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 Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: rbell96 
Date:   2003-12-05 18:30

Can anyone recommend recordings of the howells and ireland?

Thanks,
Rob

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: D Dow 
Date:   2003-12-06 12:41

Thea King on Hyperion has recorded both. They are on separate CD's however.

David Dow

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: Jack Kissinger 
Date:   2003-12-06 16:28

IMHO these two difficult works are masterpieces that deserve more play. They haven't been recorded often (particularly the Howells) so you may have to take what you can find. Fortunately, there probably isn't a dud in the bunch.

Thea King recorded two LP's of British music for clarinet and piano for Hyperion. They were later issued as CD's and most recently were repackaged and reissued as a mid-price "two-fer." The Howells is on one but the Ireland is not on the other and I can't find any evidence of the existence of her recording it. Perhaps David can give us a number.

Peter Nichols has recorded both for BML on separate disks.

Murray Khouri has recorded the Howells on Continuum.

Here are some recordings of the Ireland. Some are probably out of print but you can likely find some still available.

Emma Johnson on ASV.

Nicholas Carpenter on Herald.

Gervase dePeyer on Chandos.

John Denman on BML.

Victoria Soames on Clarinet Classics.

Frederick Thurston (with John Ireland at the piano -- can't get more authentic than that but the circa 1948 sound may not be the best. On the other hand, I haven't heard this one.), Symposium

There may be others. I could have sworn I have a recording of at least one on an MHS LP (Lyrita reissue) but I can't find it so I might have been dreaming.

Best regards,
jnk

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: donald 
Date:   2003-12-06 20:49

i recomend the Nicolas Carpenter recording mentioned above. The Gervase de Peyer one certainly is good on the interpretation level but if you have high standard of tone quality you will find yourself wincing before the first page of score has been played.
Beware the Murray Khouri, i have a CD of him playing where he sounds for most of the time like a high school student out of his depth.I don't make comments like that for fun or because i get some pleasure out of putting him down. A pity, as he has a lot to offer in terms of musical ideas.
donald

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: Hank Lehrer 
Date:   2006-07-28 00:43

Hi,

I just heard the last few minutes of a recording of the Ireland with Emma Johnson. Very interesting piece with some really bravura sections.

However, having never played this piece, are there interpretive marking that call for a very forceful approach? It seemed that Johnson's interpretation was far from delicate and restrained. But not knowing the work, I am at a lose as to how to view her reading of the Fantasy.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks,

HRL

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: donald 
Date:   2006-07-28 06:49

by the way- Murray Khouri sent me an abusive email because of my comments above......
Murray Khouri wrote....... "Thanks for the bulletin board comment you little ****. That's exactly what I would have expected from some two-faced provincial hick. How great it feels not be around little failures like yourself."
I must have been writing grumpy late at night- that WAS a bit unkind of me, i actually think Khouri has the most lovely tone, and spend hours in the practise room trying to get my ligature selection right so i can sound like him.... Murray has of course never restrained his critical powers where other players are concerned, but can't take what he dishes out.
donald

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: Danny Boy 
Date:   2006-07-28 09:35

The Thurston/Ireland recording may be 'authentic' but Ireland was not a great pianist by any means. Much more worth listening to is the Kendall Taylor recording with Thurston, I was given a copy by a mutual friend of ours Rob after the Ireland Prize...I'll pass it your way.

The intonation is 'interesting' in places. In terms of value when listening to prepare a performance, I found the de Peyer recording the most useful.

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: Danny Boy 
Date:   2006-07-28 09:40

Hank...the last movement/section has markings including Giusto, grottesco, con risoluzione, and several marcato markings. I'd say that an intense (although maybe not forced...) last section is indicated and appropriate.

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: Hank Lehrer 
Date:   2006-07-28 11:02

Danny Boy,

Thanks. Grottesco and giusto seem to support what I heard. The technique was wonderful as one might expect but the interpratation was somewhat "in your face." It sounds like Johnson was doing exactly what the composer indicated.

HRL

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 Re: Howells Sonata & Ireland Fantasy
Author: donald 
Date:   2006-07-29 03:30

both these compositions are incredibly beautiful pieces that deserve to be much better known (outside the Brittish Empire) than they are at present.
i'd love to hear Carbonare play the Ireland, for instance. Larry Combs could do a fabulous job of the Howells.
donald

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