Stanford VC2 (c/w Milford VC) from EM Records

[Alan Howe]

The orchestra will be the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.

[musiclover]

Looking forward to hearing the Milford. I'm still hoping for the Milford Symphony. Shame this one isn't going to be Yates conducting as was suggested on an earlier post. Anyone know why?

[Alan Howe]

I don't think plans were ever that firm.

[Alan Howe]

The CD is to be released in May.

[Alan Howe]

The Stanford/Milford CD is due out very soon:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/stanford-violin-concerto-2-milford-rupert-marshall-luck-em-records.html

[Richard Moss]

Alan,

Tks for the 'heads up' on its long-awaited availability.

I haven't heard anything yet by Stanford that I haven't liked, and judging by members expectations this one won't be any different - even better perhaps? - so I guess the funds will have to be found!!

I'm glad that the efforts of all involved at EM to bring this to fruition have eventually paid off and that they will get their just reward via lots of orders!

Cheers

Richard

[Jimfin]

I've ordered my copy. That only leaves the two early concertos for piano and for violin unrecorded among Stanford's nine concertos. If they are as good as the cello concerto, they are surely deserving of a hearing!

[thalbergmad]

I hope they are recorded, but I don't think they would fill up a disk.

The piano concerto no. 0 is only 55 pages of manuscript and I doubt if it would last more than 15 minutes.

Thal

[eschiss1]

Well, there might be some other unrecorded and unpublished Stanford for orchestra (even some concertante works, I seem to recall the Ballabile?... or was that recorded last year in orch. garb? I should check these things- sorry...) that could be added. (Or in a pinch, a string orchestra arrangement of one of his unpublished/unrecorded string quartets (e.g. nos.4, 6 - 7 & 8 too, BBC recordings don't count. I'd prefer a string quartet recording, but if it takes an arrangement to get them out there and efficiency considerations, maybe that -is- the way, then... after all, the violin concerto no.2 had to be arranged as well as edited anyway (even if it was probably -intended- for orchestra, but what are we, mindreaders?)

[Jimfin]

To the best of my knowledge, the remaining concertante works, apart from the early Vn and pf ones are the Variations for Violin and the Concertino Italiano for violin and cello, both of which I would love to hear

[Jimfin]

The Ballabile was indeed recorded on the same disc as the Cello Concerto and Rondo for Cello and Orchestra

[Alan Howe]

Has anyone received their copy of the CD yet?

[YankeeMusic]

(holds hand up)

Yes, here in Connecticut USA.  (Along with another EMR disc - Parry String Quartet/String Quintet.)

Arrived from MDT a couple of days ago.

Have not listened - yet.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks. Do tell us what you think....

[YankeeMusic]

I moved this disc up to the top of my unlistened-to stack because: 1) Alan Howe's request is too important to ignore (!) and, 2) any CD entitled "The Fire That Breaks From Thee" brings with it, I am sure you will agree, some degree of anticipation - even though I have no idea why those deathly words were chosen.

Anyway, I got through the Holst Overture and one of the main attractions - the Stanford VC No.2. 

The Concerto was not completed by Stanford - he abandoned it in a short-score format for violin and piano.  It, therefore, never was performed in public until recently, after being orchestrated by Jeremy Dibble.  This fact is not mentioned anywhere on the CD info and is not apparent until one reads the (quite extensive) program notes. 

So, we have a partial-Stanford concerto.  And it's not bad - nothing, in my opinion, to write home about - but certainly attractive.

That said, I think the violin is recorded quite close up and the soloist has the tendency to be a little "scratchy" - or is that the scoring (many double stops)?  The slow movement is quite lyrical and lovely and stands well above the other two. 

I have to say that there's not much "fire" in this concerto - at least that's what I heard through headphones.  Maybe another spin, this time through my (very good) BA speakers will give it the needed oomph.  I did very much enjoy the songful Andante and could tolerate the rest, but I leave this right now as a so-so experience, albeit one which I definitely will try again.

Now, on to the Milford.