One of Andrew Davis’s lesser known passions
Daily Comfort ZoneThe English composer Robert Simpson, a BBC wage slave for much of his life, had a discrete following among cognoscenti of comtenporary symphonic music.
One of his most powerful advocates was the BBC Symphony Orchestra conductor Andrew Davis.
Listen to the finale of Simpson’s 5th syhmphony and you’ll realise why.
That had the cats running in terror.
Having read his excellent Bruckner biography, I eagerly bought a recording with a couple of Simpson’s symphonies. Not at all what I expected. Couldn’t make sense of 40 years ago and still can’t. Maybe before I shuffle off this mortal coil I’ll figure out Simpson. I’ll listen to Davis and see if it helps.
His chamber music is good too.
So is his new translation of Virgil he did during the pandemic. A very fine classicist behind the very funny, self-depricating and humble conductor, organist and a lot more musically.
Now that’s a work that is on my MUST SEE list, although there is probably not much chance of that.
The entire 5th Symphony is an amazing, earthshaking piece. As are the 4th and the 3rd. For me, those are at the top of a very high quality heap.
I was at the first performance of Simpson’s Fifth, which followed closely the London premiere of his Fourth and I’d first encountered his music in the form of the Third when Jascha Horenstein recorded it with the LSO in 1970. Enormously impressive music.
He got stuck in a Nielsen groove, and like Nielsen also had a heart attack.
Simpson, besides being a Nielsen biographer, I think wrote a symphony dedicated to a gynecologist which depicts insemination.. musically. Alright then.
Wrong. Its musical process depicts “the emergence of life from a fertilized cell”.
We know where your mind is, maybe …
This CD is available for streaming on Spotify and I have just listened to both symphonies. My reaction? Well, now I have to listen to all of them! What a discovery this has been. Spotify has a tremendous amount of Simpson’s works. Give it a look and listen.
Yes, indeed. Hyperion recorded them all for good reason (and that reason was not the expectation of commercial success).
I listened. But didn’t run off. Exciting, a wonderful sense of anticipation, waiting for the next burst, not sure when it was going to finish. No. Not yet! Another outburst (how the orchestra must love this). It had me on tenterhooks. And what an absolutely amazing sense of humour! I laughed in awe. Thank you RS. You have my awareness now. Kitty cat
Great piece, Simpson 5. To avoid any confusion, Andrew conducts the LSO not, this time, the BBCSO…
https://www.colinscolumn.com/for-robert-simpsons-centenary-on-march-2-lyrita-has-released-his-fifth-sixth-symphonies-in-their-premiere-performances/
I must confess to the fact that I’ve had a couple of Tod Handley’s recordings of Robert Simpson’s Symphonies in my archives and, apart from initial hearings after buying them some years ago, have neglected them. The disc you highlight presents recordings conducted by two of my all-time favourite conductors, both sadly no longer with us. Time to look this one up. Thanks.
I think Andrew Davis would have garnered more respect in mainstream media if he chose to specialise in the old German masters. English composers, even Elgar, are generally looked down upon.
Wonderful music and outstanding conducting and playing from the BBC. Well done.
I know conductors who feel similarly about Roger Sessions. But they aren’t going out on a limb about that, either.
The 5th symphony is not exactly the easiest way into his music. And to expect all music to reveal all its secrets on first hearing is arrogant in any case.
Actually, it was mine. And within a few years I was all in, and I still am.