Havergal Brian off-air

[Pengelli]

The Dutton is excellent. The age of the recordings doesn't get in the way of enjoyment of the music,at all.

[albion]

Some rather unexpected but fantastic news -  Havergal Brian's Gothic symphony is being performed at the Proms July 17, 2011 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Martyn Brabbins!

[petershott@btinternet.com]

And if someone - like Chandos, for example - doesn't do a recording on the back of the performance, well, that's a crime against Brian, folk like us, and dammit, humanity in general.

Peter

[albion]

And if someone - like Chandos, for example - doesn't do a recording on the back of the performance, well, that's a crime against Brian, folk like us, and dammit, humanity in general.

Peter

I've just posted a query on the Chandos forum!

[Pengelli]

To date, Chandos appear to have very little interest in Brian,sadly. On the other hand,even if they don't like his music,the 'Gothic' has such cult status,and the Marco Polo/ Naxos recording is supposed to be one of their best ever in terms of sales. Surely,they'd have be daft to miss out!
  I must admit when I saw this post,my initial reaction was,it can't be April the 1st,yet?
However,If I read that 'The Tiger's' is being staged in London,next year,I will get suspicious!

NB If Chando do,they ARE!

[Pengelli]

In fact,I will lay my cards on the table & say that,in my opinion,only some kind of genius could compose two pieces of music like the 'Gothic' AND 'The Tigers',at (around)the same time. Mind boggling,to put it mildly! It's time he got his due. When you think of some of the pretentious rubbish that's touted,(unmade beds & pickled sharks...),it makes your blood boil....even in this weather!

[Pengelli]

Brrrrr!

[albion]

There is now a copy of the 1983 BBC recording of Havergal Brian's The Tigers in the British music broadcasts thread.

[Pengelli]

Thanks very much Albion. I haven't been able to hear this for years. I used to have cassette tapes of it,but eventually,the mean old machine,chewed them up. I used to listen to it over & over again,to the extent that I would find myself singing bits of it in the 'bath',or while doing the washing up! It is a very 'singable' opera,especially the Prologue,with the Town crier,and the extroadinary scene where the sleeping Colonel,(hope I remember correctly),is visited by a 'Red Indian' and a bit where a woman (?),berates him for being 'very heavy on his underthings'! This scene & the 'Prologue',unlike many other so called comic opera's,contain some very funny moments,which could be even better on stage,in a well staged performance. It realy IS a marvellous opera. The performance and characterisations are spot on,just listen to the Colonel and Town Crier! It could hardly have been done better. In fact it's so good that maybe the best way of bringing this opera to the greater public would be to release the recording onto cd, rather spend more money on a new recording. Surely,there must be a way!
PS: Yes,I know,money. 

Cheers albion!

[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!

[Pengelli]

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

[eschiss1]

Have heard some but not all of those works (some, like the Concerto for Orchestra, only in horrible sound). Seconded!!

[albion]

The 1974 BBC recording of Das Siegeslied (Symphony No.4) can now be found in the British music broadcasts thread.

[Alan Howe]

I used to have an LP of this performance - with all the names changed, of course. Trouble was, the sound was so awful I couldn't make head nor tail of the piece - and it's a very, very demanding listen in the first place!

[albion]

I used to have an LP of this performance - with all the names changed, of course. Trouble was, the sound was so awful I couldn't make head nor tail of the piece - and it's a very, very demanding listen in the first place!

The audio file, taken from a copy of the Aries LP, is surprisingly clear. Having got to know Das Siegeslied through the Adrian Leaper recording (Marco Polo/ Naxos) I must say that I prefer John Poole's 1974 performance - everything seems to hang together better with the music given more space to breathe.

Considering that it was the first public performance, the quality of singing and playing is remarkably high and largely accident-free! Malcolm Macdonald counts the 4th as amongst Brian's best symphonies - I'm not sure I would go as far as that, but I find it absorbing and endlessly inventive: it still awaits the full-throttle virtuosic performance that it clearly deserves.