Arthur Benjamin(1893-1960): a Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

ARTHUR BENJAMIN: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

c.1914-16: Three Dance Scherzi for orchestra
1919:   Rhapsody on Negro Themes for orchestra
1926-27: Concertino for Piano and Orchestra: 15 minutes   *
1928-35: Light Music Suite: 14 minutes
1931:   The Drinking Song fro the Opera "The Devil Take Her"  for baritone and orchestra: 4 minutes
1932:   Violin Concerto: 26 minutes   + (Dutton cd)
1935:   Romantic Fantasy for Violin, Viola and Orchestra: 23 minutes   + (RCA Victor, Arte Nova and Dutton cds)
             "Heritage"-Ceremonial March for orchestra: 5 minutes
1937:   Overture to an Italian Comedy: 6 minutes   + (Lyrita and ABC Classics cds)
1938:   "Cotillon"-A Suite of Nine English Dance Tunes for orchestra: 11 minutes         + (Lyrita and ABC Classics cds)
             Two Jamaican Pieces for chamber orchestra: 5 minutes   +  (No.2 Jamaican Rumba ABC Classics cd)
1940:   Prelude to "Holiday"-Rondo for orchestra: 11 minutes
             Sonatina for chamber orchestra: 11 minutes
1944-45: Symphony No.1: 40 minutes   + (Marco Polo and Lyrita cds)
1945:   Elegy, Waltz and Toccata for Viola and Orchestra(Viola Concerto): 17 minutes     +  (Dutton cd)
             Red River Jig for orchestra: 3 minutes
             "From San Domingo" for chamber orchestra: 3 minutes   + (ABC Classics cd)
1946:   Caribbean Dance (A New Jamaican Rumba) for orchestra: 3 minutes      + (ABC Classics cd)
1947:   Waltz and Hyde Park Gallop: 8 minutes
             Ballade for string orchestra: 12 minutes   + (Marco Polo cd)
1949:   Concerto quasi una fantasia for Piano and Orchestra: 25 minutes   *
1951:   North American Square Dance: Suite for orchestra, also arranged for two pianos and orchestra: 11 minutes    +  (Lyrita and CBC cds; two piano version Kleos
                                Classics cd)
             Ballet "Orlando's Silver Wedding"
1952:   Divertimento on themes by Gluck for Oboe(or Cor Anglais) and Strings: 15 minutes
1953:   Harmonica Concerto: 18 minutes    *

and      Two Masefield Settings for baritone and orchestra

[alberto]

Thank you for a lot of information about a composer known to me (and much appreciated) since decades just for three works (two decidedly light).
The "Romantic Pahantasy" for violin, viola and orch. I have in Lp format by Heifetz and Primrose (coupled to Mozart!). I have also a much later, quite recent Cd Arte Nova (coupled to double concertos by Britten and Bruch).
The "Cotillon Suite" I have in Lp format under Frederick Fennell with one "London Pops Orchestra" (Philips; couplings by Grainger, German and....Haendel).
The Jamaican Rhumba was (or was almost) a hit. I have old recordings by the ubiquitous Arthur Fiedler (orch.), Isaac Stern (violin with orch.) and S.Accardo (vn. and piano). 

[patmos.beje]

The 'North American Dance Suite' is also available in an arrangement for two pianos and orchestra (1950) and in my view, is preferable to the orchestral version.  It has been recorded and is available in a Kleos Classics CD.

There is also the 1946 Scarlatti arrangement for Flute and Strings (see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strings-Domenico-Scarlatti-arranged-Benjamin/dp/B0000CT1XV)

The 'Waltz and Hyde Park Gallop from An Ideal Husband' is included in the recent Chandos Film Music CD which includes 'The Storm Clouds Cantata' from 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'.

[Dundonnell]

Thank you both for the additional information concerning the Romantic Fantasy recording on Arte Nova and the North American Square Dance Suite on Kleos Classics   The odd thing is that I actually have the Kleos Classics cd, which contains the Two Piano version of the North American Square Dance Suite The list has been duly amended.

Regarding the Waltz and Hyde Park Gallop and the Storm Clouds Cantata: these are perfect examples of where my selectivity collides with consistency (or, rather, inconsistency ).
I had decided to omit film music from these lists. Some composers wrote a very great deal of film music. In many cases that music had no independent existence until recent times when others have produced arrangements, selections, suites etc. These have been recorded, most notably by Chandos in its Film Music series. I had noted that the latest Chandos release includes the Storm Clouds Cantata, composed for the 1956 Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew Too Much". I debated with myself whether to include it but decided against on the basis of omitting film music. The reason the Waltz and Hyde Park Gallop got in was because it was separately published for independent performance by Boosey and Hawkes. This distinction no doubt collapses under more careful examination and I may yet decide to add the Cantata

Regarding the Suite for Flute and Strings...this falls into the same category as the Oboe Concerto. Both are arrangements for the respective instrument and orchestra of music written by other composers-Scarlatti and Cimarosa. Should they be included Maybe they should....but, in that case, I should include many, many other compositions arranged by British composers of music by others (including, for example, Rubbra's arrangement of the Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel).  There is-I think-a significant difference between a composer taking a theme by another composer and producing an original composition which uses the theme as the basis for variations and a composer arranging/orchestrating another's work. Where the Benjamin Oboe Concerto and Suite for Flute fall within this divide I find it very hard to decide

[Christo]

The "Romantic Phantasy" for violin, viola and orch. I have in Lp format by Heifetz and Primrose (coupled to Mozart!).

And I have the same performance (Heifetz, William Primrose viola, and the RCA Victor Orchestra under Izler Solomon, recorded in Hollywood, October 1, 1956) on CD, The Heifetz Collection Vol. 31. Coupled with other Heifetz performances (Stravinsky, Glïère, Wieniawsky, Falla, etc. but no Mozart  ) on RCA Victor Gold Seal  09026 61762 2.

The 'North American Dance Suite' is also available in an arrangement for two pianos and orchestra (1950) and in my view, is preferable to the orchestral version.  It has been recorded and is available in a Kleos Classics CD.

And I found another version, the orchestral one, not the arrangement, on cd ('Down Under'. Music from Australia, New Zealand & Canada [sic?]) by the Symphony Nova Scotia under Georg Tintner; CBC 2-5088, recorded in 1990 and taking 12:13' minutes. BTW the work is called "North American Square Dance" here.

[Christo]

And the Harmonica Concerto from 1953 is on an LP (RCA Gold Seal) with Larry Adler and the Royal PO under Morton Gould, taking 6:37', 6:40' and 5:45' for its three movements.

On the back cover, Adler tells about the 'musical highlight' in his career, the Romance Vaughan Williams wrote fror him in 1952, when the piece was premiered at the Proms, to be encored, VW himself shambling onto the platform to a standing ovation and playing the viola on that occasion.

"At my house after the concert VW said to Arthur Benjamin - I think he took both of us by the scruff of the neck - "Arthur, you must write the next work for Larry." You don't say "no" to Vaughan Williams so Arthur Benjamin did as he was told and the result is on this record. It also received a Proms premiere."

[TerraEpon]

And I found another version, the orchestral one, not the arrangement, on cd ('Down Under'. Music from Australia, New Zealand & Canada [sic?]) by the Symphony Nova Scotia under Georg Tintner; CBC 2-5088, recorded in 1990 and taking 12:13' minutes. BTW the work is called "North American Square Dance" here.

And to FURTHER complicate the issue, there's a Hanssler CD (possibly two of them) with a recording of the piece lasting a mere 8:35.