Sir Edward Elgar.

[lliam]

I am led to beleive that Sir Edward Elgar became very popular in the States in the late 1800's and early 1900's he was born in my part of England in the West Midlands. I have found a website and it gives a short biography on him, the site is a wealth of information if anyone is interested, I have typed the URL on the bottom of the page. I hope it is of some interest to this forum.<BR>lliam<P><BR> <A HREF="http://www.elgar.org/2english.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.elgar.org/2english.htm</A>

[shostakovich]

Hi Iliam. Thanks much for the Elgar web site. I don't know if Elgar made a hit in the States around the turn of the century, but I've read and heard that's when he made a reputation in England. I've also read that English music is supposed to have hit a 150 year dry spell between Purcell and Elgar, filled in only by that transplanted German, Handel. What is the view on that where you are? It seems to leave out Parry and Sanford (too academic), Sullivan (too lightweight), and Harty (too Irish). <BR>If there was any slack, the 20th century made up for it. Elgar, Vaughan-Williams, Walton, and Britten are world class composers. I'm not sure any other country can boast 4 of their stature in the 20th century. <BR> In case this generates nationalist ire from this side of the Atlantic, please state the 4 names and why you propose them.

[lliam]

Hi shostakovich, may I call you shos for short? You are going to think I am quite a fool when I tell You I don't know much about any composers in fact I am just learning a thing or two about the composers that I like. When I hear certain music and I like it I try and find out who wrote the music and then I go to my local library and look up the composer, first on the net and if I can't find anything on there then I look on the shelves. It isn't very often that I don't get results on the net though. That is why I was so excited to share my find. Actualy I feel that I should know more about classical composers but I was in to jazz and rock when I was a teenager. So shos now you see what a fraud I am I hope you don't stop replying to any of my finds as I will call them. Like I say its all learning for me.<BR>Lliam.<P>PS There isn't anybody who I know locally Who is interested in classical music.<P>Lliam.<BR><p>[This message has been edited by lliam (edited 12-19-2000).]

[maggiP]

Lliam.... I have been in touch with a person from the UK who has a website devoted to Nikolai Lugansky... The web name is Valour@post.com.... She is very informed about the classics. Email her for reply and check out the website she hosts......

[lliam]

Thanks MaggiP, I have sent an e-mail to valour@post.com. I am waiting for a reply.<BR>Thanks again,<BR> Lliam.<P> <p>[This message has been edited by lliam (edited 12-19-2000).]

[shostakovich]

Hi Lliam. If you are just starting to build a collection, let me make a couple of suggestions. Your local library, assuming they have music to loan, would be a great source for developing your likes and dislikes. I did a radio program at a local college station designed for beginning listeners. The idea was to start with short works: marches and dances. They have the strongest melodies and rhythms, and they say what they have to say in an uncomplicated way. Ballet suites are good for songs and dances with focus on one composer. Operatic suites work well also (songs have strong melody and rhythm, too). Tcaikovsky ballets and Rimsky-Korsakov operas have excellent suites, at least to this guy who loves Russian music. Some composers have contributed "incidental music" for productions of plays. Grieg's Peer Gynt and Bizet's L'Arlesienne are great examples.<BR>Now that we have you into suites of great tunes, the next step is the OVERTURE. This takes those tunes, usually from operas, and "develops" them into more complicated (and rewarding) music. You can't go wrong with opera overtures by Rossini, Weber, Von Suppe, Mozart.<BR>You were/are a fan of rock. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer put out some classical music in rock form some years ago. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Prokofiev's Scythian Suite (they must like the Russian stuff, too) and Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man underwent their transformations.<BR>I wonder what you will get from MaggiP's suggestion of valour@post.com. Let me know. I tried it as a web site and got something strange and unrelated. So I'm interested in what you get using it as an e-mail address.<P>Now, MaggiP, how did you come by Valour@post.com, and who is Nicolai Lugansky? <BR>Very Curious Shos

[lliam]

<BR>Hi shos, Thanks very much for your advice I will take it on board. Nikolai Luganky according to the website is a great pianist of the 21st century I think this site may be right up your street I have only had a brief visit but it seems to be the bees knees of the classical world. Valour appears to be the host. What I dodn't understand is Why. The site comes under homestead.com who have a free website builder in fact beethoven.com is a homestead.com site thats how I found it because I was going to have a go at Building a site. Anyhow here are the url's for the Valour sites:-http://lugansky.homestead.com. <P>The links page is :-http://lugansky.homestead.com/linx.html<P>Have a brouse Shos I think you'll like what you see.<BR>Lliam. <P><BR>PS please find below the reply I had off maggiP's friend.<P>Hi , Lliam! <P>I am happy to help you. <P>I own a website about an excellent Russian pianist named Nikolai Lugansky. There are plenty of sound clips on the site to introduce you to the styles of different composers. <P><BR>I also have a links page which leads to lots of interesting and informative sites about classical music and the arts. <P>That should get you started ! <P><BR>Here is the addresss of my website: <BR> <A HREF="http://lugansky.homestead.com" TARGET=_blank>http://lugansky.homestead.com</A> <P>[This message has been edited by lliam (edited 12-14-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by lliam (edited 12-19-2000).]

[Flowerboy]

Hi guys.......I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned Gustav Holst...I know he wasnt considered an English composer, but from his ocmpositions, any one could have fooled me. Just listen to 1st suite in E flat or his 2nd suite in F. These 2 pieces together convey a HUGE resemblance to British themes. Another beutiful piece he wrote is for church. It is called "Oh God, Beyond All Praising" I played it at a church for easter with the choir and other instruments (it was an arrangement). Just ponder what i wrote and tell me....Am i wrong for saying he wrote part British?<P>FLOWERBOY

[shostakovich]

Hi Lliam. Thanks much for forwarding your messages about Lugansky. I was able to visit the site. I have not heard Lugansky play, besides a few snippets during my web visit, but his awards suggest someone to watch. Does anyone have comments about his performances?<BR>Hi Flowerboy. Holst was, indeed, thoroughly English in spite of his Swedish name. His 2 big contributions are The Planets (very popular powerhouse), and the Suites for Military Band. They set off a rage to explore the potential of scoring for band (no strings) in England during the teens, and later in America. Up to then band music consisted of arrangements of music written for other forces. Most of his other work is considered lightweight, so I didn't list him with the "big 4". But lightweight is OK, and I'm very fond of just about all his orchestral work. <BR>I was in Cheltenham, England for a day in 1974. That was his 100th anniv year. The libe had an exhibition featuring memorabilia, including a congratulatory letter on The Planets from Adrian Boult, who conducted the premiere (and recorded it at least 5 times over 50 years). That was a thrilling experience for me. I also tracked down where he was born (4 Clarence St Cheltenham), and where he taught in London: ST PAUL school on BROOK GREEN (street name) in the borough of HAMMERSMITH. Th capitals are titles of 3 of his works. Thanks for bringing up Holst. I recommend all people interested in visiting birth places of Holst et. al. to do so, and stay over at Lliam's place while you're there. Great idea, or what????<BR>Shos

[lliam]

<BR>Great Idea Shos.<BR>Lliam.<BR><p>[This message has been edited by lliam (edited 12-19-2000).]

[Flowerboy]

Hi shos, thanks for the reply, i may seem naive, but though im young, i know lots about music (thats what im majoring in), but my point was that Holst's suites for military band seem more british than even vaughn williams sometimes, like his Folk Song Suite, which is pretty British. 1800 Victorian England is all i can think about when i play/listen/conduct Holst's Suites. On the other hand, i dont classify the Planets as a music of one nationality or t'other. In that i agree. But i'd think it'd be very hard to match the pure British style of the 2 Suites for military band.<BR>What do you think??

[Peter]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Flowerboy:<BR><B>Hi shos, thanks for the reply, i may seem naive, but though im young, i know lots about music (thats what im majoring in), but my point was that Holst's suites for military band seem more british than even vaughn williams sometimes, like his Folk Song Suite, which is pretty British. 1800 Victorian England is all i can think about when i play/listen/conduct Holst's Suites. On the other hand, i dont classify the Planets as a music of one nationality or t'other. In that i agree. But i'd think it'd be very hard to match the pure British style of the 2 Suites for military band.<BR>What do you think??</B>[/QUOTE)>><P>Hi all!<P>Flowerboy,<P>As a Brit, I agree with your assessment of the "Britishness" of Holst`s military & folk song suites; nevertheles, there has always been the conception, in Britain, that of the two composers, it is Vaughan Williams who is the more "British". I think this is due mainly to his music having the greater power to remind this nation of its heritage and values. VW wrote very PROUD music. This attribute, of course, took on a whole new meaning to us during the two world wars. I also agree that Holst`s most famous work, "The Planets", is not particularly patriotic, but Mars definitely seems to be advanced commentary on the imminent events of 1914-18 (although Holst never accepted this theory). "The Planets", then, is not nationalistic; rather, it is a (pardon the pun) universal work!<P>PS. 1800 predates Victorian England by 40 years! <BR>

[shostakovich]

Hi Peter and Flowerboy. You're both knowledgeable whether old or young. I have lots of respect for your posts, and look forward to them. As for who was Britisher, Holst or Vaughan-Williams, I couldn't make a choice. They were friends, collaborators (in trapsing the countryside looking for folk tunes to use), and probably asked advice of one another. As composers, V-W tackled the big works (9 symphonies), and Holst the more intimate works, often just for strings. And where they differed in this regard, they complemented each other. I can't imagine British music without the both of them. Thanks for your commentaries.<BR>Shos

[Peter]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by shostakovich:<BR>[B]Hi Peter and Flowerboy. You're both knowledgeable whether old or young.>><P>I`m not old, I just write that way!!