# SS 13.08.22 - Searle # 2



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*Humphrey Searle (1915 - 1982)*

*Symphony no. 2, op. 33*

I. Maestoso - Allegro molto
II. Lento -
III. Allegro molto - Lento, solenne

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

This week we have the second symphony of Humphrey Searle. A student of Webern in Vienna, Searle was one of the first British composers to adopt 12-note serialism into his music. His second symphony was written in 1958 and is dedicated to his first wife Lesley. It was premiered by the Royal Liverpool Orchestra. Despite the symphony beginning in a 12-tone manner, there are touches of lyricism, particularly in the second movement that occasionally contrast against Searle's very agitated style. There are a few recordings of the symphony with the Alun Francis and BBC Scottish recording part of a Searle symphony cycle.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I LOVE this music! Serial, seriously difficult but so rewarding and worth the time. The above recording here, too. Then maybe put The Haunting in the DVD player, since he wrote that marvelous soundtrack.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

The cpo for me as well. Well done to cpo for recording the whole cycle but Searle is woefully and undeservedly under-represented otherwise. There's some very tempting items in his output - the opera _Diary of a Madman_ (after the short story by Gogol) sounds especially irresistible - I wish some label(s) would take a chance on him like Hyperion did with Robert Simpson.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I've had a hard time getting into the CPO recordings. I need to try the Lyrita CD.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Cpo is my choice


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

CPO for me as well


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I missed this yesterday but have listened to all five of Searle's symphonies in the last week. I'll listen to 2 again today - also the Alun Francis recording. Wonderful music!


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## Xenophiliu (Jan 2, 2022)

I am a week late on this, but since I usually skip over Searle when this set comes out, I thought I would give his Sym. 2 an airing out.









London Philharmonic Orchestra
Josef Krips
Lyrita 1975


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