Howard Hanson: Bold Island Suite

[@jacquesferland1746]

Two famous orchestral conductors spent their summers within a short navigating distance of each other: Pierre Monteux, in Hancock, north of Acadia National Park, and Howard Hanson, on Bold Island, west of the same park. Hanson gave a clear description of this suite. The first movement express his "reactions" to the sounds of this maritime environment. The second movement endeavors to capture "the mood" of living there on "a bright, warm day with the sun dancing on the waters." It makes a brief reference to "an innocent little storm" that rapidly moves on. The last movement is based on a hymn he had just written from a fourth-century poem, in which the sea, itself, and sea birds all sing to the glory of God.

[@hectorbarrionuevo6034]

Love Hanson's late-Romantic, cinematic musical style(s) !

[@dawnastebbins3556]

Well thank you for this! Could not find it on Spotify after thoroughly enjoying it on local Classical station! I wonder why?

[@ronaldbwoodall2628]

Yet another fine opus from Howard Hanson unjustly neglected! I haven't heard the Kunzel recording; I hope the CSO also performed it in concert, and that Szell repeated it, as it certainly deserves the chance to be appreciated. The final movement is especially impressive, with its' eloquent horns heralding the wonderful melody in the strings, then recalling the bird songs of the first movement. I now want to visit this bold island of pleasant adventures. Thanks Jk for making this special performance available. (Was that Vincent Price announcing at the conclusion?)

[@jksteven1]

+ronald b woodall - Robert Conrad did sound a bit like Vincent Price, but Conrad was the distinctive voice of the Cleveland Orchestra through the 1970's.

[@Twentythousandlps]

The voice of Robert Conrad can be heard on "George Szell Speaks" and other Cleveland broadcasts.

[@johnjepsen6419]

thanks

[@fflambeauutube]

"What is most amazing is that this work had never been commercially issued before the Telarc recording." That's sad, but I don't find it amazing as it is quite commonplace. Classical music has "gatekeepers" who tell us what is good and what is not (in their opinion): Bernstein and Copeland are good; Hovhaness and Hanson are not. And they usually think anything American is inferior to anything European. The gatekeepers are functionaries on the radio and in the press and often work hand in hand with the major labels to push the "big stars".

[@jksteven1]

There are hundreds of thousands of works not performed today. KZbin has a good number of them at least. Thanks for your viewpoint of which I wholeheartedly agree.

[@harryandruschak2843]

And ANOTHER work I have never heard before. Do the three movements have titles attached?

[@jksteven1]

+Harry Andruschak - You've brought a good point to my attention. I have included the movement titles in the text. Thanks! Jk

[@harryandruschak2843]

+Jk Stevenson BTW, the TELARC version has been uploaded to You Tube.

[@jksteven1]

RIght. Twice, actually, by two different uploaders. My upload has copyright-holder permission and is a totally different performance and has a different origin.

[@maxhollick6178]

lovely work do I hear Debussy

[@jksteven1]

+Max Hollick Definitely his influence! Jk

[@orlywatson5398]

Wonderful work. What is the painting?

[@jksteven1]

+Orly Watson - I obtained this from mypublicdomainpictures.com(via My Public Domain Pictures_

[@belartful]

My opinion of ths (negleted) Composer? He is up there with Ravel!

[@Twentythousandlps]

That is not the voice of Robert Conrad, who became the Cleveland announcer a few years after 1962.(Who it is I can't say.) Szell conducted a good amount of American music in Cleveland, and very well, though he didn't record much of it. Unlike, for example, Howard Hanson.

[@jksteven1]

+Mark Cogley He sure sounds like it to me as I heard this voice with every Cleveland Orchestra broadcast for well over a decade. But if anyone agrees with Mark Cogley please come forward and tell us whose voice it really is. Thank you for your input. Jk