# Bax symphony recommendations



## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Hey all, I'm trying ascertain which BAX symphony (or symphonies) might be a good place to start to get to know this rather ambiguous composer for the first time. To my knowledge, I have heard none of his symphonic works (only snippets) and would like to start with one, maybe two works as an introduction to the man's music. I figure there's no better place than this post to get some solid recommendations.

That said, any suggestions? Favorites? A quick descriptive of "why" is always helpful as well. Thanks in advance!

Addendum: I just now saw that there is another identical request thread that, for some reason, didn't reveal itself when I searched for "Bax" on the thread search engine. Strange. Anyway... apologies for starting a redundant thread!


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Sir Arnold Bax is in some ways a forgotten composer, at least in concerts. But the recordings are keeping his music well alive (and Lewis Foreman's booklet essays are a huge part of the successes these recordings enjoy. His biography of the composer is well worth checking out). His symphonies are excellently written and compellingly argued, a musical journey from the turbulent First Symphony to the reflective, fare-well Seventh. Like Myaskovsky, Lyatoshynsky, and Bruckner, he is at his best in slow movements. As for his symphonies,

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Spring Fire: Pagan, wild, resolute, magical (notice how it begins).
The First: turbulent, angered (try the second movement), mournful, uneasy. It was written in response to the turbulence he went through in the 1910s (WWI, the Easter Uprising which claimed the lives of some of his friends, etc.). The ending is triumphant, though one gets a sense that not all of what is said have that sense of resolve. Thus,
The Second: which is a continuation of the First (bleak, angered, the second movement beautiful before the terrifying climax sets in, resigned).
The Third (my favorite): An idyllic resolution of the first two symphonies, with one of the best epilogues written.
The Fourth: festive. Some would argue that the work evokes the sea (like the Seventh), which may be true in the slow movement. But this is Bax at his most gaiety. 
The Fifth: atmospheric, majestic, hauntingly beautiful (second movement), Sibelian in its brooding atmosphere.
The Sixth: his most uncompromising and demanding, yet arguably his masterpiece (tightly argued and very well developed). 
The Seventh: His most relaxed symphony: reflective, nostalgic, lilting. The epilogue is sad, sort of a good-bye in articulation and feeling (by then Bax was sort of retiring from composing. He became tired by then).

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As for Winter Legends & Symphonic Variations,
They're both quite as ambitious as the symphonies, both in terms of scale (or scope) and complete, quite unrelenting in utterance, with Winter Legends being as forbidding as the Sixth. The Variations are more idyllic, though there are turbulences here and there (in the strife variation (no. III) most particularly).

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As for some of his tone poems,
Christmas Eve: A Sibelius-type beginning. A beautiful, dignified work with some glorious organ writing. 
Tintagel: majestic a la Wagner, grandiose.
November Woods: Hauntingly beautiful.
The Garden of Fand: Idyllic, ethereal.
In Memoriam: much like the first two symphonies, but much more melancholic sad and introspective than resolute (much like Glazunov's unfinished Ninth Symphony or Myaskovsky's Thirteenth).

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The Naxos CDs are excellent, though for my money, Bryden Thomson's recordings with the London Philharmonic remain benchmark (phrasings capture the sometimes cloudy details in Bax scores very well indeed and the recorded sound, at tad soupy, is appropriately atmospheric for these works). I would check out those Chandos CDs if I were you. Handley (also on Chandos) focuses more on the symphonies' structural integrity, if at times, at the expense of the magic behind the music. The Lyrita albums are well worth checking out also, esp. with Boult conducting the LPO in Bax's November Woods, the Garden of Fand, and Tintagel.

Enjoy.


P.S. check out Eric Parkin's traversal of Bax's piano music (Chandos) as well as the Hyperion, Naxos, and Koch albums of his chamber works. This one in particular is superb.
http://www.amazon.com/Arnold-Bax-Co...UTF8&qid=1431719248&sr=1-10&keywords=bax+harp


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Hey thanks for the very thoughtful response, dholling! Much appreciated. This is _exactly_ what I was looking for.

You clearly know your BAX!


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

EDaddy said:


> Hey thanks for the very thoughtful response, dholling! Much appreciated. This is _exactly_ what I was looking for.
> 
> You clearly know your BAX!


You're welcome EDaddy, and thank you.

Bax is indeed one of my all time favorites, and to my mind, among the giants of 20th Century music. If possible, seek out (also) the Handley set of the symphonies. It contains, other than the music, the interview disc (disc 5) between Andrew McGregor and Handley which I find very revealing in regards to the essence of Bax's music and why it went into a decline after the mid-1930s. Come to think of it, it may be available via Youtube.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Okay, I think dholling has said all that needs to be said. :tiphat:


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

dholling said:


> You're welcome EDaddy, and thank you.
> 
> Bax is indeed one of my all time favorites, and to my mind, among the giants of 20th Century music. If possible, seek out (also) the Handley set of the symphonies. It contains, other than the music, the interview disc (disc 5) between Andrew McGregor and Handley which I find very revealing in regards to the essence of Bax's music and why it went into a decline after the mid-1930s. Come to think of it, it may be available via Youtube.


That's a big 10-4.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I can't possibly add even a dollop of frosting to dholling's splendid cake, but it might be useful to know the preferences of someone who enjoys Bax now and then but doesn't count him as a favorite.

For what that's worth, my favorites among his symphonies are his first, for its brooding intensity - nothing in Bax surpasses the slow movement for me - and his third, with its glorious ending. I own the Handley set of the symphonies, and I think they're very strong readings; other conductors may take a softer, more impressionistic approach.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> I can't possibly add even a dollop of frosting to dholling's splendid cake, but it might be useful to know the preferences of someone who enjoys Bax now and then but doesn't count him as a favorite.
> 
> For what that's worth, my favorites among his symphonies are his first, for its brooding intensity - nothing in Bax surpasses the slow movement for me - and his third, with its glorious ending. I own the Handley set of the symphonies, and I think they're very strong readings; other conductors may take a softer, more impressionistic approach.


The slow movement of Bax's _First Symphony_ is a virtually contained tone poem for me. I love it. It reminds me of someone struggling with climbing the Eiger face of the Matterhorn- incredibly atmospheric music.


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> I can't possibly add even a dollop of frosting to dholling's splendid cake, but it might be useful to know the preferences of someone who enjoys Bax now and then but doesn't count him as a favorite.
> 
> For what that's worth, my favorites among his symphonies are his first, for its brooding intensity - nothing in Bax surpasses the slow movement for me - and his third, with its glorious ending. I own the Handley set of the symphonies, and I think they're very strong readings; other conductors may take a softer, more impressionistic approach.


Noted, Woodduck. Thx!

And I concur: There's no topping that cake!


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Ok so... I pulled the trigger on these bad boys because it was hard to turn down the $6.99 price as well as for the overall excellent reviews they get, both on Amazon and on another thread on the forum.

So far, I am _enthralled_ and can't for the life of me understand why this guy remains so obscure. I started with the tone poems: _Tintagel_ first (again, because it was recommended as an excellent place to start) and... utterly blown away. Breathtakingly beautiful.

Next I checked_ The Garden of Fand_ and, again, completely swept off my feet! And I haven't even gotten to the symphonies yet! Will definitely start with S#1 (Heh heh! I feel like a kid in a candy store!).

After I've had ample time to absorb these discs, as soon as the budget allows, I'll definitely be checking some of the other recommendations above, like the Chandos discs, etc.. It will be very interesting to see - or rather hear - other interpretations/ performances. But for now, I got my work cut out for me!

In the ever-relevant words of Ren and Stimpy, "Happy Happy! Joy Joy!" :clap:


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

My vote would go for the 6th with its evocative epilogue. And, unlike most people I like the Bryden Thomson version. Its mellow acoustic captures the spirit of Bax's music.


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

Just pulled the trigger on 3 more Bax albums: Symphonies 3, 5 and 6. Feel like a kid in a candy store!





















Decided to go with these Naxos versions because I previously acquired David Lloyd-Jones on Naxos for the 1st and 7th symphonies (along with the respective tone poems on each album) and they have fast become some of my very favorite works. So I'm working on his complete cycle. After that, I plan to check out Bryden Thomson's cycle as he seems to be highly regarded by many here on the forum. Certainly something to look forward to. 

Listening to 3's first movement now.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

EDaddy said:


> Just pulled the trigger on 3 more Bax albums: Symphonies 3, 5 and 6. *Feel like a kid in a candy store!
> *
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Ohhhh how I know the feeling (when I got the Russian Disc set of the Myaskovsky symphonies and orchestral works, I played that thing for days straight. A remarkable discovery even though I knew most of them already). Please enjoy: you're on the right track!


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