Havergal Brian off-air

[Pengelli]

How enlightening to be able to listen to the Poole performance of 'Das Siegeslied' again,courtesy of Albion, (although I do have a cassette,replete with annoying side break,somewhere). Who cares if it's not hi fi quality,this performance leaves the Naxos recording standing. It realy sweeps you along!  The Marco Polo performances put me off these works for years. I actually started to believe Brian's critics. Then,along came the Testament cds of the 'Gothic' & Albion's mp3 of 'Das Siegeslied',and suddenly I'm swept along by Brian mania all over again! Looking at various message boards I am given to understand that I am not the only one who has been unhappy with the Naxos efforts. And yes, I suppose I should be grateful,but I'm NOT,because they put me off these tremendous works.

[Pengelli]

PS: I wonder if Valerie McLennan made any commercial recordings? She's even better than Felicity Palmer,whose one of my favourite singers!!!!

[Alan Howe]

The LP I had was just terrible. Put me right off. It took the distortion-free Naxos CD to bring a cringe-free listening experience for me. Mind you, the piece is a bit of a juggernaut, isn't it? Great music? Probably. But a really tough nut to crack.

[Pengelli]

Of course,some people are very happy with the Naxos recordings. Maybe,it's just because I got used to the earlier performances. The choirs are certainly very impressive on the Marco Polo recording & arguably sing with greater fervour.
  The 'Poole' recording I had was a dolby cassette copy & may have been an off air copy,rather than via the Aries lp,which I never owned. I certainly prefer Felicity Palmer to the Naxos soloist, but my problem with the work always boils down to the final movement which has some superb moments,but seems to go on far to long,for it's own good.

[albion]

Here are some details regarding the eagerly-awaited first volume of Toccata's marvellous Havergal Brian initiative:

http://www.toccataclassics.com/cddetail.php?CN=TOCC0110

With a release date of 17th February, this should coincide with another exciting new disc from Dutton (Symphonies 10 & 30, Concerto for Orchestra and English Suite No.3).

The second Toccata volume is due to contain orchestral extracts from the operas - Symphonic Variations (The Tigers), Preludio Tragico (The Cenci), Nine movements (Turandot); Night Ride of Faust and Mephistopheles (Faust)

What a great year in prospect!

Hooray - Toccata TOCC0110 just fell through the letter-box! 

[Pengelli]

I must admit to liking earlier Brian.generally,and I don't think the Burlesque Variations are exactly 'must have',even if they are by Brian,( Vol 2,sounds like a cracker though!). On the other hand these are the kind of performances & state of the art recordings that might finalLy convince sceptics,(of 'late' Brian),like me! At the same time,having said that,'late' Brian is intriguing & in an odd kind of way,once you start listening,even if you don't quite like it,hard to turn off. I remember someone comparing it to a cryptic crossword,which seems a pretty good analogy to me. Nevertheless,after a couple of fallow years,isn't it just great that interest in this undeniably fascinating composer seems to be picking up again?  I remember that even on the old,rather snooty,(and vindictive!), unlamented Radio 3 message boards,even the slightest mention of Brian was enough to get a pile of posts going;and most of them 'for',rather than,'against'.

[Pengelli]

PS: Who cares what I think. Buy and enjoy!

[albion]

The new Toccata Havergal Brian CD is a truly fascinating listen - wonderful as it is to have excellent performances of Elegy and Ave atque vale, the highlight for me has been the 1903 Burlesque Variations on an Original Theme. This extraordinary work shows Brian's elliptical style already fully-formed at the age of 27, with phantasmogorical orchestral textures which even he would not later rival: had this piece achieved a first-class performance when it was written I'm convinced that it would have created something of a sensation. Hats off to Martin for a splendid release - roll on Volume 2!

[Pengelli]

Quite! I think Havergal Brian just had allot of bad luck.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Well, yes. Being born in Stoke-on-Trent didn't get him off to a good start.

[JimL]

Well, yes. Being born in Stoke-on-Trent didn't get him off to a good start.

Anything like South Bronx?

[Mark Thomas]

Akron, OH more like.

[JimL]

Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww!