Havergal Brian off-air

[albion]

Fans of Havergal Brian may like to know that a large number of off-air recordings of otherwise-unobtainable works are available for download including Symphonies 5, 10, 13, 14, 19, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and the Prologue to his opera Faust.

These files have now being transferred to the British music broadcasts thread.

[oldman]

What a treasure trove of music! I am enjoying the 5th symphony as I write this, an impressive piece. Thank you for the url

[albion]

What a treasure trove of music! I am enjoying the 5th symphony as I write this, an impressive piece. Thank you for the url

Do have a listen to both performances of Wine of Summer (Symphony No.5) - the Donald Maxwell (2001) is better recorded but the Brian Rayner Cook (1976) is better sung!

Especially important are excellent performances of the 10th and the 2nd - the latter (BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Mackerras, 1979) is vastly superior to that in the aborted Marco Polo/ Naxos series although the sound is a bit recessed.

[oldman]

No need for cds I've downloaded the whole group into my ancient mp3 player and I've just gotten to symphony# 27. Its been a great day of listening.
Thanks again for the url.

[eschiss1]

I've heard a number of these older recordings either via Aries pressings or otherwise (and I heard the 2001 performance of no.5 at the time it was broadcast) - I recall there is at least one and maybe two other performance(s) of no.2 conducted I believe by Leslie Head as mentioned at havergalbrian.org; both performances have their points - I haven't yet heard that on Marco Polo.  And two broadcasts, including the public premiere, of no.4 (hrm, not available at that URL? maybe later...) to compare to Leaper's - I ultimately prefer the broadcasts though I still like Leaper's; terrific piece.

[Pengelli]

What a treasure trove. I have downloaded some of these items before,but not both recordings of the 'Wine of Summer,and maybe not No 2 ?
  Anyway,listening to the two recordings 'side by side',as it were,reminded me of how superior the Brian Rayner Cook interpretation is. I had this on tape years ago,but the rotten tape recorder finally decided to chew it up,along with 'The Tigers' (complete opera),and the Symphony No 2. Hearing it on R3's 'Composer of the Week' and not having heard it for years I rather overated it. Yes indeed Albion,you are quite right,Cook's interpretation just has far more bite. Maxwell sings quite well,but he doesn't have Cook's emotional or psychological insight. I also find Maxwell's singing a bit 'woolly',(if yer no wot I mean!?).
  Despite the age of the recording I also,again,feel the earlier performance has more bite,and I would prefer to listen to it,even if the recording quality isn't as good.
  I think the 'Wine of Summer' is a marvellous piece,and I really do hope that when someone finally gets to record it they will choose a soloist who has as much insight as Brian Rayner Cook.
  As to No 2. This was my first opportunity to hear the score for some years. Unfortunately,I had the Marco Polo recording,which is absolutely terrible. Listening to the bbc recording reminded me of what a wonderful score this is. It has a dream like almost 'phantasmagorical' quality to it,and themes which really stay in your head. And I mean in a good way........not like Abba!!!
  No Violin Concerto,unfortunately. I accidentally taped over the last two or three minutes of the Ralph Holmes recording, (Aaaaaaaaaagh!),which I still have. I don't like the Naxos version as much. The performance sounds so 'rushed'. It would be wonderful if Holmes performance could be released on cd one day.
  I will tackle the later symphonies as soon as I have the time.
  Finally,I really would like to urge anyone who hasn't heard Brian's songs,to get the cd of them. I still have the original Lp,which I had when I was a teenager, They are some of the most enjoyable songs I have ever listened to,and allot of them are very tuneful. So much so,that I would find myself singing them in the bath,or while washing up! Thankfully,for you people,I won't be releasing my interpretation on cd any time soon!
   Oh and,if you have only heard the Naxos performance of 'Festal Dance',and didn't think much of it,try and get hold of the Hull Youth Symphony interpretation of it,who include the eccentric percussion and really bring out all the fun and humour of this eccentric 'lollipop. The Naxos performance is a humour free trudge!

[albion]

Great news - the RSNO under Martyn Brabbins have recorded Symphonies 10 & 30, the Concerto for Orchestra and the English Suite No.3 for Dutton (to be released early in 2011)!

[eschiss1]

That is great news - I enjoy symphony no.30 and am not even sure I hear the fumbling MacDonald refers to in the finale of the broadcast performance (I'm sure it's the same one I've heard that he meant) but a new performance and recording, a commercial recording too, is great news, likewise the first recording of no.10 in years...

[eschiss1]

btw, anyone in Brisbane catching the Gothic next week? (I'm not even in the right hemisphere unfortunately. I didn't remember or realize it was happening, and might not have been able to get there - but such great news after twenty years.)

[Pengelli]

Regarding the 'Brisbane Gothic'. Does anyone here know whether the performance will be broadcast & hopefully recorded for posterity? I believe a programme about the Brisbane performance has been filmed. Some of the stuff about the so called 'curse',on the Queensland site is amusing,but a bit OTT! I don't think that sort of thing helps Brian's cause really.
Great news about the Dutton cd,though,Albion. With the Toccata cd's hopefully in the 'pipeline',fingers crossed, there is a renaissance of interest in HB on the horizon.
Strange contrast! I have Aretha Franklin on the cd player at the moment. A bit different to HB,eh?

[JimL]

As long as you give HB his R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

[albion]

Regarding the Toccata recordings, I understand that the repertoire is:

CD1 - Burlesque Variations on an Original Theme; English Suite No.5; Elegy; Legend, Ave atque vale

CD2 - Symphonic Variations from The Tigers; Preludio Tragico from The Cenci; Suite from Turandot; Night Ride of Faust and Mephistopheles from Faust

Together with the forthcoming Dutton disc (Symphonies 10 & 30, Concerto for Orchestra, English Suite No.3), these will be milestone recordings and greatly expand our awareness of Brian's achievement.

Apparently the Cello Concerto has also been recorded recently (further details unknown at the moment, but the source is very reliable).

[Pengelli]

Thank you,Albion. I will keep an eye out for those. Actually,I'll probably find out here,won't I? This is where I first heard about the Testament release of the Boult/ Gothic,after all. If you'll pardon the canine comparison,when it comes to forthcoming releases of neglected composers,you're like a pack of bloodhounds,here!
I don't know why I brought in Aretha Franklin,( the 'Queen of Soul'),I think it was just the thought of all those HB society members having to return the favour,(to the Rex Foundation),by attending a 'Grateful Dead' concert. They are so lucky that Abba aren't Havergal Brian fans! (With apologies to any Abba fans here?!!).
Regarding the 'Cello Concerto' & 'Concerto for Orchestra'. I have heard these via off air cassette recordings and didn't think too much of them,at the time,but the sound quality was awful and probably didn't help. The 'Faust' prologue is fantastic,very well performed & makes you long to hear the rest. I live in hope!
  By the way,did anyone hear ever have a copy of the Aries Lp of Brians 'Wine of Summer'? I remember Brian Rayner Cook requesting a copy for his own personal collection.  I do wonder where the Aries 'label' was actually based,(in the US,but it's a big place!), & who was really behind those releases. Okay,the sound quality & approach was decidedly dodgy,but they had some very good taste in music,and in a way,they did do some frustrated classical music fans a favour. Also,producing the Lp's would have been a more arduous and costly operation in those pre pc cd days. (I seem to recall that they produced Lp's of some other composers,including Malcolm Arnold and Fricker). I wonder whether the truth about this outfit will ever be known? Will the 'pirates' step forward.....I'm sure they would have an interesting story to tell!

[eschiss1]

Re Aries, a friend of mine was convinced that the work they released as Villa-Lobos' symphony no.2 was no such thing (this was in an email sent me before cpo released a recording of the same work - I don't know what comparison of the two recordings would reveal and haven't yet asked; and the Villa-Lobos symphonies website lists both in the symphony no.2 discography, but ultimately I'd have to hear both of them myself. ) Well, the approach was also dodgy in the renaming of conductors and orchestras in e.g. many of the Brian releases (iirc, again.) But I remain glad to have had that introduction to the music myself.

[albion]

As an adjunct to the excellent recent Dutton disc of Symphonies Nos. 9 and 11 in vintage performances

http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDBP9798

two further essential downloads are available via the Havergal Brian Society website, namely Symphony No.8 (BBC SO/ Rudolf Schwarz, 20th December 1958) and the world premiere of No.12 (LSO/ Harry Newstone, 8th April 1959):

http://www.havergalbrian.org/download2.htm

All four of these archive recordings are well worth acquiring and complement the more recent versions of 8 & 9 (both Groves, EMI), 11 & 12 (Leaper, Naxos).