British Music

[Dundonnell]

There is a difference between Shostakovich and Veale, though: the former was a composer caught up in the vicissitudes of life in a communist state whereas the latter was simply a composer who held a particular political point of view. It is impossible to discuss Shostakovich's music without reference to politics; with Veale, it is of no more than passing interest or of none at all.

The purely personal political views/opinions of a composer are of no great interest to me unless a particular piece of music composed by him was written with a direct 'political message'-as, for example. would be some of the music of the British composer Alan Bush, who was a Communist. In such-relatively rare-cases I hope that my evaluation and appreciation of the music is based on the quality of that music and is disassociated from any views I might or might not have as to the validity of the 'political opinions' being expressed.

I find myself perfectly well able to those works written by Prokofiev, Shostakovich or Khachaturian in honour of Lenin and Stalin without-necessarily-endorsing the policies or actions of those persons. I can enjoy and indeed love the music of Richard Wagner without.....etc etc.

Enough said

[Dundonnell]

The Groves (part) Gothic

Wow   Thanks, Latvian

[Alan Howe]

I find myself perfectly well able to those works written by Prokofiev, Shostakovich or Khachaturian in honour of Lenin and Stalin without-necessarily-endorsing the policies or actions of those persons.

Quite so. However, understanding the musico-political background to the writing of, say, Shostakovich's 5th adds greatly to one's understanding of his stylistic development after Symphony No.4. Of course, it is still perfectly possible to appreciate the 5th on its own terms. All great music transcends the circumstances of its composition...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

The Groves (part) Gothic

Wow   Thanks, Latvian

SECONDED!

[albion]

A lovely choral miniature, recorded yesterday by britishcomposer -

Ernest John Moeran (1894-1950) - Candlemas Eve (1949)

Many thanks, Mathias.

[JollyRoger]

Any other music by [William Wordsworth] would be most welcome...

I am hoping at some point next year to increase Wordsworth's representation in the archive with a number of significant orchestral works -

Sinfonia in A minor for Strings, Op.6 (1939)
Theme and Variations, Op.19 (1941)
Divertimento in D, Op.58 (1954)
A Highland Overture, Op.76 (1964)
Jubilation: A Festivity for Full Orchestra, Op.78 (1965)
Spring Festival Overture, Op.90 (1970)
Symposium for Violin and Orchestra, Op.94 (1972)

along with several other broadcasts from the collection of a contributing member.

That would be wonderful..I think Wordsworth's music deserves greater exposure..there is a certain dark beauty to it that is very enticing.

[JollyRoger]

That's a shame, because the music itself is powerful and life-affirning. Perhaps reading this biography of Veal might broaden our perception of the man.

Politiks and music do not mix and I should not have poluted this wonderful site with my comment about Veale.  Music has special value because it is a pleasant relief from the imperfect world in which we live. Please accept my apologies.

[Dundonnell]

Any other music by [William Wordsworth] would be most welcome...

I am hoping at some point next year to increase Wordsworth's representation in the archive with a number of significant orchestral works -

Sinfonia in A minor for Strings, Op.6 (1939)
Theme and Variations, Op.19 (1941)
Divertimento in D, Op.58 (1954)
A Highland Overture, Op.76 (1964)
Jubilation: A Festivity for Full Orchestra, Op.78 (1965)
Spring Festival Overture, Op.90 (1970)
Symposium for Violin and Orchestra, Op.94 (1972)

along with several other broadcasts from the collection of a contributing member.

That would be wonderful..I think Wordsworth's music deserves greater exposure..there is a certain dark beauty to it that is very enticing.

I wrote this on another forum site 4 years ago. This was before obtaining access to the quite marvellous collection of all but one(the unperformed 6th) of Wordsworth's symphonies to be found on this forum.

"There has been a good deal of comment recently on the re-emergence of the Lyrita label and the wonderful music previously available only on LP now being issued on CD. I have however been listening again to a Lyrita CD-SRCD 207-released over 15 years ago now with William Wordsworth's 2nd and 3rd Symphonies played by the LPO conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite.

Wordsworth was a direct descendant of the famous poet's brother, Christopher and studied under Sir Donald Tovey in Edinburgh. In 1961 he left his home in Surrey and moved to Invernesshire in Scotland where he remained until his death. Wordsworth helped form the Society of Scottish Composers and became its Hon. President.

Wordsworth was a prolific symphonist with eight numbered symphonies. Although Barbirolli turned the 2nd down for the Cheltenham Festival he did accept the 3rd and not only premiered it at the 1953 festival but conducted it eight times that year. The 4th symphony was premiered by Barbirolli at the 1954 Edinburgh Festival and the 5th by Boult. The 6th symphony is a choral symphony. Apparently Vaughan Williams admired Wordsworth's huge Oratorio "Dies Domini".

I don't know whether anyone else has heard the Lyrita CD but I have always been impressed by both these symphonies-especially the 2nd. There is a Nordic seriousness about the music which is somewhat Sibelian but Wordsworth also reminds me at times of Edmund Rubbra and William Alwyn. Unfortunately, it is many many years ago since I heard any other Wordsworth in BBC Scotland radio broadcasts and he appears to have been almost completely forgotten today despite the welcome revival of interest in music by composers like Richard Arnell.

Anyone who likes Rubbra or Alwyn or Arnell or who-like myself-has a lot of time for Nordic symphonies might like to seek out this disc. The symphonies do-in my opinion-well reward the listener.

I should, today, rewrite the above to take account of the Wordsworth which can be downloaded from this site(with more now promised) but what I wrote then gives some indication not simply of the immense gratitude I share in having access now to more of the composer's work but of the high esteem in which I hold this very much "Unsung" British symphonist.

[semloh]

There is a difference between Shostakovich and Veale, though: the former was a composer caught up in the vicissitudes of life in a communist state whereas the latter was simply a composer who held a particular political point of view. It is impossible to discuss Shostakovich's music without reference to politics; with Veale, it is of no more than passing interest or of none at all.

But, of course, we wouldn't necessarily know that unless the topic had been raised! 

While I am sure it is perfectly possible to enjoy music without "interference" from the composer's political or personal philosophy (I'm thinking of Colin's comments re Wagner et al), that shoudn't make the intersection of music and politics a taboo subject for discussion.

The uses and abuses of music, and of composers, for political ends is clearly a factor in the marginalization of some composers of interest to us, and not only in the Soviet or Nazi contexts (Boughton, for instance). And sometimes the music is intentionally political - much music of the baroque period, for example, was aimed at reinforcing the illusion that certain monarchs, dukes, princes etc were divinely appointed and all powerful, and that the masses should obey and respect them at all costs. The music was a pure expression of a whole set of political principles! Personally, I find that the sycophantic quality of much of this writing makes its appreciation quite challenging, just as some find Elgarian patriotism discomforting! I am not - you understand - criticizing the librettists or the composers, who were mostly writing in accordance with the view which was common at the time, but the political intentions, functions and/or effects of their work simply can't be ignored.

And, I don't think one can/should distinguish these from religious purposes. Writing music to promote communism, for example, can hardly be distinguished in principle from writing music to promote islam or christianity or any other set of beliefs. And it is these beliefs which often drive composers to compose and which inevitably shape their work, and which they would claim to be of most importance to them.... because it is, in a sense, who they are.

We are grown ups, and on those rare occasions when they pop up in the forum, we should be able to talk about sensitive issues, without giving - or unduly taking - offence. 

[BFerrell]

I admire John Veale all the more and most great composers from the past would likely agree. Almost to a man and woman they were slightly to the left.

[JollyRoger]

Dundonnell -
I share your fondness for Alwyn, Arnell and the other English composers you mentioned.
Thank you for the information and posts re William Wordsworth, they are beyond invaluable.
I would add that the works of Leighton or Holbrook come to mind when I hear Wordsworth's enchanting music.
Here is an Wordsworth article which is highly informative, sorry if it has been previously posted.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Jan09/Wordsworth_Conway.htm

[JollyRoger]

I admire John Veale all the more and most great composers from the past would likely agree. Almost to a man and woman they were slightly to the left.

Yes, even Vaughan Williams was relabeled as a mystic, when any reasonable person can see he was a clearly a devout Christian. I guess Bach and Superman will soon be labeled as leftys.

[Dundonnell]

I admire John Veale all the more and most great composers from the past would likely agree. Almost to a man and woman they were slightly to the left.

Yes, even Vaughan Williams was relabeled as a mystic, when any reasonable person can see he was a clearly a devout Christian. I guess Bach and Superman will soon be labeled as leftys.

Vaughan Williams was certainly not a "devout Christian". He pronounced himself an agnostic, albeit as his widow Ursula said "a cheerful agnostic"
This did not, of course, prevent him using the Christian religion as a source of inspiration for some of his greatest compositions

[JollyRoger]

I admire John Veale all the more and most great composers from the past would likely agree. Almost to a man and woman they were slightly to the left.

Yes, even Vaughan Williams was relabeled as a mystic, when any reasonable person can see he was a clearly a devout Christian. I guess Bach and Superman will soon be labeled as leftys.

Vaughan Williams was certainly not a "devout Christian". He pronounced himself an agnostic, albeit as his widow Ursula said "a cheerful agnostic"
This did not, of course, prevent him using the Christian religion as a source of inspiration for some of his greatest compositions

I was also an agnostic in the past..So be it...

[albion]

Many thanks to Latvian for -

Havergal Brian (1876-1972) - Symphony No.1 in D minor, The Gothic - Part One (1919-27)
William Wordsworth (1908-1988) - Symphony No.1 in F minor, Op. 23 (1944); Symphony No.3 in C, Op.48 (1950-51)

The Havergal Brian broadcast is of Charles Groves' centenary performance of Part One at the Royal Albert Hall. Norman Del Mar conducts Wordsworth's Symphony No.1, whilst Symphony No.3 is under the direction of John Barbirolli, who conducted the premiere at Cheltenham in 1953.

I have unzipped the files.