# Alan Rawsthorne (1905 - 1971)



## Vaneyes

One of my favorite English composers. Related links below. The composer's page at Classical Net is particularly useful for recording suggestions.

Re labels, I thoroughly enjoy several concerti and chamber works on Naxos, as well as Chandos' piano concerti, and Lyrita's symphonies.

Enjoy! :tiphat:

Wikipedia - Bio, compositions, references, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rawsthorne

MusicWeb - The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne

http://www.musicweb-international.com/rawsth/

Classical Net - Alan Rawsthorne Page

http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/acc/rawsthorne.php

'Alan Rawsthorne, as I knew him' - Dr. David C. Wright (pdf)

http://www.wrightmusic.net/pdfs/alan-rawsthorne.pdf


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## millionrainbows

I sampled some of this on Amazon, and would be willing to try some. The Third Symphony uses some serialism, so I find that appealing. The music seems dark, well-crafted, moody, atmospheric. He's tonal, but sometimes it's difficult to tell where you are, which is good with me. Challenging listening, but I think it will be worth it.


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## joen_cph

I don´t recall hearing anything really disappointing by Rawsthorne .


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## elgar's ghost

I enjoy Rawsthorne's orchestral and chamber works very much - at times his music reminds me of that of his contemporary Walton but with an almost Bartokian edginess and intensity in places, but that's only speaking in simplistic terms as I think Rawsthorne's work is sufficiently distinctive in its own right. Rawsthorne was also fond of writing in variation form which is a big plus in my book. 

Both Naxos and Lyrita are to be especially congratulated for making available as much of his music as they have.


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## Dr Johnson

I have the cello concerto etc and the symphonies (both on Naxos).

Haven't listened for ages, so they are due a twirl this autumn.


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## Vaneyes

Dr Johnson said:


> I have the cello concerto etc and the symphonies (both on Naxos).
> 
> Haven't listened for ages, so they are due a twirl this autumn.


You'll forget. Do it today or tomorrow, before football season starts.


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## Vaneyes

elgars ghost said:


> I enjoy Rawsthorne's orchestral and chamber works very much - at times his music reminds me of that of his contemporary Walton but with an almost Bartokian edginess and intensity in places, but that's only speaking in simplistic terms as I think Rawsthorne's work is sufficiently distinctive in its own right. Rawsthorne was also fond of writing in variation form which is a big plus in my book.
> 
> Both Naxos and Lyrita are to be especially congratulated for making available as much of his music as they have.


Yes, as you, jc, and mr rightly attest, all, including the kitchen sink come into play. AR borrows a bit, as all do, but what I like first and foremost is his seemingly fearless writing. Not afraid to take chances, and make mistakes. Not all work, otherwise he'd be up their with JSB and LvB. Well, maybe I should take that bach. Humphrey Searle apparently referred to him as the "English Bach".


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## Grizzled Ghost

My humble contribution:









Practical Cats is a very witty work which everyone should hear. This version is narrated by Robert Donat and conducted by Rawsthorne himself.


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## Dr Johnson

Vaneyes said:


> You'll forget. Do it today or tomorrow, *before football season starts.*


:lol:

Rawsthorne is safe.

For me, football died when Yeovil sold their sloping pitch to Tesco.


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## millionrainbows

Shostakovich 5 & 9, Bernstein, NYPO (SONY Bernstein Century series). Again. It's definitive for me.
I also have the DVD "Sonata for Viola," the Russian documentary, that shows 1950s film footage of Bernstein conducting the finale of the fifth, and hugging Shostakovich at the end. That is so cool, so great a scene. I think Bernstein remembered that, too, and recognized the Fifth's greatness, and never forgot it.


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## Grizzled Ghost

^^^ Maybe Rainbows is sleep-walking. He posted to the wrong thread.


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## Guest

[post deleted--gg beat me to it.]


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## Triplets

Dr Johnson said:


> I have the cello concerto etc and the symphonies (both on Naxos).
> 
> Haven't listened for ages, so they are due a twirl this autumn.


ditto must pull them out.


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## Triplets

Vaneyes said:


> You'll forget. Do it today or tomorrow, before football season starts.


yep, forgot already

seriously, after initially embracing Rawsthorne, there was something about his music that really put me off. It's been so long now that I don't recall what it was.
This is the onset of Senility, right?


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## Dirge

Violin Sonata (1959)
:: L. & M. Jardon [Ar Ré-Sé]

spotify:album:5paTpogvhAiDirbgwgmbO3

This elegantly rarefied and unrhetorical music disappears into the background with the slightest inattention on the part of the listener: one minute you're listening to it, the next minute you're opening up a can of chicken noodle soup having totally forgotten that the music is playing. If you can maintain focus and keep your mind off of lunch, you'll find that it's really quite a curious piece: a deftly Romantic work of Stravinskian neo-classical economy and transparency haunted at times by a ghostly Shostakovich-like presence-there's even a wistfully sardonic waltz in the second movement. The outgoing Tocatta third movement sounds a bit out of kilter and attempts to spoil the work for me, though no one else seems to be bothered by it. With the final movement, the music doesn't so much come to an end as evaporate into the ether.

The hyper-alert Jardon sisters play with quicksilver responsiveness, telepathic coordination, and classical discipline (but not classical restraint), and the resulting performance has the perilous elegance of Peggy Fleming skating away on the thin ice of the new day. The tone of the violin is a smidgen too lean and bright for my taste, but it doesn't bother me unless I go out of my way to focus on it.


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## Weston

I only have this Piano Concerto No. 1 - Mario Bernardi / CBC Radio Orchestra / Jane Coop, piano (2001). I was one of those who on first hearing exclaimed, "Where has this been all my life?"










I found it an extraordinary and exhilarating roller coaster ride, belying the very English sounding name from which one might expect lofty reserved elegance.


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## vincula

Weston said:


> I only have this Piano Concerto No. 1 - Mario Bernardi / CBC Radio Orchestra / Jane Coop, piano (2001). I was one of those who on first hearing exclaimed, "Where has this been all my life?"
> 
> I found it an extraordinary and exhilarating roller coaster ride, belying the very English sounding name from which one might expect lofty reserved elegance.


His piano concertos are lovely works. I really like this version:









His _Symphonic Studies_ sounds nothing like a work in progress of any kind. Nice.

Currently listening to his cello concerto. Really good too.









Rebumping this old thread, as I feel Alan Rawsthorne's music does need more exposure here on TC.

Regards,

Vincula


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## vincula

There chamber works are worth checking out too. Playing of the highest caliber and SQ clearly above average even for Naxos.









Regards,

Vincula


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## gregorx

I really like his compositions for string orchestra. Not what you might expect from an English composer of that era.


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