Lesser Known Composers

Micos69 mentioned "Karlowicz (Symphonic Poems on Naxos)".

I would also suggest his violin concerto particularly as it has been recorded by Britain's two top current fiddlers, Nigel Kennedy & Tasmin Little. Not quite Mendelssohn or Bruch 1, but  very listenable in good romantic tradition. I just prefer Little, marginally more passionate, with better orchestral support and better recorded (by I think her husband!).

Geoffrey Simon refers to Respighi's Brazilian Impressions

Thanks for reminding me, I hadn't played my recording of it for years, beautiful orchestration (but perhaps little else?). The other side of the LP though, "The Birds" does gets a regular outing (Dorati/LSO). Another example of how superb were the late 50s early 60s LSO with fabulous solos from their principals. It was said they hated Dorati but they did play superbly on his Mercury recordings. 

Finally for the first (?) true use of Latin American rhythms in "classical" music I would suggest Gottschalk's  "A night in the tropics" (Maurice Abravanel/UtahSO on the Vanguard label.

Thanks for that Rolf, it's a good transfer! I took a look at  the sleeve notes of the Vanguard recording which do indicate that Gottschalk didn't leave much in the way of orchestrations and when he came to give a performance he took whatever bands or orchestras were available. The Grand Tarantelle for piano & orchestra (rather in the Saint Saens or Littolf scherzo style) appears to be a complete reconstruction with no original orchestral parts known but is a delightful piece; great fun. My old LP couples the two orchestral items with solo works by Eugene List but some years ago I managed to obtain a limited edition Analog Productions 180g LP made from the original 3 track master with all valve (tube) equipment which sounds superb and couples the orchestral items with Morton Gould's Latin American Symphonette.

Now I must look out my Gottschalk Vox Box which includes a talk by Eugene List on the composer, which I've completely forgotten!

I recommend Suppe's Requiem.

Remarkably, it pre-dates Verdi's.

What would go down well at the Proms?

I cite the following:

Arnold: Cornish Dances and Symphony No.9;

Bantock: Pagan Symphony;

Stenhammar's two piano concertos and the 2nd Symphony;

Raff: Symphony No. 3 and/or 4;

Simpson: Symphony No. 4 and/or 9;

Massenet: any of his orchestral suites;

Any symphony by Magnard, Martinu, Honegger, Schmidt, Ries and the other 4 symphonies by Saint-Saens for a change!

Many of the above do not last longer than an hour, most around the half-hour mark. Ideal Proms fodder!

I could go on and probably will, if given enough encouragement.

Thanks for getting back on track Kev, there should be a few things here to keep you going for a while!

For those interested in 20th century British music I would add EJ Moeran with his sole symphony (although I see sketches for his second have been completed and recorded), 3 Rhapsodies (third for orch & piano, to all intents & purposes a piano concerto). Recordings are on Lyrita (Boult's version of the symphony gets a Penguin guide rossette) & Chandos.

I'm not especially but Spotify have some historical recordings of Moeran which I will be investigating because I'm interested in the history of recorded sound too. 

'Moeran had a gift for melody' according to my Greene's Biographical - my sort of composer in fact.  It looks like I will be buying CDs too.

An attention catching website too Naupilus.  Thanks gents.

p.s. My Naxos A-Z of Pianists has arrived - it includes Busoni playing Bach and more on the website.  This is a real find.

(If you saw my earlier comments about Columbia recordings, please ignore them.  Sorry, I was getting carried away with excitement).