Customer Reviews

Bax: The Symphonies

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Why the English symphonic repertoire is so direly underrepresented on the international (and certainly the Dutch) concert stage remains an enigma to me, all the more baffling when listening to these fabulous symphonies. Bax has it all: lush melodies, endless incident, spectacular orchestration, shimmering mystery, haunting epilogues - anybody who likes Richard Strauss or Respighi cannot but love this music, and I wager that Bax has lots more to offer in the way of emotional substance than either of them. Bless Vernon Handley, the BBC Phil and Chandos for giving us this "Bax Box", which is a veritable treasure trove. Handley knows these works inside and out and is utterly committed to this music (and genuinely peeved at its neglect, as can be heard on the fifth disc containing an involving hour long interview). This is readily communicated in music making of white heat, resulting in some of the most compelling performances I've ever heard of any pieces. The Epilogue of the Third (surely among the finest pages in all of English music) literally brought me to tears!
Chandos's commitment to Bax is such that this is in fact their second cycle, an earlier one having been recorded by Bryden Thomson, who took a quite different view from Handley. Richly and reverberantly recorded, Thomson made the most of the swelling, romantic melodies - after hearing him, the beautiful tune of the Fifth's epilogue sounds just a tad plain in Handley's version; also, in comparison I found the dark tragedy of the Second somewhat lightweight with Handley, and quite overpowering in Thomson's hands. But the latter's structural grip on the music is some way behind that of Handley, so that at times it does indeed blur into the generalized, shapelessly chromatic washes of sound that have given Bax some bad press. No such thing happens in this new set: helped by more energetic speeds as well as a drier, more transparent recording and somewhat thinner string tone, the rhythmic underpinning of the music is continuously present, and the many simultaneous voices never push each other away, but rather reveal their intricate interrelations. This does a great service to Bax, fully revealing his genius as a musical architect and indeed as a top rank composer, every bit as worthy of general recognition as Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Holst or Britten. And not only is Handley's sound more transparent, it also encompasses a thrilling dynamic range, accommodating moments of quiet reticence as easily as the most extroverted outbursts - for a thrilling demonstration of the latter, just listen to the beginning of the Fourth, with the organ, so lamentably lost in the general hubbub on Thomson's recording now a spectacular presence from the very first bar. If I had to single out one symphony, that Fourth is for me the high point of this cycle, if indeed such a thing exists among interpretations that are all of the highest possible quality. For those who do not know Bax, it might be a good place to start sampling - or you might even want to acquire an installment in the excellent Naxos cycle with Lloyd-Jones as a low-risk point of entry. Though that would still be a waste of money, as in the end you simply cannot be without this touchstone set if you care even the slightest bit about English music (and you should!).

For anyone familiar or not so familiar with the music of Sir Arnold Bax (1883-1953) should start off with the interview disc (the fifth of the five disc set). Vernon Handley's interview, with Andrew McGregor, is without a doubt compelling, not just in terms of Handley's knowledge associated with Bax, but also in terms of the depth that comes with it. Handley appears to be the conductor who grew up knowing as much of Bax as Lewis Foreman, the composer's foremost biographer and advocate. Truthfully, an interview with the late Bryden Thomson should have been done during Chandos' making of the first set, for Thomson would have, as far as I'm concerned, added greater weight to our initial acquaintances and understanding of this great yet elusive composer. But, Handley's interview on the disc nicely supplements his first interview with Foreman, which is printed in the booklet.

The interview's introduction and epilogue are particularly thought provoking. And I find Handley's argument on the flaws of music criticism in accordance to fashion well taken, especially since Bax was the leading Symphonist until the mid-1930s, before Walton & Vaughan Williams entered the scene with their First & Fourth Symphonies respectively. Bax was criticized for being "too loose", too demanding orchestrally, and so forth. Yet Handley reminds us that Bax had an extraordinary sense of form and structure (influence to some extent by Glazunov as Handley aptly points out). Bax may well belong to the nationalist school of British composers, but he was much more than that. Sibelius & perhaps to an extent Rachmaninov were influential in Bax' brooding moods and his sense of color. Yet his journey was as long and searching as his contemporaneous Russian counterpart, Nikolay Myaskovsky, who, like Bax, remains as deep and resourceful as ever.

Well,...onto the performances. Let me say up front that Handley's grip of the symphonies demonstrates his understanding of Bax' language, which as he points out, is essential in projecting and conveying music in its most meaningfulness. Handley's view of the First Symphony (1921-1922) is the most dramatic and urgent on record. And while David Lloyd-Jones' reading captures the anguish and the contemptuousness of the Symphony to perfection, Handley never fails to relish the first movement's sense of rebellion. The Lento solenne movement is mournful, but Lloyd-Jones brings out more of the darkness and the funereal quality to it.

Interpretatively, Bryden Thomson leads the way in the Second and Third Symphonies, the former which is without a doubt Bax' most darkest. Handley painted the dark colorism of the work with convincing results. But his tempi to an extent robs the epic quality of its first movement, with the BBC Philharmonic sounding a tad thinner than Thomson's London Philharmonic (LPO). It's a fierce reading no doubt, but I like how Thomson reminds me of how even Vaughan Williams may have been influenced by this piece when composing his Fourth & Sixth Symphonies. The second movement is beautifully done, even by Myer Fredman (Lyrita LP-nla). Yet Thomson's ability to make the music glow in its own world pays wondrous dividends. Not only that, but the climax and its buildup proved to be a shattering experience. The ability to make Bax' music glow is essential, as in the case of the Third Symphony. There's something enchanting in the first movement's lento moderato section under Thomson. But the ongoing development is sweeter yet fuller in tone in Thomson's London Philharmonic. And I like the magic he brings forth in the climax (announced by the anvil). Handley's reading is special, but he speeds things up a bit too much and robs the music some of its glow. Not so in the Lento second movement which is beautifully rendered. But I savor Thomson's ceremonious way of the final movement leading to its epilogue, which is perfectly idyllic.

I have no qualms in Handley's vivid performances of the Fourth & Fifth Symphonies. As he points out, the Fourth should be better known and its gaiety does not necessarily imply weakness. Well said, since Bax was going onto a different style and self-definition. But regarding the Fifth, Raymond Leppard's recording is perhaps the best on record, not only because he remains tight in his control, but he also allows the music to dispel its sense of wonder in the Poco lento movement. His phrasings are perfect and the LPO provides some wonderful relishments. Thomson is likewise marvelous and the most magical in the slow movement. Handley's grip of the work, a mountain to climb as he describes it, is quite as strong and compelling.

The Sixth Symphony, very much like his Winter Legends, is what Handley describes as pagan music-not hedonistic but secular. It's landscape is as cold and detached, yet wild as Winter Legends, and Handley brought forth those facets to thrilling effects. Though I warm to the Third Symphony more any others, I agree with Handley that Bax' Sixth is among the greatest symphonies of the 20th Century. The ostinato beginning played by the tubas spells out the nature of the work: the mood that's bleak and contemplative. The epilogue I think serves as quite a foretaste of Vaughan Williams Sixth, among the most bleakest passages ever written (as with Myaskovsky's Thirteenth of 1932). I can't find fault with Handley's reading of, as he calls it "a frightening score." He projects the wildness of the first movement ideally while the slow movement is elegant. While the finale is very well done, Thomson brings out that extra sense of loss and inner contemplation in the epilogue. He's the most effective performer in the Seventh, Bax' most relaxed symphony: Not just because he gives us more of the majestics and the pompousness in the first movement, or the inner beauty and rapt poetry of the second, but the epilogue is simply more poignantly conveyed in its sadness as Bax' was saying goodbye to the adventurous world he knew (he wrote his autobiography "Farewell My Youth" during that time).

In closing, this album is a revelation, for Vernon Handley (who's way overdue for knighthood) gives us plenty of reasons to re-think and reexamine Bax as a major force in British music (and plenty of credits must be given to David Lloyd-Jones under the Naxos series in that regard). The BBC Philharmonic is excellent, especially in Tintagel & the Rogue's Comedy Overture, even though this great orchestra does demonstrate at places a wanting in greater sonority and involvement.

But my heart remains with Thomson. Although his tempi can at times sound laborious, Thomson, to me, knew how to project the inner beauty and wonder behind Bax' music without really over-stretching it. The heart is definitely on his sleeves which, as far as Bax is concerned, is a darn good thing.

My interest in Sir Arnold Bax began with the Tone Poems in recordings that were also conducted by Vernon Handley. As the recordings of the symphonies by Maestro Handley were acclaimed it was natural for me to proceed to get the set. What one notices about the Bax symphonies first is that they were all in three movements rather than the traditional four. As was pointed out in the booklet and accompanying interview Bax was a master of form and the Scherzo was worked into the final movement. Bax wrote his symphonies from 1921 until 1939, during his mature years of composing. He appears to have become a symphonist by accident. In 1921 he wrote what he considered to be a sonata for piano but when it was pointed out to him that the music has a symphonic conception he proceeded to orchestrate the music. The result was a dramatic symphony that reminds one of his tone poems in that the music suggests a pictorial inspiration.

The Second Symphony was composed in 1924 - 1926 and opens with a brooding movement and is followed by a lyrical intermezzo. The finale is lively and dramatic, and makes use of an organ that adds nicely to the orchestration. The Third Symphony was composed during 1928 - 29. The first three symphonies are considered as a triad with the finale of the Third summing up the music of all three. The music is dramatic and lyrically elegiac, again reminiscent of the nature tone poems. The Finale consists of an energetic Scherzo and an elegiac Epilogue.

The Fourth Symphony was composed in 1930 and like the 2nd makes use of an organ. Vernon Handley has termed this the happiest of Bax's symphonies and it is characterized by dance-like melodies. The middle movement does have moments of darker reflection. The Fifth Symphony (1931 - 32) is dedicated to Jean Sibelius and the influence of the composer is evident in this music. However some resemblance to Sibelius' music Bax remains an individual voice. The music of the first movement is reminiscent of the composer's nature tone poems. The finale begins with a vigorous dance melody developing into music that, for me, has a heroic sound.

The Sixth Symphony (1934 - 35) is cited as Bax's masterpiece, and it is a symphony that grabs your attention from the first bar. The second movement is brooding and introspective giving way to a finale that carries the melancholy atmosphere of the former giving way to a playful Scherzo and heroic finish. The Seventh Symphony (1938 - 39) begins with a joyous melody and the buoyant spirit is maintained through the movement. The slow movement is lyrical, reminiscent of the tone poems; the finale is at turns extrovert and reflective: a summing up of Bax's symphonies.

The set contains two fillers: the premiere recording of the Rogue's Comedy Overture (1936) and the well-known Tintagel (1917-19). There has been a lot of interest lately in forgotten British symphonies such as those by Gordon Jacob and Richard Arnell to name just two. The symphonies of Sir Arnold Bax are engaging works beautifully orchestrated. Vernon Handley and the BBC Philharmonic turn in magnificent performances that are not to be missed.

I can only echo what some other reviews have said about this set of the Bax symphonies and a handful of other orchestral works. I love that the major early 20th century British composers never really bought into all the intellectualized Continental trends in music. No serialism, 12-tone or Stravinskyism here.

Still, the era of Vaughan Williams, Bax, Holst et al produced solidly modern music in its own way. We hear ample evidence of that basic truth once again in this fantastic complete symphony cycle, with the added bonus of an interview disc with the conductor, Vernon Handley.

I can heartily recommend the MP3 download version of this set, currently under $18 for 5 hours of beautiful Bax. Bitrates on the music run from 221 to 231 Kbps, and the recordings are in excellent quality. This is a great bargain, and I'm glad to finally have a good set of Bax! Highly recommended.

Arnold Bax occupies a very interesting point in British musical history. He was very much apart of an "English renrenaissance" of sorts with the emergence of Vaughan Williams, John Ireland, Gerald Finzi, Herbert Howells, among others. Bax composed a lot of music and I do mean a lot. There has been more and more interest in his music these past years and this interest continues to rise and with good reason: Bax was an outstanding composer. You can hear strands of Impressionism in his music as well as post-Romantic sensibilities a la Sibelius, but don't let these influences fool you, he composed remarkably original music.

There are two sets of Bax symphonies: one with Bryden Thomson with the London Philharmonic and Ulster Orchestra or this newer set with Vernon Handley and the BBC Philharmonic. Unfortunately, the Thomson set is out-of-print right now. I own both and I appreciate both conductors' efforts. Not one of Bax's symphonies are alike and they are all engrossing sonic adventures.

I won't bore you with any more details other than this set is brilliantly played by the BBC Philharmonic. Such outstanding musicianship and Handley's dedication to Bax is truly a spectacle to behold. Highly recommended for those who think England only produced a few worthy composers. Also, checkout all of Bax's other orchestral music, which is apart of a series on Chandos with either Thomson or Handley conducting. Buy all of them they are excellent!

Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 4
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 5
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 6
Bax: Orchestral Works, Vol. 7
Bax: Enchanted Summer: Walsinghame; Fatherland
Bax: Orchestral Works, Volume 9

This cycle of the English, wannabe Irish, composer Arnold Bax might be the proudest achievement of Handley's recording career. Bax's music is easy to appreciate: old fashioned (Bax lived from 1883-1953), post-Elgarian romantic music, with Bax happily dwelling on atmospheric moments in his colorful, large-scale symphonies. When Lutyens spoke of cow-pat music, Bax was certainly among the intended targets. But it is telling that what survived of Lutyens' is her quip, not her compositions while Bax is still (or again) around, with his music too lovable to be neglected entirely. It's well served on record with David Lloyd-Jones' survey on Naxos (available only individually) and this cycle vying for top honors.

The Thompson recordings are fine, but not up to either this or the Naxos ones -- though I find Thompson (on Chandos) in the non-Symphony orchestral works the top choice.

Bax was a master or 20th century music. A friend of Jan Sibelius, each dedicated a symphony to the other! Bax wonderful music was popular and more played all over the British Empire during his life than it has been since. The BBC, Aunt Beebe, championed British music and would record the best orchestras in England and broadcast all over the world, the UK, Europe, to Spain from Gibraltar, Canada, India, Hong Kong, etc. In their estimation, world music was much too dominated by the Germans and Russians and they wanted to show the world some interesting but less played music. This didn't happen in America. So, in some quarters Bax, Moeran, McEwan, Stanford were much better known and in others not at all. Since his death and the contraction of the British Empire, his music, English music, has not been played as much, the music of the world still dominated by German composers. But one get's tired of listening to the same thing all the time.

Bax British Impressionist music is shot through with MAGIC. The Celtic Twilight. Bax loved Ireland and went there whenever he could to compose. The legends of Summerland, faerie, ghosts, banshee, the sidhe. This is music of enchantment, trances, dreams, fits and fugues, nightmares, haunting. The music is always programmatic, I feel. There is always a story Bax is trying to illustrate, even though he seldom lets us know us what the story is. Bax, WB Yeats, AE and a number of others felt the little people, the older race, lived just outside our ken in hidden groves and deserted mountaintops. The Faerie would find a traveler on a lonely road invite him to join, play the fiddle music faster and faster. Louder and louder until he fell into a trance and woke up a decade later like Rip Van Winkle. Or in another story, the traveler would be pursued by banshee and run terrified, only to turn and see the banshee turn into a still quiet night. Terrifying nightmares that vanish with the coming of the day. These legends run all through Bax music, (but he seldom tells us which). Episodic, a bit like a film score, but with more structure. There is, I feel, little absolute abstract music in Bax, most is program, and I love that.

Another master of this musical performance was the late Bryden "Jack" Thomson. He had, he understood, the magic, he played it and his performances are enchanting, trance evoking.

Bax music, I'm told, is very difficult to play. His music is like jazz, in that he has written almost constant rhythmic changes sometimes two or three at once. What I find as I listen to the Vernon "Tod" Handley versions is that Handley has done some rubato, he his subtly changed the tempos to render the music more, well, late Romantic, more like Rachmaninoff, less like Debussy maybe. To make it flow better. Thomson would, in general, play all the tempo changes, Handley smoothes off some of the rough edges. Thomsons renditions are much closer to the way the previous conductors like Boult played Bax. Handleys are a tab romantic, but interesting.

First the good news: The 24 bit recordings are much better, more dynamic, with much deeper bass and louder climaxes than Thompsons detailed, but without harshness in the highs. The image is less forward than in Thomson.

I like Handleys renderings of the Fourth Symphony and the Autumnal Sixth, they are quite persuasive. His version of the First is chock full of the ghosts of the Irish Rebellion and a bit less bitter than Thomson, but when he gets to the Third, Bax best Symphony, he diminishes it by speeding up the tempo, especially in the last movement and thus rendering out some of the magic and enchantment.

I loved his playing of Stanford and Bantock. If you find Thompson's versions too angular, you might prefer Handley's, but I generally prefer my Bax with more mysticism and otherworldliness. Handleys versions of the Bax Tone Poems come out better.

Bax is a vastly underrated composer. He should be a staple of the modern orchestral repertory. Good to have more performances.

I'm glad to see these newer performances of Bax but I won't throwing away Bryden Thomson's.