Ralph Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult third and fourth movements here Ralph Vaughan Williams was born on 12 October, 1872 at Down Ampney, Gloucestershire to Rev. Arthur Vaughan Williams, of English and Welsh ancestry, with backgrounds … Continue reading Ralph Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony
Sir Hubert Parry: Symphony no. 3 ‘The English’
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Mathias Bamert Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet was born in Bournemouth, the youngest of six children, on February 27, 1848. Three of his siblings died in infancy, and his mother died only … Continue reading Sir Hubert Parry: Symphony no. 3 ‘The English’
Dame Ethel Smyth: String Quintet in E, op. 1
performed by the Mannheim String Quartet with Joachim Griesheimer, available here on iTunes (U.S. store) or on Amazon (No YouTube today, but I highly recommend purchasing the recording of this work; it’s exquisite.) Smyth’s music was seldom evaluated as simply the work of a composer … Continue reading Dame Ethel Smyth: String Quintet in E, op. 1
William Sterndale Bennett: Symphony in Gm, op. 43
performed by the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra under Douglas Bostock (in what is apparently a world premiere recording), or in a slightly garbly recording below from The Ulster Orchestra under Kenneth Alwyn (Please let’s be clear here. There are two symphonies … Continue reading William Sterndale Bennett: Symphony in Gm, op. 43
Cipriani Potter: Symphony (no. 10?) in Gm
performed by the Milton Keynes Chamber Orchestra (apparently now known as the Milton Keynes City Orchestra) under Hilary Davan Wetton (Caveat emptor: if you download this recording from iTunes, as I did, there’s a maddening clicking sound most noticeable in the first and fourth movements. I’m … Continue reading Cipriani Potter: Symphony (no. 10?) in Gm
Thomas Arne: Symphony no. 4 in Cm
performed by Cantilena under Adrian Shepherd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kWmU3TcMQY Thomas Augustine Arne was born on 12 March, 1710, in Covent Garden. The two generations of Arnes that preceded him were upholsterers, but it didn’t work out so well for his grandfather, who died … Continue reading Thomas Arne: Symphony no. 4 in Cm
William Herschel: Symphony no. 8 in Cm for strings
performed by the London Mozart Players under Matthias Bamert Yes, that William Herschel. The one who discovered Uranus. Feel free to giggle. Frederick William Herschel (but actually Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel) was born on 15 November, 1738, in Hanover, “in Germany, then part of … Continue reading William Herschel: Symphony no. 8 in Cm for strings
Series: The English Symphony
This is finally happening. There was a discussion I read online recently about countries or cultures ‘pulling their weight’ or not in classical music relative to the country’s international/historical influence and how the renown of their classical musicians is in … Continue reading Series: The English Symphony
Babbitt: Around the Horn
performed by William Purvis (sorry, no YouTube today, but hop on over to the Naxos page featuring this album to hear a few snippets of this vibrant, varied work for solo horn.) Doesn’t anyone here know anything about baseball? … … Continue reading Babbitt: Around the Horn
Simpson Trio for horn, violin and piano
performed by Richard Watkins, horn; Pauline Lowbury, violin; Christopher Green Armytage, piano (Sorry, no dice on YouTube for today’s piece, but if you want to preview it, you can do so at Hyperion’s page for the piece, whence comes much … Continue reading Simpson Trio for horn, violin and piano
Sir Malcolm Arnold: Horn Concerto no. 2, op. 58
performed by David Pyatt and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nicholas Braithwaite, or below by Alan Civil and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta under Normal Del Mar Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold was born on October 21, 1921, in Northampton, the youngest of … Continue reading Sir Malcolm Arnold: Horn Concerto no. 2, op. 58
Gordon Jacob: Concerto for Horn and Strings
performed by David Pyatt and the London Philharmonic under Nicholas Braithwaite, or below in a piano reduction by Gerardo Diaz, horn; Alex Marshall, piano I personally feel repelled by the intellectual snobbery of some progressive artists… the day that melody is … Continue reading Gordon Jacob: Concerto for Horn and Strings
Scriabin: Romance for Horn and Piano
performed by Gregory Hustis, horn; Steven Harlos, piano Here’s something you might not have heard. We’ve featured Scriabin and his work on the blog before, and it’s almost all been for piano (or with orchestra; this is amazing; and his actual piano concerto [already more than … Continue reading Scriabin: Romance for Horn and Piano
Strauss Horn Concerto no. 1 in E-flat, op. 11
performed by Peter Damm and the Staatskapelle Dresden under Rudolf Kempe, or below by Stefan Dohr and the Oklahoma Symphony under Hansjörg Schellenberger This is very early Strauss. It was written by a very young Richard Strauss to his father, a horn player … Continue reading Strauss Horn Concerto no. 1 in E-flat, op. 11
Brahms Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40
performed by Tamás Vásáry, Thomas Brandis & Norbert Hauptmann, or below by Dale Clevenger, Itzhak Perlman, and Daniel Barenboim It’s been a while since we’ve seen Brahms on the blog, in fact about nine months, in his fourth and final symphony. Today’s … Continue reading Brahms Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40
Carl Maria von Weber: Concertino for Horn in Em, J188 (Op. 45)
performed by Barry Tuckwell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner (from the same album mentioned earlier in the week), or below by Anthony Halstead, natural horn, with The Hannover Band under Roy Goodman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn6nsiNFiVs This is our first appearance … Continue reading Carl Maria von Weber: Concertino for Horn in Em, J188 (Op. 45)
Alexei Volodin and ESO: Prokofiev Piano Concertos
With the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra under 莊文貞 We have managed to get through three of Prokofiev’s five piano concertos here on the blog, the first a lighter, brief piece in contrast with the monstrously, heavy, immensely challenging second, and then … Continue reading Alexei Volodin and ESO: Prokofiev Piano Concertos
Giovanni Punto: Horn Concerto no. 11 in E
performed by Barry Tuckwell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner What distinguished Punto, in a way that one has never heard in any other artist heretofore, was his most magnificent performance, the gentlest … Continue reading Giovanni Punto: Horn Concerto no. 11 in E
Beethoven Horn Sonata, op. 17
performed by Andrew Clark, natural horn; Geoffrey Govier, fortepiano Who is this Beethoven? His name is not known to us. Of course, Punto is very well known. Hungarian Music Critic, in response to a performance of the work by its … Continue reading Beethoven Horn Sonata, op. 17
Oslo Philharmonic in Taipei
I was not prepared for such excellence. The last two years were big years for foreign ensembles coming to grace our concert hall. Truth be told, though, I’m sure there’s been a continuous string of five-star visitors, but it’s only been in … Continue reading Oslo Philharmonic in Taipei
Mozart Horn Concerto no. 3 in E flat, K. 447
performed by David Pyatt and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Neville Marriner, or below with Radek Baborák and the RTVE Symphony Orchestra under Jean Jacques Kantorow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqwnlaoJRw8 Here we are with another horn concerto from Mozart for his decades-older … Continue reading Mozart Horn Concerto no. 3 in E flat, K. 447
Fugue for Thought 