# SS 01.01.22 - Alwyn #3



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*William Alwyn (1905-1985)*

*Symphony no. 3*

I. Allegro molto 
II. Poco adagio
III. Allegro con fuoco - in tempo meno mosso (tempo moderato) - in tempo primo

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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)

Happy New Year! We'll usher in 2022 with the passionate, dramatic and fiery Symphony no. 3 of William Alwyn. Written in 1956, Alwyn's brilliant orchestration certainly comes through in this work and in particular when knowing he only uses (both melodically and harmonically) 8 semitones in the first movement and only 4 in the second. The third alternates between the use of 8 and then 4 until the final coda which nearly dies away softly before Alwyn gives us a brief brash and boisterous ending.

Unfortunately not many recordings, although there may be some earlier live recordings of the work but Hickox and London as always with a fine performance.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Much better choice this week (and don't be sending me any more unsolicited, insulting private messages, or I'll find you and you'll get a slap)


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Tomorrow, I'll kick off with the composer himself conducting on the marvellous Lyrita label ..............


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

[/QUOTE]

I don't have it, so I will try the video


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Hick for me also


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I'll also go for the composer's recording.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Hickox from the Chandos CD (bought it in the 90s).

It's been a while since I played the Alwyn symphonies. I remember them as worthwhile but not outstanding - will be interesting to see how I feel now.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Earlier this morning a listened to the Composer's performance on Lyrita, David Lloyd-jones on Naxos and Hickox on Chandos. All 3 recordings have been with me for many years, but it's still the Lyrita disc that I prefer. The performance has more gravitas and the LPO play out of their skins for the composer. Also, Lyrita's engineers have, as always, captured a most realistic, warm and detailed sound-recording. I don't have the Barbirolli disc, so I shan't comment on that.

I shall be returning to this symphony again, later today.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Mika said:


> View attachment 162573
> 
> Hick for me also


I have this recording of the Symphony as a download. I am intrigued by the premiere recording mention on the CD cover. Did the Lyrita recording led by the composer come later?


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Triplets said:


> I have this recording of the Symphony as a download. I am intrigued by the premiere recording mention on the CD cover. Did the Lyrita recording led by the composer come later?


I'm sure the Barbirolli was the first recording

That Chandos disc is the first recording of the vc


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Art Rock said:


> William Alwyn - Symphony 3, Violin concerto (London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox, Lydia Mordkovitch, Chandos)
> 
> For the Saturday Symphony thread. In my memory all five Alwyn symphonies are worthwhile but not outstanding - but it's been a while since I last played them. Listening to the first movement of the third symphony again, my reaction was that this is probably still a reasonably fair personal judgment. However, I must say that the second movement is very good indeed - better than I remembered. At times I get vague associations with Shostakovich's sound world, also in the third movement, which is also very good. An interesting symphony, good choice for the Saturday Symphony tradition - I would rank this symphony one tier higher now (5/6 on the Artrockometer). I will probably line up the other symphonies as well for a re-listen the coming weeks.


:tiphat: .


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

David Lloyd-Jones conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

This symphony is new to me. There is aggression. There is volatility. There is tranquility. Fantastic music. Like.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

HenryPenfold said:


> Earlier this morning a listened to the Composer's performance on Lyrita, David Lloyd-jones on Naxos and Hickox on Chandos. All 3 recordings have been with me for many years, but it's still the Lyrita disc that I prefer. The performance has more gravitas and the LPO play out of their skins for the composer. Also, Lyrita's engineers have, as always, captured a most realistic, warm and detailed sound-recording. I don't have the Barbirolli disc, so I shan't comment on that.
> 
> I shall be returning to this symphony again, later today.


I think the composer's own recording is the better of the two I have, comparing with Lloyd-Jones only, though. Good symphony!


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Mika said:


> View attachment 162573
> 
> Hick for me also


One day late this week 
I shall join in with this version


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## Nawdry (Dec 27, 2020)

cougarjuno said:


> We'll usher in 2022 with the passionate, dramatic and fiery Symphony no. 3 of William Alwyn. Written in 1956, Alwyn's brilliant orchestration certainly comes through in this work ....


Intriguing symphony with somber, brooding motifs and melodic lines. Thanks for sharing this sample! I'll keep an eye out for this and other Alwyn symphonies in used CD stores I visit ...


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

Thanks for this ! I don't know the composer that well. Orchestration quite impressive ! I enjoyed it and I will keep an eye on the Saturday Symphony threads a bit more


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