The Art-Music, Literature and Linguistics Forum

Does anyone have these pieces?

Alfred Hill  - Symphony no. 11 (apparently for strings)
Jef Van Hoof - Symphony no. 3.

I have van Hoof #3.  "In Flanders Field" #51

https://www.amazon.com/Flanders-Fields-Vol-51-Hoof/dp/B074FCJ3MC/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1543137602&sr=8-1&keywords=51+flanders+field (https://www.amazon.com/Flanders-Fields-Vol-51-Hoof/dp/B074FCJ3MC/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1543137602&sr=8-1&keywords=51+flanders+field)

It seems part of a series "In the Flanders Fields" of dozens.I saw n°30

See https://www.phaedracd.com/nl/
There're 4 volumes of Van Hoof's symphonies and other orchestral works on the 'In Flanders' Fields' Phaedra label: volumes 13, 44, 51 and 67.
All, in my opnion, interesting late romantic scores.

Thanks to the responders for the request for Van Hoof's third symphony.
But nothing on the Alfred Hill 11th. Is there a story here?

Hill's Symphonies Nos.1 and 11 "The Four Nations" appear to be the only ones of his thirteen never recorded in any format.

There's a radio broadcast recording of Hill's Symphony No.1 in the "Australian Music" section of the Download Archive on the Unsung Composers Website (provided by Maris).  You probably have it but don't know :o.

I did actually mean "commercially recorded" but your point is well made ;D I am currently in London so I can't check my own catalogue of downloads.

Thanks!

This is a reference to Alfred Hill's 11th symphony besides being in the list of his Symphonies from Wikipedia.
The four nations [music] : symphony in E flat for string orchestra
Symphony No 11.
Apparently one of his string quartets that he upgraded to a symphony.
"Originally composed 24th June 1920 for the Verbrugghen Quartet".

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5809526

I think most (if not all) of his Symphonies are adaptations of String Quartets.

         
True, it might be interesting to listen to compare the quartets with the symphonies.
It might be a good discussion topic for other composers who have done the same thing with their pieces

If I recall correctly the only symphony which is not an adaptation of a string quartet is the first which I (probably) have downloaded on my hard drive  ;D

.....which I now find I do definitely have on my hard drive :)

Hill is a composer I can do without. If his symphonies are reworks of string quartets that would make a lot of sense as to why they sit so poorly on the orchestra.

I'm afraid I rather agree with you.

I've listened to all the Hill (the ones that are recorded) and van Hoof's symphonies. I understand the criticism of the string quartets arrangements for orchestra/string orchestra of the former, but there are some that are very good and somewhat memorable, e.g. 3, 5, 7-10. Another detail about it is the performances quality. Most of them don't do justice to the music. To mention an example, the No. 2 is an uplifting utterance, but the only recording I'm aware of is sadly rather weak. Anyway, we should be thankful with what we have, I guess.

On the other hand, van Hoof benefits from better interpretations. The symphonies 1, 2 and 4 are the most consistent IMO, sounding a bit like Strauss, though. The 6th Symphony has a too short last movement, lasting just 10 seconds, which makes me think that the composer couldn't finish it.

The Symphony No.6 in B flat major by van Hoof was left unfinished at the time of the composer’s death. The first three movements were fully scored but van Hoof had only scored the first three bars of the Finale, an assertive brass fanfare playing for ten seconds. It is (or – rather – should have been) in four movements of broadly equal length.