Lesser Known Composers

A great chance to trot out some hobby horses but where to start? One man’s backwater is another man’s mainstream and there are many composers relatively unfamiliar to the general public who are likely favourites of many of the contributors to this forum. I heartily applaud mention above of Alwyn, Dallapiccola (Canti di Prigionia, a great work) and Koechlin (Ballade for Piano and Orchestra is special, but I like everything I’ve heard).

There are other composers just off the mainstream but hardly unknown – Tubin, Vagn Holmboe, Martinu, Simpson, Harris, Schoeck, Zemlinsky, Martin, Penderecki, who I find very rewarding. All of Holmboe’s symphonies from 5 to 13 are superb and Martin’s Der Cornet is an absolute masterpiece.

Just behind this group in terms of fame (or lack of it), I find Frankel and Searle have much to say, Gerhard tough but definitely worth the effort (especially the Concerto for Orchestra and Symphonies 1 and 4), and all of Lennox Berkeley’s orchestral music beautifully crafted, from small pieces like the Divertimento to the symphonies and piano concertos. Cyril Scott’s piano concertos have plenty to offer as does everything I’ve heard of Warlock’s small output.

Digging into slightly deeper recesses, usually single works or discs I’ve chanced on which I’m very glad I’ve met, there are the following:

Jehan Alain’s organ works (Naxos and elsewhere)

Richard Harvey’s Concerto Antico for guitar (on Sony, played by John Williams)

William Mathias’s Harp Concerto (Osian Ellis, used to be on Decca)

David Farquhar’s symphony, on an Oryx disc of music from New Zealand

Jacques Bondon’s Concerto de Mars (appeared on RCA with the Caselnuovo-Tedesco guitar quintet)

Robert Still’s Symphony 3 (Lyrita, an odd work but endlessly intriguing)

No masterpieces, perhaps even guilty secrets, but there you go.

I love most of Holmboe's orchestral music - symphonies, concertos, preludes, chamber concertos, but struggle a bit with his quartets, and with his Requiem for Nietzsche. For me, there's just a bit too much of the cerebral and slightly self-consciously "artsy" side of the man in these works. Strange, perhaps, because I have no problem with Simpson's quartets (which are often compared to Holmboe's) and get a ton out of the entire Shostakovich set.

If you don't already know them, you might want to look for the John Foulds quartets. Very interesting stuff.

This talk of Holmboe prompted me to dig out my old vinyl of the Symphony 10 played by the Gothenburg S.O. under Ehrling. I expect we've all got to know most of our Holmboe symphonies from the BIS Hughes recordings and got used to his style. It was an eye(ear?)-opener to listen to Ehrling. A closer recording than the BIS, perhaps lending an extra edge to the music. Whether performance or recording, I found the end result far more dramatic than what Hughes gives us.

The Foulds quartets originally appeared in vinyl on Pearl records, played by the Endellion S.Q.. I have a feeling they made it onto cd. I actually prefer them to any of his orchestral music.

I don't know Leifs at all. Will have to check him out.

Holmboe on vinyl: the first Holmboe I heard was the 8th symphony on Turnabout, R.D.O. under Semkow. I wouldn't bother digging it out. The BIS Hughes is vastly superior in every way, although the Turnabout offered an interesting coupling, Per Norgard's Constellations. The Cello Concerto appeared on BIS under Schmidt, and it has been transferred to cd. There was also a recording of the 8th string quartet played by the Copenhagen Quartet.

I hope you have the Holmboe 'In Memoriam', really his 9th symphony. An astounding work, desert island material for me.

Can you tell me more - I've not heard of that piece.  Is it available currently?

Someone mentioned desert islands - that might be a good theme for a thread!