What a wonderful, detailed, insightful write up! All the others I've read seem to be obsessed with the imperfections and focusing on all the negative aspects of the work and the author, with barely a word on all the incredible things about them.
Been listening to the Boult/Lenard and now the Brabbins CDs (the Lenard for 30 years) and the work always surprises me. It's incredibly moving if you give it a chance. Since it requires many listenings at length, most won't get to experience the true meaning of the work.
What's most amazing is that Brian said he never meant to get it performed, and it almost wasn't. It's inconceivable that a work like this might not have seen the light of day.
I desperately hope for a US performance, surely Dudamel or Tilson Thomas must know about this piece, right?
Congrats, 5:4 for insightful analysis and comments! It's about time I read something positive about Brian and his Gothic Symph! Quirky? Challenging? But nevertheless worth exploring!
I heard it in 1980 at the Albert Hall and again this season. It was marvellous and I much enjoyed your review.
5:4
13 years ago
Thank you for the kind words, RoyPummo – i'm glad you found the music (and my thoughts) interesting. Best wishes to you and to Norway at this sad and painful time.
I've been an on/off Brian fan since finding him in a '70s edition of the Guiness book of world records and being presented with a cassette copy of Ole Schmidt's 1980 'Gothic' by a somewhat eccentric uncle of mine; I'm still reeling from the mere thought of a Proms Gothic!
I want to thank you for posting the FLAC files (living in Scandinavia my own internet recording was only a partial success) – but above all for some of the most insightful and rewarding comments I've come across on Brian and his Gothic symphony. A model of what good music analysis should be, making you feel that you see something familiar from a new and utterly refreshing perspective.
Many regards from Norway
CJS
10 months ago
I was delighted to come across this, following a new post on Reddit about someone’s ambivalence towards the Gothic. I personally have none – I can still remember the first time I heard it in my teens in the 1980s on a cassette copy of what must have been the Aries LP of the Boult performance, and the astounding impact of the organ entrance at the end of the first movement, and the outbursts of the four brass bands and six sets of timpani at the end of the sixth.
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What a wonderful, detailed, insightful write up! All the others I've read seem to be obsessed with the imperfections and focusing on all the negative aspects of the work and the author, with barely a word on all the incredible things about them.
Been listening to the Boult/Lenard and now the Brabbins CDs (the Lenard for 30 years) and the work always surprises me. It's incredibly moving if you give it a chance. Since it requires many listenings at length, most won't get to experience the true meaning of the work.
What's most amazing is that Brian said he never meant to get it performed, and it almost wasn't. It's inconceivable that a work like this might not have seen the light of day.
I desperately hope for a US performance, surely Dudamel or Tilson Thomas must know about this piece, right?
i've removed the audio of the symphony as it's now available on CD, but i've updated the links for the other audio & programme notes.
Any chance of having the files available again? At least the programme notes?
Hi, Any chance you could provide the files again? MP3 would be more than enough!
Thankyou so much for this excellent flac upload!
Congrats, 5:4 for insightful analysis and comments! It's about time I read something positive about Brian and his Gothic Symph! Quirky? Challenging? But nevertheless worth exploring!
Congrats 5:4 for insightful comments and analysis! I've been yearning to read something positive about Brian and his Gothic Symph!
Thanks for the gothic symphony!
I heard it in 1980 at the Albert Hall and again this season. It was marvellous and I much enjoyed your review.
Thank you for the kind words, RoyPummo – i'm glad you found the music (and my thoughts) interesting. Best wishes to you and to Norway at this sad and painful time.
I've been an on/off Brian fan since finding him in a '70s edition of the Guiness book of world records and being presented with a cassette copy of Ole Schmidt's 1980 'Gothic' by a somewhat eccentric uncle of mine; I'm still reeling from the mere thought of a Proms Gothic!
I want to thank you for posting the FLAC files (living in Scandinavia my own internet recording was only a partial success) – but above all for some of the most insightful and rewarding comments I've come across on Brian and his Gothic symphony. A model of what good music analysis should be, making you feel that you see something familiar from a new and utterly refreshing perspective.
Many regards from Norway
I was delighted to come across this, following a new post on Reddit about someone’s ambivalence towards the Gothic. I personally have none – I can still remember the first time I heard it in my teens in the 1980s on a cassette copy of what must have been the Aries LP of the Boult performance, and the astounding impact of the organ entrance at the end of the first movement, and the outbursts of the four brass bands and six sets of timpani at the end of the sixth.