# SS 05.06.21 - Moeran - Symphony in G minor



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950)*

Symphony in G minor

1. Allegro
2. Lento
3. Vivace
4. Lento - Allegro molto
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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 is EJ Moeran's Symphony in G minor. This is a wonderful symphony from a composer, very popular with TC members, who unfortunately died far too soon. Can you find anything more British (or is it Irish?) than those opening moments of the first movement. Moeran certainly throws out the folk ideas to great effect throughout. There is certainly a Sibelius influence particularly in the second and third movements but Moeran's folk idiom is still in the British Isles throughout. Moeran finished the symphony in the late 1930s, and the fourth movement has the drama that may be a portend of things to come. The BBC Philharmonic with Vassily Siniasky conducting is below. But there are many options online and in recordings including the Ulster and Vernon Handley


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Wow, what a great symphony. It's been awhile since a new symphony struck me so quickly. I just listened to the YouTube link. Thanks for bringing me to it.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Vassily Sinaisky conducting the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

A dramatic symphony that holds itself together very well. I like it.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

View attachment 155991


I only have this one, so will spin it later


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I enjoyed this one. Listening to No.2 as well.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I'll be playing the Chandos CD (the original version):










Got it when it was released around 1990, and made me fall in love with this composer (who is in my top 15). I like the cello concerto and violin concerto even more by the way.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

cougarjuno said:


>


I am listening this one from spotify


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

A great symphony that I will be returning to today....Naxos David Lloyd Jones/Bournemouth recording here!

Reminds me that I still need to listen to the violin and cello concertos.


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

Jones/Bournemouth's very good indeed, but I'm partial to Boult's rendition on Lyrita. My favourite.









Regards,

Vincula


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I find this symphony structurally loose and meandering. But it is in the final analysis, a gorgeous, enchanting score worthy of repeated listening, even if patience is needed and paying attention to it is rather painstaking. I will go with this album myself.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

I've always liked this symphony and I enjoy any of the five performances that I have on CD.

Boult, Handley and Lloyd-Jones are all superb, and the 1942 Halle conducted by Leslie Heward is scintillating, easily the best performance, but the sound quality is a bit of a distraction, for me.

I'm gonna give this work a spin at some point this weekend, and it will be Neville Dilkes and the English Sinfonia. I remember when I discovered this CD a few years ago, I was so taken by it that when I found out that Dilkes was (is?) still alive and retired in France, I wanted to write a letter to him thanking him for such a marvellous performance. Then I reasoned that people don't write letters like that anymore, so I didn't ......










P.S. This CD is an absolute cracker!!


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

HenryPenfold said:


> I'm gonna give this work a spin at some point this weekend, and it will be Neville Dilkes and the English Sinfonia. I remember when I discovered this CD a few years ago, I was so taken by it that when I found out that Dilkes was (is?) still alive and retired in France, I wanted to write a letter to him thanking him for such a marvellous performance. Then I reasoned that people don't write letters like that anymore, so I didn't ......


That's the very reason why you should do it, Henry. Write that letter, put a Royal stamp on it and post it to La République!

That in itself constitutes a declaration of love these sad days where the only one's we get are extracts of bills already paid.

Regards,

Vincula


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

vincula said:


> That's the very reason why you should do it, Henry. Write that letter, put a Royal stamp on it and post it to La République!
> 
> That in itself constitutes a declaration of love these sad days where the only one's we get are extracts of bills already paid.
> 
> ...


Yes. According to Wikipedia he is still alive (now aged 90) and lives in a place called Nalliers in the Vendee.
Looking at images of Nalliers on Google it looks like a pretty place.
Nice to wish him well.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to Bournemouth. His two concertos and the string quartets are favourites here. Good choice this week.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

vincula said:


> Jones/Bournemouth's very good indeed, but I'm partial to Boult's rendition on Lyrita. My favourite.
> 
> View attachment 155996
> 
> ...


That's the one I have.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Handley for me.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Another thumbs up from me for this weeks choice
I will give the ever reliable Vernon Handley version a listen.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Art Rock said:


> I'll be playing the Chandos CD (the original version):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think I got it in 1994. Like most of Handley's performances, it is very good indeed.

Good call on the 'cello concerto, one of my favourites. And I have the Lyrita release (and the excellent violin concerto)



Peers Coetmore (cello)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
Recorded: February 1969
Recording Venue: Walthamstow Town Hall, London


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

vincula said:


> That's the very reason why you should do it, Henry. Write that letter, put a Royal stamp on it and post it to La République!
> 
> That in itself constitutes a declaration of love these sad days where the only one's we get are extracts of bills already paid.
> 
> ...


I think I may ............


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

HenryPenfold said:


> I think I may ............


While you're at it, thank him for this wonderful LP too, and ask why the hell it has never made it to CD....!


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

CnC Bartok said:


> While you're at it, thank him for this wonderful LP too, and ask why the hell it has never made it to CD....!
> 
> View attachment 156007


I don't know that LP - looks very interesting - such a shame it didn't make it to a CD release.

Thanks for drawing it to my attention - and I'll pass on your your thanks!


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I have the Naxos disc and enjoy Moeran's work.so I'll play that followed by his string quartets (which are equally impressive).


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Moeran's Symphony in G minor is a superb work. Terrific choice!


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

I've played them all through twice and I would say all are wonderful performances, but the 1942 sound on the Heward is a drawback, especially as it is possibly the most intense of them all.

The Handley comes across as slightly weightier and more momentous, while Lloyd-Jones feels more fleet of foot and more rhythmically sprung and almost exuberant in places. What can I say about Boult? He somehow always manages to hold everything together in an unassuming but totally masterful way. Every corner of the music is covered perfectly, with only the slightest dampening off of the white-hot heat that Heward finds. It's still a dynamite performance. Dilkes remains my overall favourite. Not easy to say why, especially since they are all so good. But perhaps the scherzo gives a clue. It is beautifully paced, unhurried yet fleet, allowing the woodwinds to come through so beautifully. Maybe that sums up his approach to the whole symphony.

The timings are all pretty similar, and don'y really hint at any qualitative difference in the performances.

Boult 13.23 11.25 4.32 15.04

Handley 13.48 13.08 5.06 14.36

Heward 13.07 11.07 5.06 13.50

Dilkes 13.24 12.19 6.14 14.01

Lloyd-Jones 13.28 12.00 5.07 14.00

And a big* thank you* to *cougarjuno* for a wonderful choice for this weekend's symphony!


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

I have the Handley on Chandos. Moeran is also a favorite of mine. Cello and Violin concertos are terrific as well. Was able to visit Moerans Pub in Kenmare many years ago which was interesting


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

HenryPenfold said:


> I don't know that LP - looks very interesting - such a shame it didn't make it to a CD release.
> 
> Thanks for drawing it to my attention - and I'll pass on your your thanks!


Actually, the two Butterworth pieces are on the same EMI CD as the Moeran Symphony's earlier CD incarnation. The other three pieces (I do like that Bax piece, btw) are yet to be put on shiny beer mat, I believe....


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