BAX
DISCOGRAPHY
Compiled
by Graham Parlett
This
is a revised and updated version of the discography that first
appeared as Appendix 3 in A
Catalogue of the Works of Sir Arnold Bax (OUP, 1999). There
are three sections:
I.
RECORDINGS OF BAX’S MUSIC
II.
RECORDINGS OF BAX PLAYING THE PIANO
III.
RECORDINGS OF BAX SPEAKING
The
first two sections list all commercial recordings known to have
been available for purchase together with samplers and free discs
given away with magazines. Performances that are due to be
recorded or have been recorded recently but not yet issued are
marked ‘forthcoming’; older performances that have never been
released are marked ‘not issued’. The arrangement is
alphabetical by title (ignoring articles and numerals) with
recordings listed in chronological order of original issue.
Details comprise the names of the performers, the record company
or label, the type of carrier (tape cassette, compact disc, etc.),
and the record numbers. In addition to standard abbreviations (movt.
for movement, sop. for soprano,
va.
for viola, etc.), the following are used:
CD
compact disc
DVD digital versatile (or video) disc (for
film soundtrack)
EP
extended-play microgroove record (seven-inch; 45 rpm)
LD laser disc (for film soundtrack)
LP
long-play microgroove record (twelve-inch; 331/3
rpm)
LP-10
long-play microgroove record (ten-inch; 331/3
rpm)
MD mini disc
PP
player-piano (pianola)
PR
piano roll
SR
shellac record (twelve-inch; 78 rpm + a single 80 rpm
recording)
SR-10
shellac record
(ten-inch; 78 rpm)
TC
tape cassette
TP
tape (seven-inch reel to reel)
VC
video cassette (for film soundtrack)
Recordings
are stereophonic unless designated (m) for monaural or, in three
instances, (m/st) for mono recordings electronically reprocessed
to give a stereo effect (RCA Pickwick/Camden and early 1970s Decca
Eclipse labels only). At
the time of writing (December 2004), the works that have been
commercially recorded most often are the Clarinet Sonata (fifteen
recordings), Elegiac Trio
(fourteen), Fantasy Sonata
and Tintagel (thirteen
each). No attempt has been made to indicate current availability.
Details of non-commercial archive recordings can be found on the
website of the British Library Sound Archive: www.bl.uk/collections/sound-archive/cat.html.
‘The
Gramophone is on the whole a ghastly invention . . .’
Arnold
Bax writing to May
Harrison
in 1929
I. RECORDINGS OF
BAX’S MUSIC
Adagio ma non troppo see Quartet
in E.
Apple-Blossom-Time: (1) Iris Loveridge. Lyrita LP: RCS 30 (m)—not
issued. (2) Malcolm Binns. Pearl LP: SHE 565. (3) Eric Parkin.
Chandos TC: ABTD 1372; CD: CHAN 8732;
CHAN 10132 (four-CD set).
At the last: Stephen Foulkes (bar.), Steven Kings
(pf.). BMS/EPSS Environs CD: ENV036CD—live recording
(‘Golden Jubilee Songs’). See also Celtic
Song Cycle, A.
Aufblick see Nocturnes,
Two
Ballad: (1) Henry Holst (vn.), Frank Merrick (pf.). Frank Merrick Society LP:
FMS 18 (m). (2)
Robert Gibbs (vn.), Mary Wu (pf.). ASV CD: DCA 1127.
Bard of the Dimbovitza, The:
Jean Rigby (mezz.), BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon
Handley. Chandos CD: CHAN 9715.
Berceuse (No.2 from Trois Enfantines):
Megan Thomas (sop.), Geraldine Mason (pf.). Cabaletta LP: HRM 2001
(m).
Boar’s Head, The: Baccholian Singers of London. HMV LP: CSD 3783; CD: EMI 7243 5 65125 2
8.
Burlesque: (1) Harriet Cohen. Duo-Art PR: 0357 (m). (2) Iris Loveridge. Lyrita LP:
RCS 26 (m); Musical Heritage Society LP: MHS 7014 (m). (3) Richard
Deering. Saga LP: Saga 5445. (4) Eric Parkin. Chandos TC: ABTD
1372; CD: CHAN 8732; CHAN
10132 (four-CD set). (5) Ashley Wass.
Naxos
CD: 8.557439; also on free CD with the
October 2004 issue of Gramophone:
GCD1004.
Cathaleen-ni-Hoolihan: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn
Brabbins. Chandos CD: CHAN 9879. See also Quartet
in E (includes original string quartet version of the
tone-poem).
Celtic Lullaby: Susan Yarnall (sop.), Steven
Kings (pf.). BMS/EPSS Environs CD: ENV036CD—live recording
(‘Golden Jubilee Songs’). See also Celtic
Song Cycle, A.
Celtic
Song Cycle, A: (1) Ellen Frohnmayer (sop.
in Nos. 1-4), Philip Frohnmayer (bar. in No. 5), Logan Skelton
(pf.). Centaur CD: CRC 2075. (2)
Jean Rigby (sop.), Michael Dussek (pf.). Dutton CD: CDLX 7136.
Ceremonial
Dance: (1) Iris Loveridge. Lyrita LP: RCS 10 (m). (2) Eric
Parkin. Chandos CD: CHAN 9561; CHAN 10132 (four-CD set).
Christmas
Carol, A: (1) Jane Wilson (sop.), George Trovillo (pf.).
US
Decca LP: DL 9554 (m). (2) Dorothy Dorow (sop.), Susan Bradshaw
(pf.). Jupiter EP: JEP OC33 (m). (3) Patricia Wright (sop.),
Rosemary Barnes (pf.). Continuum CD: CCD 1046. (4)
Graham Trew (bar.), Simon Weale (pf.). Classical Recording Company
CD: CRC1018-2 (‘The Holy Boy: An Anthology of Songs for
Christmas’). (5) Oliver Lepage-Dean (treble).
Naxos
CD: 8.557129 (‘An Evening Hymn:
Works for Solo Treble’).
Christmas Carol, A
[arr. chorus and organ]: Canterbury
Cathedral Choir, Allan Wicks, Stephen Darlington (org.). Grosvenor
LP: GRS 1034.
Christmas Eve:
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1192; TC: ABTD
1192; CD: CHAN 8480; CHAN 9168; CHAN 10158.
Concert Piece: Ivo-Jan van der Werff (
va.
),
Simon Marlow (pf.). Koch Schwann CD: 367622.
Concert Valse in E
flat: Iris Loveridge. Lyrita LP: RCS 30 (m)—not issued.
Concertante for
piano (left hand) and orchestra: (1) Harriet
Cohen (pf.), Radio Symphonique de Paris, Tony Aubin. Connoisseur
Cassettes TC: CPL3 (m). (2)
Margaret Fingerhut (pf.), BBC Philharmonic Orchestra,
Vernon
Handley. Chandos CD: CHAN 9715.
Concertante for three wind instruments and
orchestra:
Gillian Callow (cor.ang.), John Bradbury (cl.), Jonathan Goodall (hn.),
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins. Chandos CD: CHAN
9879.
Concerto for cello
and orchestra: (1) Raphael Wallfisch (vc.), London Philharmonic
Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1204; TC: ABTD 1204;
CD: CHAN 8494; CHAN
X10154. (2) Beatrice Harrison (vc.), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Henry Wood.
Symposium CD: Symposium 1150 (m)—recording
incomplete.
Concerto for seven
instruments:
Academy
of
St Martin-in-the-Fields
Chamber Ensemble. Chandos CD: CHAN 9602; movt.III only: on free CD with the May 1998 issue of Gramophone:
GCD0598. See also Sonata
for flute and harp (original version)
Concerto
for violin and orchestra: (1) Lydia
Mordkovitch (vn.), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson.
Chandos CD: 9003; CHAN
X10154. (2) Eda Kersey, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
(rec. 1944). Dutton CD: CDLX 7111 (m).
Coronation
March: (1)
London
Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent. Decca LP: LXT 2793 (m); ACL 137
(m); Eclipse ECS 649(m/st); US-London LP: LL804 (m); LD 9046 (m);
CM 9070 (m); Everest LP: 3277E (m); LP-10: LW 5057 (m); Ditto TC:
DTO 10119A (m); Decca CD: 425 662-2 (m); Beulah CD: 1PD13 (m); Decca CD: 4730802 (‘The British Music
Collection’). (2)
London
Festival Orchestra, Eric Rogers. Britannia LP: BRI 077. (3)
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Charles Mackerras. Reader’s Digest LP:
RDS 8024; RDS 0001/0002; also in RDS
8031 (eight-disc set: ‘Tunes of Glory’).
Coronation March
[arr. organ by Garrett O’Brien]: Christopher Herrick.
Vista
LP: VPS 1055.
Cortège:
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1204; TC: ABTD
1204; CD: CHAN 8494; CHAN 10158.
Country-Tune,
A: (1) Homer Samuels. Ampico PR: 68031 (m). (2) Iris
Loveridge. Lyrita LP: RCS 10 (m); Musical Heritage Society LP: MHS
7011 (m). (3) Eric Parkin. Chandos LP: ABRD 1206; TC: ABTD 1206;
CD: CHAN 8496;
CHAN 10132 (four-CD set). (4) Ashley Wass.
Naxos
CD: forthcoming.
Cradle Song: (1) Anne Thursfield (sop.), [Anon.] (pf.). HMV SR-10: E 410 (m). (2)
Kirsten Flagstad (sop.), Waldemar Almo (pf.). Golden Age of Opera
LP: EJS338 (m); Simax CD: PSC 1824 (m). (3) Norma Burrowes (sop.),
Noel Skinner (pf.). Bax Society LP: BAX LP 1 (m)—live recording. See also Irish
Songs, Three.
Dance
in the Sunlight: English Sinfonia, Neville
Dilkes. HMV LP CSD 3696; Greensleeves LP: ESD 7100; Greensleeves
TC: TC-ESD 7100; Angel
CD: 5655822 (‘The Poetry of Nature’). See also Pieces for small orchestra,
Three.
Dance
of Wild Irravel, The:
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1165; TC:
ABTD 1165; CD: CHAN 8454; CHAN 9168; CHAN 10158; excerpt: BRIT 0014 (‘Award-winning British Music’).
Devil that tempted
St Anthony, The: (1) Ruth Harte, Vivian
Langrish. Bax Society LP: BAX LP 1 (m). (2) Frank Merrick, Michael
Round. Cabaletta LP: HRS 2004; CDN 5002. (3) Seta Tanyel, Jeremy
Brown. Chandos LP: ABRD 1295; TC: ABTD 1295; CD: CHAN 8603. Note:
A recording by Frank Merrick and Angus Morrison of this and
Bax’s other works for two pianos was advertised in 1967 but
never made. It would have been issued on the Frank Merrick LP
label as FMS 22.
Dream
in Exile: (1) Iris Loveridge. Lyrita LP: RCS 11 (m); Musical
Heritage Society LP: MHS 7012 (m). (2) Eric Parkin. Chandos CD:
CHAN 9561; CHAN
10132 (four-CD set). (3) Ashley Wass.
Naxos
CD: 8.557439.
Elegiac
Trio: (1) Martin Ruderman (fl.), Milton Thomas (
va.
), Lois
Craft (hp.). Alco SR: AC 205 (m); LP-10: ALP 1007 (m). (2)
Christopher Hyde-Smith (fl.), John Underwood (
va.
), Maria Robles (hp.). Argo LP: ZRG 574. (3) Lucien Grujon (fl.), Walter
Mony (
va.
), Kathleen Alister (hp.). RPM LP: RPM 1038S;
Westminster
LP: WGS-8196. (4) Thomas Prevost (fl.), Jean Dupouy (
va.
), Martine
Geliot (hp.). Quantum TC: QM1993; CD: QM 6898. (5) Megan
Meisenback (fl.), Bruce Williams (
va.
), Mary Golden (hp.). Centaur CD: CRC 2114. (6) Maarika Järvi (fl.),
Paul Cortese (
va.
), Marie-Pierre Langlamet (hp.). Chandos CD: CHAN 9395. (7) Nash
Ensemble: Philippa Davies (fl.), Roger Chase (
va.
), Skaila
Kanga (hp.). Hyperion CD: CDA66807. (8) Mallarmé Chamber Players:
Anna Ludwig Wilson (fl.), Jonathan Bagg (
va.
), Jacqueline Bartlett (hp.). Capstone CD: CPS 8638. (9) Trio Turner:
Philippe Pierlot (fl.), Sabine Toutain (
va.
), Isabelle
Perrin (hp.). Arion CD: ARN 68423.
(10)
Debussy-Trio München: Bettina Fuchs (fl.), Gunter Pretzel (
va.
),
Rosemarie Schmid-Münster (hp.). Cavalli Records CD: CCD 220 (‘Of’m
Weg’: ‘Eine Benefiz-CD für Amnesty International’). (11)
Tanis Trio: Nels Lindeblad (fl.), Jean-Baptiste Brunier (
va.
),
Anne-Laurence Savin (hp.). Calliope CD:
CAL
9265. (12) Mobius: Lorna McGhee (fl.), Ashan Pillai (
va.
),
Alison Nicholls (hp.).
Naxos
CD: 8.554507. (13) Trio Nobis: Clara Novakova (fl.), Joël
Soultanian (
va.
),
Nicolas Tulliez (hp.). Maguelone CD: MAG 111.149. (14) The
Fibonacci Sequence: Anna Noakes (fl.), Yuko Inoue (
va.
), Gillian Tingay (hp.). Deux-Elles
CD: DXL 1090. Note: A
midi version of this work by Yu Nakajima was available on The Desk
Top Symphony Orchestra website in December 2001 (www. homepage1.
nifty.com/PICCOLO/p-e.htm).
Enchanted
Fiddle, The: (1) Norma Burrowes (sop.),
Noel Skinner (pf.). Bax Society LP: BAX LP 1 (m)—live recording.
(2)
Ian Partridge (ten.), Michael Dussek (pf.). Dutton CD: CDLX 7136.
Enchanted Summer: Anne Williams-King, Lynore McWhirter (sops.), Brighton Festival Chorus,
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley. Chandos LP: ABRD
1314; TC: ABTD 1314; CD: CHAN 8625.
Enfantines, Trois see Berceuse [No. 2].
Epithalamium: (1) Rodolphus Choir, Ralph Allwood, Christopher Hughes (org.). Herald
CD: HAVPCD 176. (2) The Ramsey Singers, Mark Fenton, Jeremy
Filsell (org.). ASV CD: CD DCA 941 (‘
English
Church
Music, vol. 5’).
Eternity [with
orchestra]: Martyn Hill (ten.), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson.
Chandos LP: ABRD 1317; TC ABTD 1317; CD: CHAN 8628; CHAN BM1
(sampler disc); CHAN 10159.
Eternity [with
piano]: Patricia Wright (sop.), Rosemary Barnes (pf.). Continuum CD: CCD 1046; CCD1000
(sampler disc).
Fairies, The: (1) Christopher Gillett (ten.), David Owen Norris (pf.). Ensemble TC:
TRI 002. (2)
Ian Partridge (ten.), Michael Dussek (pf.). Dutton CD: CDLX 7136.
Fanfare
for a Cheerful Occasion: Kneller Hall
Trumpeters, Capt. H. E. Adkins. HMV SR: C 2445 (m); Symposium CD: 1336.
Fanfares
for the Royal Wedding see Royal Wedding Fanfares, Two.
Fantasies
on Polish Christmas Carols, Five:
(1) St Angela’s Singers, Divertimenti, Peter Broadbent.
Ensemble TC: ENS 112, ENS 136. (2) Bel Canto Voices,
Plymouth
Festival Orchestra, Philip Brunelle. Pro Arte LP: PAD-192. See
also In Nightly Stillness
and Lullay, dear Jesus.
Fantasy
Sonata: (1) Raymond Jeremy (
va.
), Maria
Korchinska (hp.). National Gramophonic Society SR: NGS 118/120
(m); movt. I only:
Pearl
CD: GEMM CDS 9148. (2) Watson Forbes (
va.
), Maria
Korchinska (hp.). Decca SR: AK 941/943 (m). (3) Emanual Vardi (
va.
), Margaret
Ross (hp.). Musical Heritage Society LP: MHS 3613; TC: MHC 5613.
(4) Milton Thomas (
va.
), Susann
McDonald (hp.). Klavier LP: KS-570. (5) Michael Ponder (
va.
), Imogen
Barford (hp.). Ensemble TC: ENS 123. (6) Rikva Golani (
va.
), Judy
Loman (hp.). Marquis Classics CD: MAR 131. (7) Sabine Toutain (
va.
), Isabelle
Perrin (hp.). Arion CD: ARN 68423. (8) Evan Wilson (vla), Marcia Dickstein (hp.).
RCM CD: RCM 19801. (9) Mobius: Ashan Pillai (
va.
),
Alison Nicholls (hp.).
Naxos
CD: 8.554507. (10) Debussy-Trio München: Gunter Pretzel (
va.
),
Rosemarie Schmid-Münster (hp.). Cavalli Records CD: CCD 237 (‘Garten
von Freuden und Traurigkeit’). (11) Ivo-Jan van der Werff (
va.
),
Hugh Webb (hp.). Koch Schwann CD: 367622. (12) Doris Lederer (
va.
),
Jude Mollenhauer (hp.). Centaur CD: CRC 2570 (‘An English
Fantasy for viola and harp’).
Fantasy Sonata
[arr. viola and piano]: Richard Crabtree (
va.
), Charles
Matthews (pf.).
Olympia
CD: OCD 454.
Far
in a
Western Brookland
:
(1) Graham Trew (bar.), Roger Vignoles (pf.). Meridian LP: E
77031/2; TC: KE 77031/2. (2) Christopher Keyte (bar.), Rosemary
Barnes (pf.). Continuum CD: CCD 1046. (3) Ian
Partridge (ten.), Michael Dussek (pf.). Dutton CD: CDLX 7136.
Fatherland: Martyn Hill (ten.),
Brighton
Festival Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Vernon
Handley.
Chandos LP: ABRD 1314; TC: ABTD 1314; CD: CHAN 8625.
Femmes battez vos
marys: Patricia Wright (sop.), Rosemary Barnes (pf.). Continuum CD: CCD 1046.
Festival Overture
[1918 version]: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson.
Chandos LP: ABRD 1278; TC: ABTD 1278; CD: CHAN 8586; CHAN 9168;
CHAN 10158.
Flute, The: Patricia Wright (sop.), Rosemary Barnes (pf.). Continuum CD: CCD 1046.
Folk-Tale: (1)
Florence
Hooton (vc.), Wilfrid Parry (pf.). Lyrita LP RCS 7 (m); Musical
Heritage Society LP: MHS 7016 (m). (2) Moray Welsh (vc.), Roger
Vignoles (pf.). Pearl LP: SHE 571. (3) Bernard Gregor-Smith (vc.),
Yolande Wrigley (pf.). ASV CD: CD DCA 896.
From Dusk till
Dawn:
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos TC: ABTD 1478; CD:
CHAN 8863.
Frühlingsregen: Christopher Gillett (ten.), David Owen Norris (pf.). Ensemble TC: TRI
002.
Garden
of
Fand
, The: (1) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham. HMV SR: DB 6654/5
(m); LP: HQM 1165 (m); Odeon PHQM 1165 (m); EMI CD: CDM 7 63405 2.
(2) Hallé Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli. Pye LP-10: CCT 31000
(m); LP: GGC 4061 (m); GSGC 14061; GSGC 15017; GSGC 2059; Mercury:
MG 50115 (m); MG 90115; TC: ZGGC 2059; PRT CD: PVCD 8380; Nixa CD:
NIXCD 6003; Dutton
CD: CDSJB 1022 (‘The Barbirolli English Music Album’). (3)
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult. Lyrita LP: SRCS 62; CD:
SRCD 231; HNH LP: HNH 4034 (also in
box
HNH3
-4080X); Musical
Heritage Society LP: MHS 1769. (4)
Ulster
Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1066; TC: ABTD 1066;
CD: CHAN 8307; CHAN 10156. (5)
Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin. CSO CD: CSO 90-07 (from CSO 90/12:
‘The Chicago Symphony Orchestra: The First 100 Years’)—live
recording. (6) Royal Scottish National Orchestra, David
Lloyd-Jones.
Naxos
CD: 8.553525; also
in boxed set (‘British Orchestral Masterpieces Volume 2’).
Note:
The following disc has no musical connection with Bax’s
tone-poem: ‘The
Garden
of
Fand
’,
performed by ‘Seven Pines’: a
Church
of
Fand
CD
(FAND 001).
This New Age disc contains ‘Dark orchestral romantic folk songs
inspired by love poems of Dermot O’Byrne. O’Byrne was better
known as Arnold Bax, the great English composer who devoted his
entire life to LOVE: NATURE: MUSIC & ALCOHOL. Another great
release distributed through World Serpent [Distribution, Inc.]’.
Glamour [with
piano]: Christopher Gillett (ten.), David Owen Norris (pf.). Ensemble TC: TRI
002.
Glamour [orch. by
Rodney Newton]: Martyn Hill (ten.),
London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson. Chandos LP: ABRD 1317; TC:
ABTD 1317; CD: CHAN 8628; CHAN 10159.
Gloria: The Ramsey Singers, Mark Fenton, Jeremy Filsell (org.). ASV CD: CD DCA
941 (‘
English
Church
Music, vol. 5’).
Score Information