Thank you!

Can I ask where you bought them from? I have been looking on the museum website and can't find a shop.

Many thanks,
Lee

The first piano trio, first piano quintet and chamber symphony are superb, in my opinion. Brilliant late romantic works full of good old 'Russian' melodies. Some of his later works, particularly the three small string orchestra works are, sadly, far less memorable.

Hi again all,

My little string orchestra is giving another free concert in Birmingham, UK. It's on Saturday 26 November at 7pm, in St. Augustine's Church in Edgbaston. As usual, the programme is a bit different from the usual!

Sibelius - Canzonetta Op.62a
Rautavaara - Divertimento
Lekeu - Adagio
Howe - Elegy
Mushel (trans. Armstrong) - Suite on Uzbek Themes
Piazzolla - Four Tangos

Thanks,
Lee

Hi all,

I'm very pleased to say that I'll be conducting Off the Beaten Track String Orchestra in a programme including two UK premieres at 7pm on Saturday 16 April at St Augustine's Church in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The concert is in aid of Arthritis Research UK. The programme is:

Kurt Atterberg - Intermezzo
Igor Shamo - Symphony No.3 'In Memory of the Heroes' (UK premiere)
Heino Eller - Homeland Melody
Andrei Eshpai - Lamento and Toccata (UK premiere)
Eugene Goossens - Concertino for double string orchestra Op.47

Thanks,
Lee

Hi Christopher,

Could it be this chap?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladim%C3%ADr_Sommer

Lee

Hi all,

I wanted to utilise your knowledge to answer something that has been bugging me for years. I've just read through the whole Latvian Music thread again and I don't think it's been covered already.

The Campion CD 'Ivanovs Vol 7.' with the piano concerto and 10th symphony. also included a short track which they labelled as the Andante for Cello Ensemble. It's obvious it's actually a piece for string orchestra. When I asked Campion many years ago, they decided that they actually had no idea what it really was. I know it's not a string orchestra arrangement of the Andante, as I have the score for the cello ensemble piece and they are not the same. I also think I'm right in believing I can't post the recording here because it was available commercially. My question, as you may have guessed, is, does anybody know what that piece actually is? It's a lovely piece and I'd like to track down a score and/or parts and perform it.

Thanks a lot,
Lee

That is very good to hear, Colin - I have the radio broadcast posted hear, but much detail is obscured, particularly at the end once the organ comes in. It'll be wonderful to have a really good and crisp recording of it!

Hi Brian,

No, you didn't imagine it! When you queried the number, I went hunting and found the reference on their website, and pointed out the error - it's now all sorted!

CEE are an amateur orchestra, but a good one, so it should be a great concert!

Lee

Very definately Symphony No.5 - I have the score on the desk next to me

Thanks,
Lee

Hi All,

I am very excited to announce that I will be conducting the UK Premiere of Vladimir Yurovsky's Symphony No.5 Op.79 on Sunday 21 June, 7pm, with Central England Ensemble at Carr's Lane Church in central Birmingham. The programme will also include Andrew Downes's Five Pieces for Piano and Strings Op.10, with very fine pianist Duncan Honeybourne, and Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture.

Thanks,
Lee

I was thinking exactly the same thing only the other day. Their news section used to be updated fairly regularly. It's now been quiet since some time in 2013

Hi Colin,

Have a listen to his early chamber music - it is very different to his later works - very tuneful and rather Russian. I would recommend the first piano trio, 2nd piano quintet and chamber symphony. It's delightful, if not very profound stuff. He often makes use of a sort of more complex version of the 'changing background' technique people like Borodin and Rimsky utilised, so you get some wonderful multi-layered textures with several versions of the melody overlapping. This I particularly love - I'm also a sucker for good tunes, which his earlier music has in spades!

I am making the assumption that these two early symphonies are similar, thought 'bigger', hence my personal excitement - I should imagine it is something similar for others too, though I don't want to put words into people's mouths!

Excellent - thank you! Very exciting. I hope he records the string orchestra works too, and the chamber-orchestral version of the Chamber Symphony.

I have been in touch with the Juon society, trying to track down some recordings and apparently, in 2012 Christoph Escher embarked on an unfortunately fruitless "complete Paul Juon" edition with Naxos. Now it seems that that project has been resurrected with Sterling and the first CD, featuring his Symphony in A major, is out now(ish). I can't seem to find any trace of it, but the chap at the Juon society said he had received his copies a few days ago.

Lee