Tippett: Symphony No. 1; Piano Concerto

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Tippett's First Symphony is a rhythmically complex, vital piece of music that will hold no terrors for anyone who enjoys works like Copland's Short Symphony, which it resembles in many ways. Its slow movement is particularly moving, and the final fugue really works up a head of steam--only to evaporate mysteriously into mid-air. The Piano Concerto is one of the composer's loveliest works, related in substance to the songful lyricism of the opera The Midsummer Marriage. The performances here, part of an ongoing cycle of Tippett's orchestral music, are all excellent. If you enjoy them, you may want to explore other issues in this series. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Sun Dance ('Wand Of Youth' Ste No.1, Op.1a No.4) - RPO/Lawrance Collingwood
Marigold - Richard Rodney Bennett
Saint Nicolas: 2. The Birth Of Nicolas - Robert Tear/Bruce Russell/Andrew Davis/Ian Hare
Str Qt 'In Gloucestershire' (No.3): II. Fairly Quick, But Always Rhythmical - Britten Qt
Sym No.1 in A flat, Op.55: IV. Allegro Molto (Exc) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Troilus And Cressida, Act II: From Isle to Isle Chill Waters (Exc) - Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf/Richard Lewis
Dance Scenes: IV. Molto Allegro (Conclusion) - Philharmonia Orch/Daniel Harding
Ave Maria Op.2 No.2 - Harry Bramma/Chr of Worcester Cathedral/Christopher Robinson
The Triumph Of Neptune (Ste): 7.Hornpipe - RLPO/Barry Wordsworth
Dies Natalis: 2. Rhapsody (Opening) - Wilfred Brown
Sym No.5 In D: III. Romanza (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orch/Sir John Barbirolli
Blest Pair Of Sirens (Opening) - London Phil Chr
Checkmate (Ballet Ste): V. Ceremony Of The Red Bishops - Sinf Of London/Sir Arthur Bliss
Peter Grimes: Act II, Scene 2: In Dreams I've Built Myself Some Kindlier Home (Opening) - Sir Peter Pears
Vn Con: II. Slower (Exc) - Yehudi Menuhin
The Planets: 4. Jupiter (Exc) - Toronto SO/Andrew Davis
Loch Lomond - Ian Partridge
Canadian Carnival (Exc) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
At The Boar's Head: We Two Saw You Four... (Opening) - Philip Langridge/Michael George/John Tomlinson
Divertimento On 'Sellinger's Round:' III. Presto - ASMF/Sir Neville Marriner
Greater Love Hath No Man (Conclusion) - Chr Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
English Dance No.5, Op.33 No.1 - Philharmonia Orch/Robert Irving
On Wenlock Edge: 2. From Far, From Eve And Morning - Ian Partridge
Sinfonietta: I. Allegro Con Brio (Exc) - Northern Sinf Of England/Richard Hickox
Mater Ora Fillum (Opening) - Chr Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
Violin Son: II. Vars (Var.6: Scherzando) - Yehudi Menuhin/Louis Kentner
Vc Con in D: II. Andante Espressivo (Opening) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Three Screaming Popes (Conclusion) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
Con, Op.104: III. Allegro (Exc) - Phyllis Sellick/Cyril Smith
The Young Person's Guide To The Orch Op.34: Fugue (Allegro Molto) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
Str Qt in e, Op.83: II. Piacevole (Conclusion) - Chilingirian Str Qt
The Lady's Birthday - Jennifer Partridge/Baccholian Singers Of London
Crown Imperial (Conclusion) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult

Tippett: Piano Sonatas 1-3; String Quartets 1-3; Fantasia Concertante; etc.

Average customer rating:

Great performances of some mostly great music

Tippett: Piano Sonatas 1-3; String Quartets 1-3; Fantasia Concertante; etc.

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ture Rangström: Complete Symphonies (Box Set)
Dukas: Piano Sonata; Decaux; Clairs de Lune

ASIN: B0009A41W4
Release Date: 2006-03-08

Customer Reviews:

Great performances of some mostly great music.......2006-01-01

The late Michael Tippett (1905-1998) had one of the most instantly recognisable musical voices of the twentieth century. Although his stylistic concerns may have shifted radically from the radiant, tonally-inflected lyricism of the Concerto for Double String Orchestra to the thorny and ascetic Concerto for Orchestra (and the opera King Priam), the intense and passionate vein of ecstatic musical lines never left his music. This box set collects most of his major orchestral works (with the unfortunate exception of The Rose Lake), and the first three of his piano sonatas and string quartets. Firstly, the performances are universally excellent (all the artists being long associated with Tippett's music). Mention must be made of Sir Marriner's passionate and wonderfully- nuanced reading of the always enjoyable Fantasia Concertante, and Colin Davis' energetic and joyous interpretations of the first three symphonies. He makes the diffuse and poorly- constructed Third Symphony seem more logical than the only rival recording- Hickox on Chandos. Heather Harper, whilst no Blues singer, gives a valiant effort to articulate Tippett's frankly vulgar Blues songs, interpolated between quotes from Beethoven's 9th. Solti's recording of the 4th symphony is everything you'd expect from CSO in the late seventies: power, virtuosity and that famous sheen that obviously inspired Tippett to write the work for them. Unfortunately, the "breathing effect" is a disastrous failure, sounding like a dying bronchitis patient, rather than the "gently breathing" sounds presumably intended by the composer. The first three Piano Sonatas are played beautifully by Paul Crossley, making the most elegant case possible for the average first and second sonatas. The third, truly a great work, is given an electric reading. The string quartets, played by the Lindsay Quartet are also given dynamic, thoughtful performances, the second and third quartets containing some of Tippett's most inspired counterpoint.
All in all, a set well worth investigating, if you do not have any orchestral/instrumental Tippett in your collection, though not every work on here is of the highest compositional quality.

Michael Tippett: Symphony No. 4 / Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli / Fantasia on a Theme of Handel - Richard Hickox / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Howard Shelley

Average customer rating:

What a symphony
Superb performance of 20th Centuty Masterpiece!

Michael Tippett: Symphony No. 4 / Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli / Fantasia on a Theme of Handel - Richard Hickox / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Howard Shelley
Michael Tippett , Richard Hickox , Howard Shelley , and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Tippett: Symphony No. 2; Suite from New Year

ASIN: B000000ATL
Release Date: 1994-07-26

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4: Introduction And Exposition. Tempo 1
Symphony No. 4: Fig. 21 - Development 1 (Fig.25). Tempo 3
Symphony No. 4: Slow Movement (Fig. 52). Tempo
Symphony No. 4: Development 2 (Fig. 78). Tempo 2
Symphony No. 4: Scherzo And Trios (Fig. 100). Tempo 3
Symphony No. 4: Fig. 139. Tempo 1 - Development 3 (Fig.144)
Symphony No. 4: Recapitulation (Fig. 160)
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli: Adagio
Fantasia On A Theme Of Handel: Allegro Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

What a symphony.......2006-02-26

I think, Michael Tippett's Symphony No. 4 is one of the best symphonies written in 20th century. And this is one of the best compositions of Tippett.

This symphony was written for Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was dedicated to Sir Georg Solti.

This work is one of the very heavy and most close to atonal work. Even so, Tippett was tried 12-ton system in this work, but sometimes written however with tonality. And orchestration is not usual: 2 piccolos, 2 cor anglais, 2 bass-clarinet, 2 contrabassoon, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 tubas, a large percussion ensemble, strings, piano and a offstage voice (with microphone and amplifier) or type (synthesizer)...

This symphony tells about a Hero's Life (like R. Strauss' great tone poem "Ein Heldenleben"), and is formed in one movement (like Sibelius' 7th Symphony). Duration is about 30 minutes. And Tippett was used breath voices for describe the hero (like the breaths of Darth Wader in Star Wars!). The symphony starts with the Hero's Birth and with new themes (in slow and Scherzo movements) tells his wars and victories. But in Coda (final movement) Hero is living his last moments and his breaths gradually go to slowly.

Highly recommended.

Superb performance of 20th Centuty Masterpiece!.......1999-04-27

Tippett's 4th symphony has remained, in my estimation, the best symphony written in the last 30 years. Tippett takes us from birth till death in a symphony quite like a tone poem. The work has an encapulated symphonic form much like the Sibelius 7th. This is also a product of his 'late style' which was a combination of his thorny style with his lyric style, which are both in evidence. Exemplary performance and sound. The Corelli Fantasia was once controversial, but no more. It is an extremely pleasant piece with the rhtymic buoyancy and glowing harmonies we associate with Tippett. Adding to that is the joyful Handel Fantasia, in which Tippett pays homage to the master by providing an extremely pleasant work. Kudos to all concerned, especially for Chandos for superlative sound.

Average customer rating:

Magic!

Tippett: Symphony No. 1; Piano Concerto

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Tippett: Symphony No. 2; Suite from New Year

ASIN: B000000AW0
Release Date: 1995-02-28

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1: I - Allegro vigoroso: quasi alla breve
Symphony No. 1: II - Adagio
Symphony No. 1: III - Presto
Symphony No. 1: IV - Allegro moderato ma con brio e piu tarde con delicatezza
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: I - Allegro non troppo
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: II - Molto lento e tranquillo
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: III - Vivace

Amazon.com

Tippett's First Symphony is a rhythmically complex, vital piece of music that will hold no terrors for anyone who enjoys works like Copland's Short Symphony, which it resembles in many ways. Its slow movement is particularly moving, and the final fugue really works up a head of steam--only to evaporate mysteriously into mid-air. The Piano Concerto is one of the composer's loveliest works, related in substance to the songful lyricism of the opera The Midsummer Marriage. The performances here, part of an ongoing cycle of Tippett's orchestral music, are all excellent. If you enjoy them, you may want to explore other issues in this series. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Magic!.......2001-06-20

Tippett's First Symphony was recorded by Colin Davis, but alas, that recording is currently out of print (hopefully it will be re-issued soon!). Hickox's interpretation is certianly lively and very well played, but Davis has even more energy and fire. For example, in the approach to the recapitulation of the first movement, Davis whips up an incredible crescendo that isn't matched by Hickox's slightly more relaxed reading.

Tippett's Piano Concerto is a radiant work that certainly deserves to be a standard repertoire piece. From the very beginning of the first movement, one could almost believe that this is what magic must sound like -- the music of Faery itself, perhaps. Shelley's and Hickox's interpretation is nothing short of magnificent, certainly outclassing all the other recordings of this piece (the Naxos recording, Ogdon's, and even Martino Tirimo with Tippett conducting). Chandos's sound quality is, as always, excellent -- rich and brilliant, warm and crisp. Get this CD for the piano concerto -- you WON'T be disappointed by such a wonderful work!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

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