The Art-Music, Literature and Linguistics Forum
March 29, 2024, 06:09:28 am
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
News: Here you may discover hundreds of little-known composers, hear thousands of long-forgotten compositions, contribute your own rare recordings, and discuss the Arts, Literature and Linguistics in an erudite and decorous atmosphere full of freedom and delight.
 
  Home Help Search Gallery Staff List Login Register  

Constant Lambert (1905-1951)

Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Constant Lambert (1905-1951)  (Read 733 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Albion
Level 7
*******

Times thanked: 2750
Offline Offline

Posts: 1683


Frederic Cowen (1852-1935)


View Profile
« on: August 29, 2012, 05:21:38 pm »

I recently picked up a second-hand copy of Richard Shead's excellent 1973 biography of Lambert, which has prompted me to listen to his music again. I have the four Hyperion recordings -





plus the more-or-less-complete Horoscope on a long-deleted Argo disc -



There seems to be some confusion regarding this ballet, as the liner-notes for this disc and the relevant Wikipedia entry refer to the full score (as opposed to the published concert suite) being lost during World War Two. However, the complete score (as described in Shead's biography) has been recorded by Barry Wordsworth on ASV (including two Variations and a Pas de Deux omitted from the concert suite). I don't have this particular disc, but if any member has, please could they summarise any information in the liner-notes which details how and when the complete score (possibly a copyist's) was located?

 ???

Lambert's music is very rarely heard in the concert hall (apart from the occasional Rio Grande) but most has now been recorded and is well worth getting to know. Two of my favourite scores are the large-scale Summer's Last Will and Testament and Tiresias ...

 ;D
Report Spam   Logged

"A piece is worth your attention, and is itself for you praiseworthy, if it makes you feel you have not wasted your time over it." (Sydney Grew, 1922)

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

cilgwyn
Level 7
*******

Times thanked: 49
Offline Offline

Posts: 1914



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2012, 07:32:57 pm »

Now you're making me wish I hadn't taken my copy (of Last Summers Will & Testament) down to the charity shop! :( I'm still wondering what they're going to make of Geirr Tveitt in between Des O' Connor & 'The Wurzels'? ??? :o)
Actually,I think it's a little too bleak for me. But then it's supposed to be! ;D
I seem to recall that Malcolm Arnold regarded it as a masterpiece & that when it was publicly performed some years ago,there was a flurry of interest,which quickly died down. In fact,the last time I mentioned Lambert on a forum I didn't even get one reply! :) Or come to think of it,maybe I just mentioned it in the wrong thread! ;D

Regarding the Piano Concerto........'s? I was recently listening to the Marco cd of Lord Berners 'The Triumph of Neptune',which I DO like. On a whim,I thought I might buy some music by his friend,Constant Lambert. I WAS going to go for his 'Music for Orchestra'. Then I got diverted by recordings of his Piano Concerto. Unfortunately,there are two concerto's. One for Piano & nine players & another which has been completed by someone else. The recording of the latter has received some decidedly mixed reviews.
Also I don't like the sound of some of the couplings;especially 'Mr Bear Squash-you-all-flat!' :o :(
Report Spam   Logged
cilgwyn
Level 7
*******

Times thanked: 49
Offline Offline

Posts: 1914



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2012, 12:59:13 am »

Hm! I've just realised,the performers on Hyperion cd,pictured by Albion,of the Piano Concerto & Mr Bear Squash-you-all-flat are (amongst others) the Nash Ensemble. I've got the Hyperion cd 'Bliss: Rout & rhapsody' and it's very good,indeed! :) Looks like,I'm going to be putting 'Mr Bear Squash-you-all-flat!' on my 'list',after all! :o ;D



Report Spam   Logged
Albion
Level 7
*******

Times thanked: 2750
Offline Offline

Posts: 1683


Frederic Cowen (1852-1935)


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2012, 06:40:17 am »

Yes, there are two piano concertos, both recorded in the Hyperion series. The early student work (1924) only survived as a two-piano score and was orchestrated by Edward Shipley and Giles Easterbrook for a performance in 1988 - it's not a bad work by any means, but can't compare in depth of expression with the mature Concerto (1930-31) dedicated to the memory of Philip Heseltine.

Mr Bear Squash-You-All-Flat is another early work (never publicly performed) and "based on a Russian children's story", although Giles Easterbrook in the Hyperion liner-notes casts some doubt as to the authenticity of the tale. Richard Shead gives a good summary of the action (which is conveyed by narration on the recording), such as it is -

The scene is a glade with a fallen, hollow tree-trunk in the background. A series of animals enter, dance and go into the trunk: Mr Frog, Mr Mouse, Mr Hedgehog, Mr Duck (whose dance is tango), Mr Samson Cat (who enters to music marked moderato maestoso e marziale), Mr Donkey and finally Mr Bear. Mr Bear, needless to say, sits on the trunk, which is the end of it and also of the ballet.

 ;D
Report Spam   Logged

"A piece is worth your attention, and is itself for you praiseworthy, if it makes you feel you have not wasted your time over it." (Sydney Grew, 1922)
cilgwyn
Level 7
*******

Times thanked: 49
Offline Offline

Posts: 1914



View Profile
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2012, 12:48:48 pm »

Squashed flat as a bloomin' pancake! ;D I love these furry animal stories,don't you?! ;D Very droll! Not so sure that the actual narration will be quite as entertaining as your synopsis! In my experience,musical entertainments with speech,tend to fall as flat as that poor duck! :o :( Peter & the Wolf springs to mind. Great music but I'm not sure how many times I'd want to listen to the story.......even at bedtime!!! ;D
On a more positive note,novelty items like this can be entertaining,now & again & the selection of items on the cd looks quite tasty! :) If it's as good as that Bliss cd,it should be good! I just hope it doesn't lead to a Lambert binge,that's all. And I'm not referring to the kind he went on.......unless the dent in my wallet REALLY gets to me,of course & I'll be like Ray Milland in 'The Lost Weekend!' :(
Anyway,thank you for clearing up the confusion over the Piano Concerto....'s! I knew I could rely on you,Albion! ;D
Report Spam   Logged
Jolly Roger
Level 8
********

Times thanked: 59
Offline Offline

Posts: 2014


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2012, 03:53:12 am »

There is also the fabulous Anna Karenina Suite that you can listen to here:
Better than Rio Grande, IMHO..

Report Spam   Logged

Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by EzPortal
Bookmark this site! | Upgrade This Forum
SMF For Free - Create your own Forum


Powered by SMF | SMF © 2016, Simple Machines
Privacy Policy