# SS 14.09.19 - Bowen #2



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*York Bowen (1884 - 1961)*

Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 31

1. Moderato
2. Lento
3. Allegro scherzando, ma moderato
4. Finale: Grave
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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 another symphony is up for your listening enjoyment. I apologize for missing last week. I swore I posted one but apparently I didn't. Thanks again to Mika for stepping in during my absence.

This weekend it's English composer Edwin York Bowen's Second symphony. I'm not real familiar with Bowen so I'm looking forward to hearing this. I don't think there are many recordings of this one so I'm posting a YouTube link as usual for lesser performed works. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

I'll also be listening to this one:




Andrew Davis/BBC Philharmonic Orchestra


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Never heard this before. I'll stream the Davis recording as well.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

D Smith said:


> Never heard this before. I'll stream the Davis recording as well.


And the same version for me


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Similar absence of familiarity here. I'll do the YouTube thingy. I suspect this will be an interesting choice.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

I like Bowen's music and have had this disc for a few years but have only listened to it sporadically, so this a great chance to become more familiar with this symphony.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I'll do the YouTube thing, not in my collection.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

We are before an impressive British symphony this time, largely unknown these days. Worth listening undoubtedly.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

D Smith said:


> Never heard this before. I'll stream the Davis recording as well.


Yep, this one and the spotify


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

D Smith said:


> Never heard this before. I'll stream the Davis recording as well.


Same here. Bowen is a new name to me. Quite pleasant symphony and I particularly liked the harp.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Davis on Chandos here, too. By odd coincidence, yesterday I was watching schlocky 50s Sci-Fi on Amazon Prime and ran across this goofy, but fun, movie "The Gamma People". What struck me was the score was written by no less than George Melachrino (of Melachrino Strings fame), and the orchestral arrangements were done by York Bowen! It was a nice score and from the orchestration you could tell the hand of a master, Bowen, was at work.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I really enjoyed this and will check out his first symphony as well. Excellent performance by Davis I thought. Thanks to Saturday Symphony for introducing me to some new (to me) worthwhile music.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

First time in some years I look at this on a Saturday, and it's a symphony I have in my collection, but I haven't listened for a while, so the perfect excuse.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

York Bowen was only a name to me, so hearing this symphony was kind of a treat. It was written in 1909, making it a near-exact contemporary of Elgar’s first two symphonies.

The first movement is dramatic and complex, although perhaps broken up too much by the many tempo changes. The second, a lyrical slow movement, I found a bit tedious (actually I nodded off). The third is a light-footed scherzo with a lot of energy. The finale is, again, dramatic and forceful. Overall, a big symphony at about three-quarters of an hour.

To me, there is little to identify the music as “English”, unlike Elgar’s symphonies or Vaughan Williams’s efforts to follow. Really, the style doesn’t put me in mind of anyone and perhaps isn’t too distinctive in itself. But Bowen, unlike some others of that time, is never heavy-handed, and his score isn’t at all congested or muddy. That’s appreciated!

Overall, a symphony I was glad to hear and will be listening to again.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

KenOC said:


> To me, there is little to identify the music as "English", unlike Elgar's symphonies or Vaughan Williams's efforts to follow.


I sometimes wonder about this. Is Elgar's and Vaughan Williams' music typically English or did they (in their very different ways) somehow come to define what English music sounds like? VW was deeply interested in English folk music and used it extensively in his music. So I can see the argument that his Englishness _reflected _Englishness. But for Elgar I do sometimes wonder if he didn't perhaps _invent _a language that we have come to call English (rather than reflecting something that is in our English natures)?

(I didn't listen to the Bowen work yesterday but am a little familiar with it.)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Enthusiast said:


> I sometimes wonder about this. Is Elgar's and Vaughan Williams' music typically English or did they (in their very different ways) somehow come to define what English music sounds like? VW was deeply interested in English folk music and used it extensively in his music. So I can see the argument that his Englishness _reflected _Englishness. But for Elgar I do sometimes wonder if he didn't perhaps _invent _a language that we have come to call English (rather than reflecting something that is in our English natures)?


Good point about Elgar. Somebody wrote that when you listened to Elgar, you could smell the faint odor of moldy wainscoting. But I doubt the English were the only ones with wainscoting in those days! 

Regardless, Bowen (in this symphony at least) seems to have a very neutral style. Far from "inventing" a style, as you suggest Elgar did, I'm not at all sure I could recognize another of his works as a "Bowen."


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

That was a fun re-listen. I don't think I've put that Chandos recording on since I bought it some years ago. The 2nd was certainly well written. The score colorful and potent. It didn't seem to mis-step anywhere. The ending was satisfying. And yet...several hours after having listened I can't say I recall much about it. Not a tune, not a colorful harmony. It was pleasant enough but it's just nor strong enough to make a lasting impression. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow, see if that helps.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Bought, listened and enjoyed. Unfortunately, I recognised absolutely nothing from Ken's description, this was a light, sunny work, very Mendelssohnian.

Then I realised I had thought we were doing the First Symphony. Hey hum!

The Second is a more powerful work than No.1, yes it has its longeurs, but well-crafted, moments of solid drama, both definitely worth getting to know. 

Damned good choice, thanks for the introduction!


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