# SS 26.01.19 - Brian #3



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*_For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Havergal Brian **(1876 - 1972)*

Symphony No. 3 in C-sharp minor
1. Andante moderato e sempre sostenuto e marcato
2. Lento sempre marcato e rubato
3. Allegro vivace
4. 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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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is here and other Symphony is up for your listening enjoyment. This week it's British composer Havergal Brian's 3rd Symphony. This will be the 3rd appearance of a Brian symphony. This one has had a few different recordings so it should be easier for some to find recordings. I have pretty much everything that has been released from Brian as I do enjoy his works quite a lot. It's been a long time since I've heard this one however so I'm looking forward to hearing it again.

I'll be listening to:







Lionel Friend/BBC Symphony Orchestra

And for those without a recording there is this one on YouTube:




Stanley Pope/New Philharmonia Orchestra


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to the YouTube link, thanks for providing it. So far I've been unimpressed with Brian but everyone deserves a third chance!


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I think it will be the YouTube link for me this time


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

I do have the Lionel Friend/BBC Symphony cd... the only Havergal Brian recording I own. Agree with D Smith that I have been unimpressed with his music so I have not listened to this in probably ten years -- after so long my taste may have changed. Will gladly listen and see.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

cougarjuno said:


> I do have the Lionel Friend/BBC Symphony cd... the only Havergal Brian recording I own. Agree with D Smith that I have been unimpressed with his music so I have not listened to this in probably ten years -- after so long my taste may have changed. Will gladly listen and see.


Funny thing, I picked this same cd for part of my weekend listening along with the 4 Schmidt symphonies and Handel's complete organ concertos on Thursday.

I also chose John Williams score to Star Wars, Attack of the Clones!


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

cougarjuno said:


> I do have the Lionel Friend/BBC Symphony cd... the only Havergal Brian recording I own. Agree with D Smith that I have been unimpressed with his music so I have not listened to this in probably ten years -- after so long my taste may have changed. Will gladly listen and see.


Until recently, this was the only symphony of Brian I had and I too had it for many years. If you're like me, you still will not change your mind. There are too many awkward spots in this piece. It sounds like amateur hour in too many places.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I've never been able to make it all the way through a Brian symphony. This week's choice is too much like something outlawed under the Geneva Convention! Nonetheless, I'll soldier bravely on...


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I enjoyed Brian's first two symphonies, so some years ago I went out and bought a bunch more of his works, numerous symphonies, (including that No. 3 Helios disc) a violin concerto etc. I ended up not liking any of it, haven't listened to anything by Brian in a long time, that 3rd symphony was pretty bad I thought, but I may give it another try this weekend if time permits.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Lionel Friend cd here also


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

realdealblues said:


> Another weekend is here and other Symphony is up for your listening enjoyment. This week it's British composer Havergal Brian's 3rd Symphony. This will be the 3rd appearance of a Brian symphony. This one has had a few different recordings so it should be easier for some to find recordings. I have pretty much everything that has been released from Brian as I do enjoy his works quite a lot. It's been a long time since I've heard this one however so I'm looking forward to hearing it again.
> 
> I'll be listening to:
> View attachment 112081
> ...


Yep, I havent got any Brian symphonies, so I dipped my toe in and soon realised there's a good reason I haven't got any. Put it this way, if a performance of this symphony was playing in my garden I'd shut the curtains and turn the TV up.:devil:


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Well I tried my best but I'm afraid I'll never be a Brian fan. But it's still good to be exposed to unfamiliar works, even if it's only once!


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Sorry folks I'll pass on this one!


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Something I dislike of his style is the excessive use of the percussion, and it doesn't give any sense of coherence in many passages. I sometimes feel saturated by that. I do like some of his symphonies (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 16). This one is elussive to me too, albeit I haven't given up yet.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Poor old Havergal Brian has taken a bit of a bashing on this thread so I'm gonna even things up and complement him on this smashing cardigan. The bow tie combo is just lovely too.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Indeed, poor Havergal has taken a bashing this weekend (and he got quite a few votes) which is kind of interesting for me on a personal level because I don't get on with most modern composers and even some late 19th century/early 20th century stuff from some big names like Bartok, but I have no problem listening to Brian.

Well, he won't be back for a while which will probably be a relief to quite a few folks :lol:
Thanks to all who tried


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

..oops wrong thread posting..


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