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The packed-to-the-gills music of British composer Havergal Brian is an acquired taste, but the occasional recordings of his 32 symphonies, many of them written when he was well beyond 80 years old, continue to reveal music that at the very least incorporates its influences (Elgar, Mahler, William Walton) rather than aping them. In much of Brian's mature music an essentially conservative musical language is subverted by sheer density and motivic subtlety. Among Brian's champions was Leopold Stokowski, who programmed Brian's Symphony No. 6 when both were 91 years old; it would have been nice to hear that performance, for the two artists share a certain extremity of style that seems Romantic but ultimately is distinctively modern. These performances by conductor Adrian Leaper, Brian's contemporary champion, with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland are sympathetic if not quite smooth technically. After a rather melodramatic early Concert Overture: For Valour (based on a Walt Whitman program and closely analyzed in a booklet that will be worth the price of the album for Brian fans and students), the fun begins with a bizarre variation-like Comedy Overture: Doctor Merryheart, a piece of program music based on thoroughly imaginary ideas. The central attractions are the Symphony No. 11 and Symphony No. 15, composed in 1954 and 1960, respectively. Both of these works are light and relaxed in spirit, but on closer listening they begin to reveal derivation from a quite restricted set of motivic cells. Sample the music for awhile to see whether you find it scattered and how you feel about the rather screechy mid-'90s sound (the album was originally recorded for Marco Polo and later reissued by Naxos). But don't be surprised if you become the latest Brian addict.
© TiVo
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For Valour, Op. 7 (Havergal Brian)
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Doctor Merryheart (Havergal Brian)
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Symphony No. 11 (Havergal Brian)
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Adrian Leaper, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Symphony No. 15 in A Major (Havergal Brian)
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Tony Rowe, Conductor - Havergal Brian, Composer - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
Album review
The packed-to-the-gills music of British composer Havergal Brian is an acquired taste, but the occasional recordings of his 32 symphonies, many of them written when he was well beyond 80 years old, continue to reveal music that at the very least incorporates its influences (Elgar, Mahler, William Walton) rather than aping them. In much of Brian's mature music an essentially conservative musical language is subverted by sheer density and motivic subtlety. Among Brian's champions was Leopold Stokowski, who programmed Brian's Symphony No. 6 when both were 91 years old; it would have been nice to hear that performance, for the two artists share a certain extremity of style that seems Romantic but ultimately is distinctively modern. These performances by conductor Adrian Leaper, Brian's contemporary champion, with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland are sympathetic if not quite smooth technically. After a rather melodramatic early Concert Overture: For Valour (based on a Walt Whitman program and closely analyzed in a booklet that will be worth the price of the album for Brian fans and students), the fun begins with a bizarre variation-like Comedy Overture: Doctor Merryheart, a piece of program music based on thoroughly imaginary ideas. The central attractions are the Symphony No. 11 and Symphony No. 15, composed in 1954 and 1960, respectively. Both of these works are light and relaxed in spirit, but on closer listening they begin to reveal derivation from a quite restricted set of motivic cells. Sample the music for awhile to see whether you find it scattered and how you feel about the rather screechy mid-'90s sound (the album was originally recorded for Marco Polo and later reissued by Naxos). But don't be surprised if you become the latest Brian addict.
© TiVo
Details of the original recording : 77:10 - DDD - Enregistré le 6 septembre 1993 (Doctor Merryheart & Symphonie n° 1) et le 27 mai 1997 (For Valour & Symphonie n° 15) au National Concert Hall de Dublin - Notes en anglais
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 01:16:55
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Adrian Leaper
- Composer: Havergal Brian
- Label: Naxos
- Area: Angleterre
- Genre: Classical
- Period: Modern Style
2010 Naxos 2010 Naxos
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