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Dixit Dominus, for one of the local choral society's annual concerts. At that time, it was up there with Elijah and Messiah in terms of popularity. I still have a soft spot for it, and it would be satisfying to see it back in favour - for reasons PC or otherwise. 

[Alan Howe]

How about C-T's superb Ballade in A minor for orchestra? It was excellently done by the Royal Liverpool PO under Grant Llewellyn on an Argo CD, downloadable here:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8050436--butterworth-coleridge-taylor-orchestral-works

It reminds me a bit of Dvorak and maybe Dukas - and, as ever with C-T, it's extremely catchy. And exciting!

[semloh]

Interesting, Alan. Shows how different we all are. For me, it sounds Sullivanesque, and could even be an alternative Overture to Ruddigore. A sense of melodrama seems to permeate the whole piece, and I love it!

[Christopher]

This may be of interest (perhaps just to those in SE England anyway):

https://www.londonmozartplayers.com/whatson-event/a-fresh-take-on-samuel-coleridge-taylor/?venue=20893

SUNDAY 9 OCTOBER 2022
The World of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Fairfield Halls

Vaughan-Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto
Elgar The Spirit of the Lord
Coleridge-Taylor Hiawatha's Wedding Feast

Richard Cooke conductor
Fenella Humphreys violin
Royal Choral Society
Croydon Philharmonic Choir

Composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a household name in the early twentieth century thanks to popularity of his biggest hit Hiawatha. Every summer for some 30 years, thousands of people descended on the Royal Albert Hall for 'Hiawatha Season'; a dedicated two-week stint of Coleridge-Taylor's immense choral work, sung by the Royal Choral Society.

Born in Holborn and raised in Croydon, Coleridge-Taylor was regarded, by Elgar no less, as the most talented composer in Britain. So why don't we hear more about him today? Joined by the Royal Choral Society in their 150th year, this concert celebrates all things Coleridge-Taylor, including an exploration of his Croydon connections, his experience as a black composer in Edwardian London and a delve into the context of the original Hiawatha text and its depiction of native American culture.

In this concert, which includes Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto, we reimagine Hiawatha for a modern audience, surrounding it in music from Coleridge-Taylor's contemporaries – Elgar's The Spirit of the Lord and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.