ELGAR: Orchestral Music

Dec 21, 2023 | CD reviews

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LSO0572 (4 disk set) Disc 1: Symphony no 1, Pomp and Circumstance Marches, 2,3,5 Colin Davis, Barry Tuckwell conductors Disc 2: Symphony no 2, Coronation March, Imperial March  Pomp and Circumstance March No 1Colin Davis, Barry...

CD reviews – dead or alive?

Nov 28, 2023 | Inbox

The fact that several of the reviews in the recent edition of BMS News cover CDs containing entirely or mostly music by living composers prompts me to write (yet again) to observe that the founding principle of the British Music Society was the promotion of music by...

Searching for Bryson manuscripts

Nov 28, 2023 | Inbox

I am searching for any information regarding the whereabouts of the original manuscripts of Ernest Bryson (1867 – 1942). He had three unmarried sisters who are all now deceased.  If anyone has any leads, please contact me directly at alan.jones.ski@gmail.com...

Monthly Music Digest

Nov 27, 2023 | News

Introducing a new, regular feature – a summary of stories from the last month about the musical world… David Pickard, director of the BBC Proms will leave his post after next summer’s classical music festival. He will have planned and delivered nine Proms...

Call for BMS CD reviewers

Nov 27, 2023 | News

Love listening to music? Have good musical knowledge and a discerning ear? Can write effective and concise text? CD production seems to be on the increase again so we are on the look out for new people to add to our team of CD reviewers.  If you are interested please...

JOANNA FORBES L’ESTRANGE: Heaven To Earth

Nov 27, 2023 | CD reviews

London VoicesBen Parry conductorAndreana Chan organ  SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD790 The music for all 21 of these sincerely sacred pieces is composed by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. She has also written, or at least compiled, the texts of two of the pieces, Words from The...

HOWARD BLAKE: Orchestral Music

Nov 27, 2023 | CD reviews

Philharmonia OrchestraHoward Blake piano and conductorEnglish Northern PhilharmoniaPaul Daniel conductor SOMMCD 0678 This latest SOMM disc is devoted to orchestral music to mark the 85th birthday of Howard Blake. Mr Blake has been a key figure in British...

ELIZABETH POSTON: Carols and Anthems

Nov 23, 2023 | CD reviews

St Albans Cathedral Girls ChoirLay Clerks of St Albans CathedralTom Winpenny conductor and piano NAXOS 8.574576 Elizabeth Poston (1905 -1987) studied composition privately with Ralph Vaughan Williams. She was a close friend of Peter Warlock, and an expert on his...

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH & OTHERS: Piano Music

Nov 21, 2023 | CD reviews

WILLIAM WORDSWORTHTHOMAS WILSON EDWARD McGUIRE Richard Deering piano HERITAGE HTGCD 142 No, not the poet, but the great-great-grandson of brother Christopher. He is claimed by both Scotland and England but he did not come permanently to Scotland till he was 53 when he...

A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS: Orchestral Music for Christmas

Nov 21, 2023 | CD reviews

Royal Ballet SinfoniaCity of Prague Symphony OrchestraBarry Wordsworth, Gavin Sutherland, Julian Bigg conductor HERITAGE RECORDS          HTGCD 139 A Child’s Christmas is an apposite title for an enchanting collection of orchestral music for...