Frederic Cowen

[Alan Howe]

I'm not (yet) convinced about Cowen. We need some more (and better) recordings...

[Paul Barasi]

in true BBC style it hasn't been aired yet.

Surely Unsung Composers' influence is strong enough to get Guardian/Snowden to release these secret BBC files?

[Mark Thomas]

A charitable thought, Paul, but I'm not sure that UC has any influence whatsoever. One or two of us here might, in certain quarters, but not with the BBC itself, as far as I'm aware.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Nobody with any musical sense has much influence with the BBC these days!  Though Roger Wright is an influence for good at Radio 3.

[John H White]

Mr Wright didn't appear to be interested when I suggested celebrating Franz Lachner's bicentenary to him back in 2002.

[chill319]

I only know Cowen through his symphony 6 led by Bostock. I found an engaging and original voice in it. Not unlike Chadwick. Yes, we need more and better recordings.

[semloh]

Yes, I fully agree. All I know is the Marco Polo disc, which includes the 3rd Symphony, but we really do need more... How often we say this!

I must say that I get a bit frustrated when I see the most obscure, run-of-the-mill early European baroque composers getting significant CD coverage when there are so many undeservedly Unsung Composers. I suppose it's just easier and cheaper to produce CDs of Tortellini's Op.5, Op.6, Op.12 sets of Trio Sonatas (!) than a CD of a Cowen Symphony!

[Jimfin]

I think that by far the best recorded Cowen piece (both the music and the performance) is the Hyperion recording of his Concertstuck for Piano and Orchestra (coupled with Somervell's Highland Concerto) on Hyperion.

[eschiss1]

Tortellini?
(Or Marcello cello sonatas?)

[John H White]

Having greatly enjoyed the Marco Polo recording of his 3rd symphony for a number of years, I was rather disappointed with Cowen's 6th symphony when it was issued on CD under the Classico label. I reckon the symphony by the youthful Coleridge-Taylor was much superior.
   However, I note that Musikproduktion Hoflich now include his 4th symphony in their Repertoire Explorer series of study scores, so maybe some enterprising record company will get this one recorded if we wait long enough.

[eschiss1]

Depends on the availability of the parts. Takes awhile to make a new set from scratch... (er- never mind! see below.)

[eschiss1]

I see though that his "Cambridge" (5th) symphony in F -is- available in score and parts at the Fleisher Collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and presumably at least almost ready (depending on their readability) for performance. Likewise a few other works of his, I think... (I rather like that collection. And they answered a question of mine (about symphonies by Buttner and Butting...), as they have for others, very quickly indeed.)

(Hey, so's the 4th ("Welsh") symphony (Call no. 2044 Entire Work, 88 page (published, not manuscript) Novello score and parts, etc. I withdraw my objection. )

[semloh]

Tortellini?
(Or Marcello cello sonatas?)

Yes, "Tortellini" could serve as Marcello or any number of far less talented composers, in my view.

I've only ever heard Cowen's 3rd symphony, and I'd love to hear the 4th and 5th. Their names alone are inviting, at least to my traditional English ear - located as I am out here in the far-flung colonies! !

[parkermusic]

@Christopher Parker - I think you are entitled to bias having produced a well-argued thesis about a (today) fairly shadowy figure from Victorian English music.  Although I have read only around 20% of the text so far (not just the biography though) it is obvious you treat the composer objectively and with insight. 

The thesis was a labour of love over 6 years and I tried to be as objective as I could. I remain hopeful that more of Cowen's music will get an airing by top-notch orchestras and conductors at some point in the future, as I am convinced there are fine moments amongst some of the mediocrity that is there too! Then we will all be able to make much more aural evidence-based assessments, rather than having to rely on playing through the scores on the piano, listening to not necessarily first rate recordings on, or relying on Sibelius computer software to give us an impression...

[parkermusic]

I think that by far the best recorded Cowen piece (both the music and the performance) is the Hyperion recording of his Concertstuck for Piano and Orchestra (coupled with Somervell's Highland Concerto) on Hyperion.

Indeed, a much better recording than the 'Scandinavian' or 'Idyllic' (I don't have too many issues with the 'Idyllic' though).