Fennell Conducts Grainger & Coates

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Grainger's delicious folk-song arrangements deserve a place in every collection, being not only charming, but absolutely unique of their kind. Grainger treated these lovely melodies the way a scientist examines a prime specimen, breaking them down into their component parts, and arranging most of them many different times--each version orchestrated and harmonized differently so as to examine the melodic material from every conceivable angle. He was particularly fond of what he liked to call "tuneful percussion," a collection of mallet instruments and bells that adds touches of bright color to his beloved tunes. This fine collection includes all of his most famous pieces in lively, sensitive performances. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Country Gardens
Sheperd's Hey
Colonial Song
Children's March
The Immovable Do
Mock Morris
Handel In The Strand
Irish Tune From County Derry
Spoon River
My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Molly On The Shore
The Three Elizabeths: Halcyon Days
The Three Elizabeths: Springtime In Angus
The Three Elizabeths: Youth Of Britain

Amazon.com

Grainger's delicious folk-song arrangements deserve a place in every collection, being not only charming, but absolutely unique of their kind. Grainger treated these lovely melodies the way a scientist examines a prime specimen, breaking them down into their component parts, and arranging most of them many different times--each version orchestrated and harmonized differently so as to examine the melodic material from every conceivable angle. He was particularly fond of what he liked to call "tuneful percussion," a collection of mallet instruments and bells that adds touches of bright color to his beloved tunes. This fine collection includes all of his most famous pieces in lively, sensitive performances. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Fennell's Grainger & Coates.......2003-12-31

Famed American band conductor Frederick Fennell turned to British music in this highly enjoyable compilation of music by Percy Grainger and Eric Coates, who both lived during the first half of the twentieth century.

Grainger (1882-1961), who was actually born in Australia and later became an American citizen, authorized and approved the recordings of some of his more popular compositions and arrangements. Like Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly, Grainger collected folk music and some of those pieces are represented on this CD. One of the most familiar tunes is "Irish Tune from County Derry," which is better known as the melody for "Danny Boy." It is given a particularly sensitive, lovely, and lyrical performance by the Eastman Rochester "Pops" Orchestra under Fennell.

The works are generally light and lively, expertly played by the musicians of the Eastman School of Music, where these recordings were made in 1959. The sound is typically top-notch, taken from the original triple track stereophonic tapes that were part of Mercury's "Living Presence" series.

Some of these pieces were originally written for piano. Grainger himself was a very capable pianist, as can be heard in some of the Columbia acoustical recordings he made in 1922. The orchestrations are generally rich and colorful.

"The Immovable Do" was inspired by a stuck note on a small organ. The "Do" is actually "doe," as in "do-re-mi." It is highly original and very charming.

All of the works have special, endearing qualities and are often very entertaining. In a way, this is classical music for people who say they don't like classical music; for those who do like classical music, this is a pleasant change-of-pace.

With the London "Pops" Orchestra, Fennell later recorded a three-movement suite by Eric Coates (1886-1957), who is best known for his light classical works, notably the "London Suite" and the "London Again Suite," works that Coates himself recorded for English Columbia (which usually utilized EMI engineers in London).

"The Three Elizabeths" pays tribute to three members of British royalty. "Halcyon Days" salutes Queen Elizabeth I; "Springtime in Angus" honors Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; and "Youth of Britain" honors Princess Elizabeth, who became Queen Elizabeth II. Typically, Coates music has great charm and memorable melodies. The performance here is quite delightful.

Shephard's Hey.......2000-04-11

I find this orchestra uncapable of meeting my standards with this piece. It should completely exhilarate and move you. This recording does neither.

Music from the Soil.......2000-03-29

Grainger was one of the group of British composers at the turn of the century who were fascinated by the oral tradition folk songs which were starting to disappear from the earth. Holst, Vaughan-Williams, Delius, Butterworth, all wrote distillations of this wonderful music. Grainger even recorded it. This recording does have a few oddities about it. Perhaps Fennell could be said to not have "been in touch with his feminine side", so slower, lyrical pieces may not his forte, but in some cases they can have a hypnotic quality. The County Derry certainly does have sentiment. His performances are marked with exhilarating virility, and he has a strong passion which maybe had a chance to show itself better with the wind ensemble recordings, but this one still has the Fennell energy and love. Also, he may have considered a symphony orchestra to be a wind ensemble surrounded by strings, but I forgive him it because he so lovingly "dished up"* a fine collection of Grainger for us, and anyway, Grainger may have shared the view as well. Grainger didn't give us a lot of time to see and feel the places and perceptions in any of his short pieces, but if you catch them, they are certainly there, and Fennell I think caught them and knew them as well. Molly on the Shore has these brief, mystical moments. Grainger is so worth pursuing, this recording is a must, and so are the other Fennell/Grainger recordings. I really don't think anyone has sensed the poignant beauties in Grainger's little jewels as well as Fennell. *Favorite Grainger phrase, e.g., "Molly on the Shore, Dished Up For Piano"

Good music but not top level perfromance.......1999-11-27

This CD holds some wonderful music (that of Percy Grainger) and I hold great respect for both Frederick Fennell and the University of Rochester. But there are a few flaws on this CD. First, the performing hall is about as dead as can be. There is are no acoustics that would normally add to such a performance. But that is a small detail. Second, one of my big complaints is Irish Tune from County Derry. The soft section featuring the high strings has sections that are played out of tune. And, in the background, a double bass can be heard tuning his strings or lightly playing for some reason I can't imagine. Third, I suppose my only other complaint would be that some of the performances seem rather flat. They just lack the emotion that these songs require. On the other hand, though, this CD holds some wonderful things. Country Gardens, Shepherd's Hey, Children's March, Mock Morris, and Handel in the Strand are all superbly done (aside from the small complaints made earlier). It boils down to this: If you really like Percy Grainger, then the CD is worth getting. If you dislike or only moderately enjoy Grainger's music, this CD is probably not worth getting.

Great composer, great conductor, great orchestra........1999-05-04

Children's March is fantastic, the clip doesn't do it justice. A great piece to listen to, especially with this fine orchestra and conductor, it's even more fun to play.

Average customer rating:

A Compendium of Classic Marches

Frederick Fennell Conducts

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Fennell: Suites 1 & 2 / Folk Song Suite / Toccata Marziale
British and American Band Classics
Frederick Fennell & the Eastman Wind Ensemble: Grainger; Persichetti...
Howard Hanson Conducts Howard Hanson
Gould: West Point Symphony; Hovhaness: Symphony No. 4 & Giannini: Symphony No. 3

ASIN: B000A5DLP6
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Hands Across The Sea
Father Of Victory
The Golden Ear
Old Comrades
March, Op.99
Valdres March
Inglesina
Knightsbridge March
The U.S. Field Artillery
The Thunderer
Washington Post
King Cotton
El Capitan
The Stars And Stripes Forever
Amerian Patrol
On The Mall
Lights Out
Barnum And Bailey's Favorite
Colonel Bogey
The Billboard

Tracks:

Country Gardens
Shepherd's Hey
Colonial Song
Children's March
The Immovable Do
Mock Morris
Handel In The Strand
Irish Tune From County Derry
Spoon River
My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Molly On The Shore
I. Halcyon Days
II. Springtime In Angus
III. Youth Of Britain

Tracks:

I. Covent Garden
II. Westminster
III. Knightsbridge
I. Northwards
II. Eastwards
Pirate Dance From Goldilocks
Suite Of Carols (Excerpts)
A Christmas Festival
Sandpaper Ballet
Forgotten Dreams
Trumpeter's Lullaby
Penny-Whistle Song
Bulger's Holiday
I. The Irish Washerwoman
II. The Minstrel Boy
III. The Rakes Of Mallow
IV. The Wearing Of The Green
V. The Last Rose Of Summer
VI. The Girl I Left Behind

Tracks:

I. The Earle Of Oxford's Marche
II. Pavana
III. John Come Kisse Me Now
IV. The Mayden's Song
V. Wolsey's Wilde
VI. The Bells
Crown Imperial: A Coronation March
Hammersmith: Prelude And Scherzo, Op.52
I. Serenade
II. Spiritual
III. Celebration
Fanfare And Allegro

Customer Reviews:

A Compendium of Classic Marches.......2007-01-10

The performances contained herein are very good. I only wish there were more Sousa marches in the collection. However, those that are there are well-performed and the recording is very good.

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