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The Radio 3 Boards > The Radio 3 Boards > General Radio 3 Discussion > York Bowen
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Author Topic: York Bowen  (Read 1695 times)
autoharp
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« on: 22:12:58, 07-02-2007 »
Is York Bowen an esoteric taste or are there fans out there ?
Anyone going to the 6.00 concert at the Royal Academy of Music on friday 9th ?
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A
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« Reply #1 on: 09:56:32, 08-02-2007 »
Yes, pretty keen on York Bowen. Stephen Hough's recording of most of his piano preludes started off my interest. His violin sonata is also really good but hard!
Tell me more about the RAM concert!!.. sounds interesting.
Are you a viola player? he wrote some lovely music for this maligned instrument!

A
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autoharp
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« Reply #2 on: 11:24:45, 08-02-2007 »
No I'm not a viola player although there's a viola sonata in this concert.
Google York Bowen Society + go to events.
Hurriedly all best

autoharp
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barkofile
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« Reply #3 on: 03:00:58, 09-02-2007 »
I replied to this thread - sort of - on the BBC R3 MBs.  My post was not quite worth a paste-in here, but I'm still glad to see York Bowen's name turn up on two boards.
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Doktor Faust
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« Reply #4 on: 06:31:06, 12-02-2007 »
I've recently 'found' York Bowen's music via various cd's from Hyperion and Dutton. Haven't yet tried the piano music (unfortunately I don't play), but I find his music very accessible. Its a pity that his style was considered out of date rather quickly after WWI, although luckily it didn't stop him composing. I certainly consider myself a fan, and would like to hear about the concert on 9th, if anyone went.
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autoharp
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« Reply #5 on: 12:54:26, 12-02-2007 »
Hi there Herr Doktor. I attended on 9th and had a pretty good time. It was performed by staff and students of the RAM organised by a lady named Glen Ballard, whom I suspect may be the force behind a new York Bowen Society (judging by the website).
There were 4 pieces: the C minor viola sonata op 18, the horn sonata op 101, an Andante + Allegro for 2 trumpets and the Quintet for horn + strings op 84. The horn sonata and horn quintet were the most substantial and impressive as pieces (that's not because I'm an ex-horn player). But horn-players should take note - the sonata is the only really good piece I've ever come across for horn and piano and the quintet (a more promising medium) is one of only a handful composed since Mozart's. The viola sonata's a good, charming early piece and the trumpet duo just an "occasional" number - neither is on the musical level of the other two.
All were played accurately and capably but the students who played the Quintet really stole the show: their performance was well prepared and musically sophisticated - just thoroughly professional really, whereas the staff performances, I have to say, did not grab me in the same way. Apart from the trumpet prof James Watson whose sound (tinged with a bit of East European/Russian-type vibrato) and general approach was immaculate.
There was far too much chat, radiating enthusiasm rather than imparting information. The trumpet prof got it right: after a couple of comments about the F trumpet he drily told the audience "This piece was written for Joe Solomon (?) who taught my teacher - and (turning to the 2nd trumpet player) I teach him!"
« Last Edit: 12:59:08, 12-02-2007 by autoharp » Logged
Doktor Faust
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« Reply #6 on: 19:20:41, 12-02-2007 »
Hello autoharp
Thank you for the description of the concert. The only piece I know out of those you heard is the quintet, which I think is a fine piece. As I mentioned, I am not a player of any instrument, having struggled with the piano when young, so I content myself with exploring the repertoire chiefly via radio and cd's, with the occasional foray to Symphony Hall in Birmingham etc. I enjoy finding new music, and am particularly interested in the period from around 1880 to the 1930s, with a diminishing interest the further one goes each side of that period. Hence my finding York Bowen, whose name I first came across in Sir Henry Wood's autobiography! Hopefully some more of his music will come my way! 
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autoharp
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« Reply #7 on: 11:01:12, 17-02-2008 »
I was annoyed to find I'd missed a concert at the Royal Academy of Music on Feb 1st which included the clarinet sonata + the bass clarinet quintet. Must pay more attention to their events thingy (quite a lot of interesting stuff - eg., I went to a Skalkottas event a couple of weeks ago).

Anyone interested in hearing performances of Bowen may spot them here

http://www.yorkbowen.co.uk/events.htm

and RAM events here

http://www.ram.ac.uk/events/
« Last Edit: 11:04:28, 17-02-2008 by autoharp » Logged
increpatio
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« Reply #8 on: 11:12:55, 17-02-2008 »
Ooh; I quite like the clarinet sonata.  Just spinning it now. (Did I ever mention that I find his piano concerti to be pretty boring?)
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autoharp
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« Reply #9 on: 11:36:49, 17-02-2008 »
Blimey! Just been spinning it myself, too.

Generally, I'm keener on his post-WW1 stuff. I have a couple of earlier concertos (violin + 1st piano) which don't interest me much, but I would like to hear no. 4 which is later + large-scale. Is that one you've heard? I put off purchasing the CD of 2 + 3 since I find the pianist accurate but fairly uninspiring.

Maybe Bowen's at his best in solo piano or chamber situations?
« Last Edit: 11:55:32, 17-02-2008 by autoharp » Logged
increpatio
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« Reply #10 on: 12:02:23, 17-02-2008 »
Quote from: autoharp on 11:36:49, 17-02-2008
Blimey! Just been spinning it myself, too.
Smiley  Now spinning that cd of piano duets, 'On Heather Hill'.  Ah; what fun (though more fun, I imagine, to play (they're really well written I think)).  aaaaaaaaaaaaaah the barcarolle in is Suite No. 2 (op 71) is extremely sexy.

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Generally, I'm keener on his post-WW1 stuff. I have a couple of earlier concertos (violin + 1st piano) which don't interest me much, but I would like to hear no. 4 which is later + large-scale. Is that one you've heard? I put off purchasing the CD of 2 + 3 since I find the pianist accurate but fairly uninspiring.
Ah yes, that's the cd I have.  I haven't heard the others I don't think.  I think hyperion are recording 2 + 3 with some young upstart soon, right?

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Maybe Bowen's at his best in solo piano or chamber situations?
That's very possible, but I'll have to wait 'til I hear his later concerto and his other late stuff I guess.  I can't recall whether I like his violin concerto, nor his viola one; I'd have to refresh my memory.  AAAND: I think today's the day to do it Smiley
« Last Edit: 12:20:57, 17-02-2008 by increpatio » Logged
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autoharp
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« Reply #11 on: 19:48:57, 17-02-2008 »
I gather there's a plan to relaunch the York Bowen Society with a concert at the Wigmore Hall on 25th September.
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #12 on: 20:43:32, 17-02-2008 »
Quote from: autoharp on 19:48:57, 17-02-2008
I gather there's a plan to relaunch the York Bowen Society with a concert at the Wigmore Hall on 25th September.

Now that would be very good news, autoharp. I very much like York Bowen's music, particularly the chamber works I've heard on Dutton CDs.
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increpatio
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« Reply #13 on: 23:23:54, 17-02-2008 »
Hmmm...I listened through the violin concerto (on a disk with his first p.c.) and got so bored that I rather wasn't up for the task of listening to the three concerti I have recordings of :/  It just sounded really generic to my insensitive ears . . .
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A
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« Reply #14 on: 23:25:31, 19-02-2008 »
Quote from: autoharp on 19:48:57, 17-02-2008
I gather there's a plan to relaunch the York Bowen Society with a concert at the Wigmore Hall on 25th September.

Very interested in this autoharp... I am very fond of York Bowen's music.

Thanks for the info.

A
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