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Just realised this composer is poorly represented in the collection so would be interested to hear comments about his music.
In particular Chandos have a release of 9 volumes on CD which appear to cover most of his works. Anyone familiar with these CDs?? I've put a link to volume 1 below. No mention of these in the Penguin Guide so I've no idea how good or bad these CDs are.
Any info appreciated.
TIA
John
Sadly (or is it happily?) an incurable audio-video nutter with an indecent number of toys. Classical music forever!!!!
This recording got a rave review in the latest issue of BBC Music Magazine. I have not heard it yet, but will be ordering.
I have especially enjoyed the recordings of Arnold Bax on Lyrita LPs.
Arnold Bax in my collection:
Elegiac Trio, Robles Trio (Argo ZRG-574, also Debussy: Trio)
November Woods, London Philharmonic/Boult (HNH-4038, also Holst and Moeran)
Symphonic Poem & November Woods, London Philharmonic/Boult (Lyrita SRCS-37, also Holst: A Fugal Overture)
Tintagel, Garden of Fand, London Philharmonic/Boult (Lyrita SRCS-62)
Symphony 1, London Philharmonic/Fredman (Lyrita SRCS-53)
Symphony 2, London Philharmonic/Fredman (Lyrita SRCS-54)
Symphony 5, London Philharmonic/Leppard (Lyrita SRCS-58)
Symphony 6, New Philharmonia/Del Mar (Lyrita SRCS-35)
Symphony 7, London Philharmonic/Leppard (Lyrita SRCS-83)
I bought all of these at the Classical Collector from Gerald Canter (who recently passed away). He was a wonderful person and a knowledgeable audiophile who guided me to a lot of great music.
Lyrita is in the process of reissuing all of the original Lyrita LP Catalog on CDs.
A quick search of the Lyrita website listed the following Arnold Bax CDs:
Sonata for Cello & Piano, Hooton/Parry (Lyrita REAM.2104, also Jacob: Divertimento for Cello)
The Piano Music, Loveridge (Lyrita REAM.3113)
Garden of Fand, Tintagel, November Woods, London Philharmonic/Boult (Lyrita SRCD.231)
Symphony Nos. 1 & 7, London Philharmonic/Fredman/Leppard (Lyrita SRCD.232)
Symphony Nos. 2 & 5, London Philharmonic/Fredman/Leppard (Lyrita SRCD.233)
Symphony 6, Irish Landscape, Overtures, New Philharmonia/Del Mar/Handley (Lyrita SRCD.296)
DLB
"Music is framed in silence."
Hard to choose but I've ended up ordering the Handley Symphonies (Amazon US) + 3 of the Handley Chandos offerings on MTD.
John
Sadly (or is it happily?) an incurable audio-video nutter with an indecent number of toys. Classical music forever!!!!
This is a beautiful recording and performance of Bax chamber music. I think some of his orchestral music is tedious and overblown and you certainly don't need all of a box set, but this stuff for small ensembles is fascinating and charming.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=60245
Peace,
Tom E
The (relatively) recently unearthed orchestration is very moving indeed - and a good reason to delve into the events surrounding the uprising of Easter 1916. The Chandos recording is quite superb:
Edits: 05/01/09
My 2005/6 edition of the Penguin Guide list gives the Bryden Thomson/Ulster Orchestra box set of the Bax Symphonies ***, and as I recall, they always liked Thomson's Bax recordings, but I haven't searched the earlier editions I have.
I have Symphony No. 4 and Tintagel on Chandos CHAN 8312, and also Tone Poems (November Woods, Happy Forest, Garden of Fand, Summer Music) on CHAN 8307. The sound is certainly very good and I don't think you can go wrong with them on that score.
The Penguin Guide likes the Handley set of the symphonies better, but I have not heard it.
The PG also likes the Naxos series with Lloyd-Jones, but I can't determine whether they like them better or not. I have Symphonies No. 4 and 5, and the sound is quite good. I ordinarily would listen to the two Thomson and two Lloyd-Jones discs I have before commenting, but while I don't dislike Bax's music, I am not that much of a fan, either, and I am not in the mood to do that right now, and would not be a good person to give a recommendation as to the performances, anyway. I do like Thomson's Tone Poems Chandos CD.
"Probability is the very guide to life."---Cicero
... IMO.
The Handley set is not new; it came out in 2003 amid quite a lot of critical acclaim, particularly among the British press. Gramophone went gaga. It's a solid set, and I would say that for those who already know and like all of Bax's symphonies, it's a no-brainer.
However, for the rest of us--ie, those who like *some* of Bax's symphonies and like the tone poems at least equally well--the Naxos discs are the way to go. I don't know diddley about David Lloyd-Jones, but he makes the Scottish National Orchestra sound better than Handley's BBC orch, and the interpretations have a bit more bite and rythmic drive--crucial in Bax, who can be a bit too dreamy at times for me. And just on a practical level, you can buy the symphonies one at a time, usually coupled with a tone poem or two.
If you're new to Bax, I would recommend starting with Symphony 7/Tintagel in the Naxos series, then the Symphony 4/Nypholept, and Symphony 6 disc. If you're already a fan, buy both the Chandos and Naxos!
I have most all of Thompsons recordings (that is the 9 CD set Chandos has on sale?) as well as Handleys (including his box set referred to below). Where the music is duplicated I prefer Handley's performances, but the frosting on the cake is the recording quality of Handley's set. Warmer, more genial, less digital edge. BTW, if you like Bax don't overlook his music for solo piano. Chandos has several recordings of these as well. Good stuff. :-)
His tone poems are also very famous, but I'm more a symphony guy. No. 6 is a particular favorite. The Naxos recording with Lloyd-Jones is excellent, one of the best of that series. But you also can't go wrong with the Lyrita recording or the Handley recording in his box of the Symphonies.
Of the tone poems, the most famous, justly so, is Tintagel, so look for a disc that includes that.
I'm slowly pulling together the whole set, but the 2nd is fantastical. I know the Chandos, both Thomson and Handley and I actually prefer Fredman. The Lyrita recordings are pretty good on CD too.
nt
If you want Bax, Chandos is indeed the label to look at. The box set of his sympnonies conducted by Vernon Handley were "Recordings of the Year" a few years back as designated by several publications. The series of CDs you mention will get you all if not most of his tone poems and concertos. Bax is a composer that can be difficult for some. Many listeners find him boring, but if you like big boned, late romantic, British/Irish style orchestral music, he can make for rewarding listening. His chamber and solo piano music is very nice as well.
Edits: 04/30/09 04/30/09
Thanks Mali - most helpful.
John
Sadly (or is it happily?) an incurable audio-video nutter with an indecent number of toys. Classical music forever!!!!
Sorry I'm late to the party,but since noone mentioned the Handley BAX box set number here it is. CHAN 10122(5). Since someone has mentioned the Lyrita editions (which are wildly well recorded LPs) the CD versions aren't too far behind in their SQ & I would venture to say there is very little on CD that sounds as good as these.
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