Re-up for 'La Danse de Puck' and anyone else: Méditations: Debussy, Sonata for Flute, Viola & Harp Harald Genzmer, Trio for Flute, Viola & Harp - Bax, Elegiac Trio - André Jolivet, Petite Suite - Nathan Currier, A Sambuca Sonata

One of my favorite discs for this most enchanting of instrumental combinations.

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English Music for Viola & Orchestra (Track No. 4 encoded for "blue" and "franz"..see comments) - Arnold Bax - Vaughan Williams - Theodore Holland - Richard Harvey - Roger Chase, Viola - BBC Concert Orchestra, Stephen Bell/Richard Harvey - Dutton Epoch 2012

I am quickly posting this great Dutton Epoch gem motivated by all the enthusiastic comments I received for the Ben-Haim post; that makes me very happy and although I'm running late here ya go everybody :) I will have to write notes tonight. Enjoy!

English_Music_for_Viola_and_Orchestra(1)-Tzadik.zip

http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/ID00FUxC/file.html

English_Music_for_Viola_and_Orchestra(2)-Tzadik.zip

http://www23.zippyshare.com/v/39B9eLim/file.html

Méditations: Music for Flute, Viola and Harp - Arnold Bax, Elegiac Trio - Harald Genzmer, Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp - Claude Debussy, Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp - Nathan Currier, A Sambuca Sonata - André Jolivet, Petite Suite - Chandos 1995

Within the genre of chamber music the instrumental combination of flute, harp and viola has always been one of my absolute favorites. It produces a sound world of exceptional beauty; to the point that when one encounters (certainly when I do anyhow) a piece for this trio combination that is "contemporary" in style (which might seem atypical unless one knows extensively this repertoire)-it will often delight and surprise even those who tend to have musical 'allergies' (fear, tremors, upset stomach, short-term anhedonia and/or hopelessness about the state of modern music..) to substantial dissonance and free atonality. The enchanting music at hand generally steers clear from such approaches (Debussy needless to say was intrigued by the modernist tendencies at this time, and there is an identifiable albeit gradual change in his compositional style, motivated in part by the new European school but also drawing on his life-long interest in music from around the globe-his early exposure to the Balinese gamelan is one such example).

The "Sambuca Sonata" is something of an exception, although not in any strict sense. The music is overall playful, and it's inspiration derives from several genres including jazz. 

What makes this disc really quite special however, is the inclusion of Harald Genzmer's "Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp", which I had never heard before (there are several recordings, it seems to be his best known work). In 1995 this disc was my introduction to Genzmer, and his Trio grabbed me from the start. Harald Genzmer was a composer who rejected the avant-garde in his compositions, taking his cue from Hindemith, with whom he studied. His works resonate highly with me, doing precisely what I "want music to do" not unlike the music of my late friend Rosner and many others. Harald Genzmer is sadly yet another example of an unjustly neglected composer with an original voice, and a lot to say. I have a few discs of his music, although the most comprehensive and important survey of his music was released on the Thorofon label during the 1990's, with 10 discs produced altogether. Later Thorofon offered the volumes in a 10-cd set, which I also missed out on. This bothers me all the time! These recordings were hard to find then and are hard to find now, although amazon and other sites do have a few volumes for sale (mostly private sellers) at prices upwards of 20 USD. Either I will wait until luck strikes and I find the box set somewhere or I will give in and buy the volumes that I can find one by one, although not really feasible at this time for me. As soon as I can locate the rest of the Genzmer that I do have, I will post it as listeners need to know it!

Harald Genzmer (1909-1997) was born in Blumenthal near Bremen on 9 February 1909. In 1928 he began to study at the Berlin Hochschule fur Music with Paul Hindemith (composition, until 1934), Rudolf Schmidt (piano), Alfred Richter (clarinet) and Curt Sachs (musicology). From 1934 to 1937 he worked as a repetiteur, later as assistant conductor at the Breslau Opera House. In 1938 he began to teach at the Volksmusikschule Berlin-Neukolln, where Hindemith too had been teaching before. In the 1940's, he experimented with electronic instruments and devoted himself particularly to the "Trautonium" (an electronic instrument invented by Friedrich Trautwein).

He passed his military service as a clarinet-player in a music corps and, after the Second World War, in 1946, was appointed professor of composition and assistant director at the new Musikhochschule of Freiburg, then, from 1957 to 1974, at the Munich Hochschule fur Musik. In Munich Genzmer has been leading the department of music of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts for ten years. He also became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin and held important positions in many cultural political organisations like the GEMA. In recognition for his outstanding services as a composer and teacher, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Bavarian Constitution in 1998, the Arts Price by the Bayerische Landesstiftung in 1996 and the Maximilian Order, the most distinguished Bavarian Cultural Award, in 1991. His works include all genres, especially many fine concertos, misc. orchestral works and chamber works, with the only exception being opera. Among his substantial output there are also significant choral works and also many educational compositions. 

Arnold Bax's "Elegiac Trio" is one of my favorite chamber works of all time; indeed I find his chamber output generally to be some of his strongest and most enchanting music (please, no arguments for his tone poems or symphonies-trust me I love every single one! ;)  The trio is simply ethereal.

Debussy's "Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp" needs no introduction. It is ubiquitous and cherished in the repertoire, deservedly so. One of my favorite works as well, and likely yours too-it was a profound and moving experience hearing it for the first time (oh so many years ago). I still remember the sheer wonder and joy as if it took place last week.

The "Petite suite for Flute, Harp and Viola" of André Jolivet (probably from 1941) recalls Debussy in its impressionist delicacy and evocations of hazy summer days and breezes, but its rustic gigue and wandering harmonic changes are Jolivet's own. Jolivet wrote quite a bit of charming chamber works and everyone should stay tuned for more of his music in the future..

Enjoy!

Part 1

Meditations-Music_For_Flute_Viola_&_Harp(1)-Tzadik.zip

http://www31.zippyshare.com/v/iNT43C7K/file.html

Part 2

Meditations-Music_For_Flute_Viola_&_Harp(2)-Tzadik.zip

http://www64.zippyshare.com/v/2sRXAoka/file.html

Boult conducts Bax: Northern Ballad No. 1 - Mediterranean - The Garden of Fand, Symphonic Poem - Tintagel, Symphonic Poem - November Woods, Symphonic Poem - Sir Adrian Boult & the LSO - Lyrita 1968/1972 (Remastered 1992)

Greetings everyone. I'm trying to post whenever possible and these days 'whenever possible' is sadly not very much. Indeed my catharsis is mostly stifled, especially unhealthy for one who professes to need music more than oxygen or sleep! So, I squeeze it in where I can and it's high time for some squeezing right now.  I have loved the music of Arnold Bax for as long as I can remember and his tone poems especially have a certain glowing magic to them; replete with the scents and sounds of far away places, whether geographically inspired and tangible, or summoned by legend and the pen. Close your eyes whilst listening deeply and you might just feel the sea mist upon your face or the winds blowing. Bax was not only one of the great symphonists but one of the finest 'tone-painters' the world has known. Any real Baxian (or lover of British music in general) should and will likely already own this gem of a recording or, has been searching for it. The search then, happily closes with this post :) As magnificent as the tone poems are (there are technically more than 18 of them) there are only so many different choices as far as recordings go, as many are out-of-print (especially some greats from the 60's and 70's) and hard for current collectors to track down. Happily the discs that do exist are simply excellent and are rather complete series (Chandos and Naxos being the two important major sources) of Bax's poems (as in musical-Bax was also a poet, and he used the pseudonym Dermot O’Byrne for this area of expression) and other orchestral works. Other labels have made fine contributions as well, such as EMI, Dutton, Classico, even Marco Polo (I have the MP but cannot recall off hand which works they contain) etc.

Bax wrote so much excellent music, that no two compilations of his tone poems need to be alike. However, at least two other discs offer alternative performances of the "big three" tone poems- "The Garden of Fand", "Tintagel" and "November Woods" -to those gathered here. David Lloyd-Jones on Naxos adds to this mighty triumvirate the later Sibelian tone poem, "The Tale the Pine Trees Knew", on his competing disc. As mentioned above Chandos has also been key, in fact they are the most significant and complete purveyor of Baxian treasure. Bryden Thomson stakes serious claim in this territory. His Bax symphony cycle is incredible. His disc of "the big three", coupled with "Summer Music", is a must-have recording, as are the other orchestral works. Then there's Vernon Handley's equally magnificent discs of Bax's tone poems and orchestral music also on Chandos. If you want to be a nutcase completist like I am, you could also opt to get the box set of the complete symphonies released in 2003 which also includes "Rogue's Comedy Overture" and Tintagel, which is only available (this particular version of Tintagel) in this set with Handley conducting. And I won't even get into the chamber music recordings, although I will add that Hyperion too has this area nicely covered, their releases with the Nash Ensemble being second-to-none (I equally love Bax's chamber music!!).

The first of the big three tone poems is "The Garden of Fand", an evocation of the sea that dates from Bax's early fascination with all things Irish. It is, according to the composer, "entirely enveloped in the atmosphere of the calm Atlantic off the Western shores of Ireland and the enchanted islands of which some of the country people still dream".  Certainly the elusive sound-world is entirely evocative of magic and mystery (Bax thought of it as his last overtly Celtic work). It is dedicated to Frederick Stock, who conducted the premiere in Chicago in October 1920 (the first British account was under the present conductor, Sir Adrian Boult, just over a year later). The "Garden of Fand" of the title is actually the sea and in some ways this is the British "La mer". Boult captures the swelling of the sea perfectly-this impression is progressively heightened as the piece progresses. Though richly scored, its fabric is delicate. Lloyd-Jones and Boult pace this tone poem similarly, and neither conductor wallows in the detail of this luscious music. (Lloyd-Jones, however, seems to find more forward momentum and presents the score in long instrumental lines) Boult, who gave this score its British premiere, is more episodic in his approach and allows the orchestration to speak for itself.  Boult's ensemble achieves a clarity of texture that makes his argument so easy to follow. His tempo fluctuation is quite pronounced and he pushes forward, then drawing back for Bax's big, swirling string melodies.

"Tintagel" is probably Bax's most popular work, and the entry point to his oeuvre for many a listener. A castle-crowned cliff in Cornwall, "Tintagel" was composed in a passionate blur after Bax and his mistress, the pianist Harriet Cohen, ran away to Cornwall in 1917. His own romantic situation, the dramatic Cornish coastline and the majestic ruins of Tintagel castle sparked resonances for Bax with his beloved Wagner's 'Tristan ind Isolde' which of course is based on an ancient Cornish legend and is as Celtic a love story as you will find. This tone poem, part sea picture, part evocation of dimly remembered heraldry, was the intoxicating result. As with The Garden of Fand, Debussy's "La Mer" is an obvious influence, and there are also touches of Wagner-not least some thematic references to Tristan. This music, though, is unmistakably the work of Bax and of no other composer. Masterpiece.

For seasoned Baxians, Boult's "November Woods" is particularly essential. November Woods is highly evocative music, scored with the hand of a master. It is incredible to think that the present recording was made in 1967, so life-like is the presence of the orchestra. "November Woods" was written not long after Tintagel was first sketched out, but its mood is much darker. There are those who see this tone poem as Bax's comment on the Great War. The musical allusions in the score pointed out by Lewis Foreman in his excellent liner notes certainly seem to support this view. Boult's performance of November Woods is the most brooding and atmospheric that one is likely to ever hear. Boult elicits fabulous playing from the London Philharmonic, and there's no trace of routine here, and the brass and whooping horns are really magnificent.

Two lesser-known pieces begin this disc, the "Northern Ballad No. 1" and "Mediterranean".

Bax wrote three "Northern Ballads" but, none of them have really gained much currency, the reason being a mystery really. The sound-world of the Ballad No. 1 is immediately Baxian, but the orchestral textures are leaner and the colouring more precise than in the earlier works. This tightly constructed work is clearly informed by Bax's experience as a symphonist. There is more Sibelius than Debussy in the mix this time and the thematic material has a pronounced Scotch snap. This performance features especially stellar contributions from the brass. "Mediterranean" is a very short work that began life as a piano solo. It is dedicated to Gustav Holst and builds up a predominantly Spanish atmosphere to perfection. Boult’s timing of the Spanish rhythmic inflections is, perhaps surprisingly given his reputation for English music, near-perfect.  Sir Adrian’s radiant belief in Bax’s music shines through every note on this disc. What could be better than three of Bax’s finest compositions (the  tone poems) in performances and recordings that can only be described as resplendent? 

Enjoy!

Boult_conducts_Bax_Sym.Poems-Tzadik.zip

http://www46.zippyshare.com/v/fIAlg01A/file.html